Military reconnaissance

Date: 1939-1945

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PA1-q-296

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in the Middle East and England during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Includes photographs of New Zealand fighter and bomber pilots serving with the Royal Air Force, and several British Official photographs relating to New Zealand fighter pilot with the RAF, James Allen Ward, who was awarded the Victoria Cross. Most individuals identified in the album are listed above. Scenes include a visit by NZ soldiers to stables run by the Egyptian Government at Heliopolis; a NZ military band on tour in Palestine as part of a recruiting campaign; the arrival of the first party of Women's War Service Auxiliary in Egypt, and scenes of their life in the Welfare Section and at the New Zealand Forces Club (p 7, p 146-149); and RNZAF trainees at the Air Observer School, Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada. Life, military training and manouevres in the Western desert; ordnance workshops; the advance in the Western Desert; a NZ medical unit, a mobile surgical unit; hospital scenes (p 100, 103-105, 111). Sporting and entertainments include a wood-chopping "Axemen's Carnival" in South England; rugby matches in the Western Desert (p 29, 37-38, 82-83, 85, 93, 101-103, 107, 109); swimming (probably at Baggush; p 38-40, 44); and Christmas celebrations in the desert, including the Kiwi Concert Party (p 122-129); and a view of the YMCA Hostle at Alexandria. Inspection of NZ reinforcements in Egypt by William J Jordan (NZ High Commissioner in London); General Auchinleck presenting decorations to NZ soldiers, and reviewing NZ troops on the eve of the Libyan Campaign (p 49-57, 111-115); the Western Desert Battle, NZers bringing in German Prisoners of War; German General von Ravenstein captured by NZ troops, and scenes of various captured German vehicles, gas masks, a Nazi whip, and weapons; the Libyan advance (p 63-72); and the Railway Construction Unit in the Western Desert. Scenes of a New Zealand fighter squadron in Malaya (p 80-81, 87-89). NZers in Tobruk (p 96-99); one view of NZers at a Prisoner of War Camp in Germany (Stalag VI B) taken by Lieutenant Rangi (p 108); NZers arriving back at Base Camp after 5 weeks of imprisonment at Bardia, some of whom are named (p 117-121); four NZ soldiers who walked from Benghazi to west of Gazala (listed above); manouevres after the Libyan Campaign. Presentation of decorations by General Freyberg to members of the 2nd NZEF in hospital; views of a NZ Spitfire Squadron operating with the RAF Fighter Command, the planes subscribed for by the people of NZ (p 138-141); reproductions of paintings by war artist Peter McIntyre (p 133-138). Arrangement: Images in album form single numerical sequence, 1227-1668. 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 22.0 cm

Date: [1940-1941]

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PAColl-4161-01-152

Description: Series, of mainly uncaptioned photographs, of the Long Range Desert Group on surveillance patrols in Chevrolet trucks. Includes a series of individual portraits of the men in the Desert Group (unidentified). Captioned photographs show the surrender of Traghen; member of the Desert Group with women and children in the province of Chad; NZ and Free French Army troops taken beside their trucks during an expedition; L/Cpl L Roderick (NZ Divisional Cavalry) behind a machine gun on a car of the LRDG; Lt-Col J C d'Ornano of the Free French Army with L/Cpl Adams, L/Cpl Roderick and junior French officers; Murzuk Fort (Murzuq) on fire. Quantity: 129 b&w original photographic print(s).

Date: 1941 to 1942

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

By: McIntyre, Peter, 1910-1995

Reference: PA1-q-297

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in the Middle East and England during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Many individuals identified in the album are listed above. Scenes include physical training at the School of Instruction, Maadi Camp; reproductions of paintings by war artist Peter McIntyre (p 1-2, 93); scenes with His Excellency the Governor-General of NZ, Sir Cyril Newall, visiting Samoa and Fiji in 1942 (p 2-7); New Zealand members of ski units including members of the Maori Battalion at the Ninth Army Ski School in Syria; NZEF and Red Cross distribution of flour to Syrian people; parade through Aleppo. Officers, nursing sisters and Lady Freyberg at Anzac Day service at Maadi Camp in 1942; the visit of the NZ High Commissioner to a "west coast port", William Jordan and officers of NZ ships; arrival of pilots and observers for the RAF; scenes with King George VI & Queen Elizabeth visiting RAF Bomber Command, and the King watching landing exercises in Scotland. New Zealanders after withdrawing from the Libyan engagement; engineers constructing roads, lines of communication and supply in Transjordan; working with Arabs, reconstructing ancient wells; NZers in Amman. Group of NZers at Rouen sent back to Germany when arrangement with German authorities for mutual repatriation of prisoners broke down; NZ medical personnel repatriated from Italy to the Middle East under the Geneva Convention (many named); the Duke of Gloucester visiting the NZ camp at Maadi; locomotives being unlaoded on lighters and NZ engineers in their living quarters on the lighters at a Syrian port. The Pacific War Council in the Cabinet Room at the White House. Entertainment and sport for NZ troops in the Middle East included cricket, racing, bathing in the Dead Sea, boxing and wrestling championships. Campaign against malaria, widening and deepening drains; participation at the Western desert battle front; Visit of a party of NZers to a bandit stronghold in Syra (p 62-64); Sergeant James Allen Ward's VC with illustrations (p 71-72); Winston Churchill visiting NZers in the Western Desert (p 77-80, 82); the Alamein front; the NZ General Hospital at Beirut in Syria housed in former French barracks (p 86-90). A studio party in New York for Unted Servicement; a New York Bond Party; and later, a group of NZers in New York. RNZAF training in Canada (group portrait); NZers in North Western Alaska, and a group of wireless operators in Canada. Recipients of awards (named above); Kiwi Concert Party. Pursuit of the Axis Forces and war material abandoned by Germans and Italians (p 104-125); advance to Tripoli (p 128-138). Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with faded blue cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22 cm

