Album relating to Aydon's service and locations he visited

Album of photographs taken and collected by Godfrey William Aydon during his service in World War II, circa 1941 to 1945. Album compiled by Aydon's daughter Liz in the 1970s. Some prints have Aydon's writing on the back and these descriptions have been transcribed for album captions. Locations have been identified for most other prints. Photographers of commercial prints are unidentified.

Album is divided into sections titled "People", "Cairo", "Alexandria", Jerusalem", "Nazareth", and "Beiriut". With the exception of the "People" section, the photographs are mainly from commercial tourist sets.

Identified military personnel are Aydon, Russel Kirkby, Alex Inkster, Ross, Jack, and Goff. In some images some men hold or stand by guns. Other photographs relating to military life include the interior of Aydon's tent, the interior of the mess tent, and unidentified men in uniform on a doorstep holding two geese. Local people also feature, including unidentified men laying bricks and a man identified as "George", the Greek proprietor of George's Bar, who is pictured outside his establishment with a group of soldiers. The "People" section of the album includes a group portrait of soldiers in front of barracks at Trentham Army Camp taken by S. C. Smith.

Images of cities and towns that Aydon visited include scenic images, cityscapes, and famous sites. Images of note include the Nile River in flood, millet fields, Cairo Citadel, Jerusalem War Cemetery and Memorial, and a number of churches and mosques.

Also includes labels from Regal and Stella Light beer bottles (both made in Cairo, Egypt).

Inscriptions: Recto - top left - To Dad | With lots of love | Mike + Liz

Arrangement: Three prints, which had fallen from their album page, have been placed in an enclosure between the last page and back cover of the album.

Photograph album was gifted to Aydon by his daughter Liz and son-in-law Mike.

Quantity: 1 album(s) containing 118 b&w original photographs, and 6 items of ephemera (beer labels).

Physical Description: Instant stick album with photographic vista of mountain and lake on front and rear cover, spiral bound, 28.6 x 24.8

Item is fragile, take care when turning pages that photographs do not fall out of album. The plastic coverings of some album pages have lost their adhesive surface; some of these have been taped down with black tape prior to the album's donation to the Library.

Can be viewed in the Heaphy Room by appointment with a Conservator or Curator.