World War II Official album. 2556-3002

Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in the Middle East and Italy during World War 2, 1943-1944, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Many individuals identified are listed above, but while many others are identified in group portraits they are not named above.

This album changes between the Middle East and Italy, with the bulk of the Middle Eastern images between pages 1 and 71, and the Italian scenes on pages 49-52, and from 72 onwards, with a few Middle Eastern items interspersed.

Recreation for soldiers with sporting activities including athletics, cricket, swimming, tennis and softball, some of which are in competition with personnel from other groups including South African Division Artillerymen.

New Zealand engineers building a pontoon bridge across the Suez Canal with the help of Belgian Congo troops; NZ reinforcements arriving in the Middle East; troops voluntarily donating blood; parades and inspections by Freyberg and Inglis, and decorations presented by them (p 9-13, 23, 33, 36, 62).

Hitchhiking from Maadi into Cairo; street tailors altering uniforms while the soldiers wait (p 15-16); camp cinema.

A large number of reunions of personnel from various New Zealand districts held at different restaurants in Cairo, including Rotorua & district; Levin & district; Arrowtown, Queenstown Lakes District; Wairarapa; and Temuka.

Occupational therapy for convalescent troops including embroidery and leather-work toys (p 20-22); a leave camp for forces on the Palestinian coast, run by British Army staff assisted by ATS, and Italian Prisoners of War and European women assistants.

NZEF in Italy: Members of the PoW Sub-Commission in Taranto; members of the 2nd NZ Division Advance party in Taranto; released prisoners of war; embarkation on troopships from Alexandria for Italy.

Funeral at cemetery at El Ballah of 3 nurses and a corporal in a motor accident between Ismailia and Port Said (Private (Miss) P A Morrissey (from Port Ahuriri); Private (Miss) M O McNulty (from Eketahuna); Private (Miss) M Innes (from Masterton); and Corporal S R W Bomford (from Takapuna), all members of the No 2 NZ General Hospital).

NZEF Middle East: Award winners of the NZ Division Field Ambulance; personnel with a NZ Air Transport Squadron; members of the NZ Port Detachment; weddings in Egypt; Xmas dinner at the Maori Training Depot, Maadi.

George Formby, seen with his wife/manager entertaining troops at El Djem Theatre, Maadi; Mobile Cinema Van donated by NZ Film Exhibitors' Association through the YMCA.

Group of 10 men repatriated after time in German prison camps who had been taken in the Grecian Campaign; 4 brothers from the Duncan family from Wellington reunited at Maadi (S/Sgt A T Duncan, Capt R J Duncan, Pte H G Duncan and Cpl G J Duncan); photo of brothers A J and S R Halkett who arrived back in Canterbury after having been together in the firing line, in a shipwreck, in a prison camp and in a successful escape.t

NZEF in Italy: men of transports from Alexandria to Bari; troops in Bari; artillery duels on the Sangro River Front; party of Russian military observers visiting the 8th Army (p 82-83); road construction, mud, road deviations constructed after demolition of bridge; water carts being filled at Sangro River, and filling canvas water tanks for filtering and storage; repair of tents and canvas items by NZ soldier A A Patmore on a sewing machine behind the lines; small arms repair; bootmaker; visit of senior officials from the British Army to HQ 2NZ Division in Italy; destruction of the village of Gessopalena by the Germans.

Arrival of Patriotic parcels in Italy, Xmas 1943; Xmas dinner; snow on New Year's Eve; NZ Forces Club in Bari (p 109-110), with NZ sisiters and members of VAD at the club, and soldiers in the writing room of the club; inspection and awards by freyberg in the Volturno Valley; soldiers washing vehicles, and Italian women washing clothes in a stream near Alife in the Volturno valley.

Two scenes with Peter Fraser one at Pearl Harbour with Admiral Chester W Nimitz, and Robert L Ghormly (p 116); and his arrival at National Airport, Washington in April 1944, with Walter Nash, Mrs Nash and Mrs Fraser (p 116).

NZEF in Italy: Bivvies and dugouts to cope with the cold; the No 2 NZ General Hospital (p 121-123); the Monte Cassino area (p 124-136), with bombing, destruction, villagers living in caves after homes demolished by Germans; Airmen serving with the RAF in the Cassino area recording messages to be broadcast in NZ; preparation for transport of supplies over the Inferno Track, only possible at night.

New Zealand Infantry Brigade Band in Italy; malaria control (p 138-140); Malaria School established by the NZ Field Hygiene Section; preventative spraying; routine taking of anti-malarial tablets; examination of Italian children for signs of malaria.

Airmen in italy; men on leave at "200 Rest Home" giving free amenities to troops on 4 day's leave from the front line; sorting of winter clothing after summer clothing had been issued; Registrar's office and staff at the No 1 General Hospital, Molfetta.

Arrangement: Images in album form single numerical sequence, 2556-3002. Follows sequence established in PA1-q-294.

Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s).

Physical Description: Album with faded blue cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22 cm