Date: 12, 20 Oct 1942

By: Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972

Reference: MS-Papers-8143

Description: Two copies of a report of a reconnaissance trip undertaken by Lance Corporal J D Pascoe from the Hutt Valley to Wairarapa to ascertain a suitable route for military forces to transverse. The second copy includes a sketch by James Parnell of the area referred to in the report. Quantity: 1 folder(s) 2 pieces. 0.01 Linear Metres. Physical Description: Mss and typescripts

Date: [ca 1941]

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: DA-00693-F

Description: Army scouts crossing a waterway pushing a rubber inflated reconnaissance boat in the Canal Zone. Taken circa 1941 by an official photographer. Quantity: 1 b&w original negative(s). Physical Description: Cellulosic film negative

Date: 1939-1945

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PA1-q-291

Description: Photographs of military activities and war work in New Zealand during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use. Views show the manufacture of various military weapons, machinery and vehicles and the men and women involved in the work. They include munitions (manufacture of hand grenades); Bren gun carriers, airframes, building navy trawlers and mine sweepers in Auckland; airplane construction at Rongotai, at the De Havilland Aircraft Factory; making caterpillar tracks; making sten guns; and constructing army huts. People from various military and civilian groups are shown working as fitters, flight riggers, flight mechanics; aircraft maintenance; welders, camouflage nets (made by Girl Guides). Activities include army exercises (p 106-110); river crossing exercises; preparation for a dawn departure of a New Zealand Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron; army training (p 76-97); and the New Zealand Air Training Corps for elementary instruction for youths aged 16 to 18 1/2. RNZAF training includes blind flying practice, Hawker Hind training planes, aircraft maintenance, flight mechanics, and Airspeed Oxford training planes. Other activities include the planting and growing of linen flax, used in the manufacture of planes, tires, gun covers and fighting equipment; agricultural and horticural work, including using bullock teams for breaking in new ground; army manouvres (in part in Franklin area, and in winter conditions in the South Island near the Southern Alps); territorial manoeuvres; coastal defence; Home Guard training; a remedial physical education training camp for recruits suffering from foot troubles, painful backs etc.; the making of a new raft designed in NZ which could be constructed in a few minutes and was easily transported; training despatch riders on motor bikes in the snow. Women, in different organisations including Women's National Service Corps, Women's Auxiliary Air Force and the Lady Galway Guild, were engaged in driving and maintaining military vehicles; driving for Red Cross vehicles; digging trenches; on parade; as signallers; in clerical work; hospital duties; cooking and other branches of essential war work. Pages 63-75 show the arrival in New Zealand of the American forces; and pages 111-121 portray a visit to New Zealand of Australian and Netherlands personnel from the hospital ship Oranje when the NZ Government, as a mark of appreciation for their efforts in bringing Australian and New Zealand wounded troops, placed a special train at their disposal and took them to Chateau Tongariro for rest and relaxation. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with dark blue cloth cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm

Date: 1943-1945

From: New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch :Photographs relating to World War 1914-1918, World War 1939-1945, occupation of Japan, Korean War, and Malayan Emergency

Reference: PA1-q-300

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in Italy during World War 2, 1943-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Many individuals identified are listed, but while many others are identified in group portraits they are not named. Views of the No 1 New Zealand General Hospital at Molfetta; Prime Minister Peter Fraser visiting NZ troops in Italy (p 2-12, 18-19), including the occasion of his audience with the Pope at the Vatican and senior officers and chaplains after being received by the Pope at Vatican City; the chief prior of Abbey Monte Cassino returning to the ruins of the monastery (p 2). Views of a Divisional Flashspotting troop; a "jeep train" supplying men to forward areas, known as the "Ghost train" as it had to move in darkness; pursuit of Germans after the capture of Atima and Belmonte. The No 2 NZ Field Bakery in action; the No 2 NZ General Hospital at Caserta (p 10-12); the NZ Forestry Unit in Southern Italy Transport ship Gripsholm arriving in Algiers with repatriates from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and other allies; swimming and boating sports at Arce; NZers on leave in Rome, Vatican City, St Peter's, Castel St Angelo, and the NZ Forces Club; a gymkhana, and wood chopping competition at Arce. NZ troops after the assault on Mount Lignano; the advance towards Florence; King George VI visiting the NZ Division during the advance to Florence; "Tuis" in Rome at John Keats House; a Regimental Aid post. Sound recording machines, helping locate enemy guns; clearing landmines; various armoured vehicles including German Tiger tanks, and other German Panzer tanks, Staghound armoured cars; M10 tank busters Members of the RNZNVR in the Mediterranean (p 50-51, 55); Italian partisans in Florence, and one view of Nikos Souris (worked with the escape system in Crete); New Zealanders arriving in Florence; New Zealand Forces Club in Florence. Weddings at the chapel at No 3 General Hosptial (Bari), and at All Saints Church in Rome; inspections by general Freyberg accompanied by senior Greek officers inspecting the 3rd Greek Brigade in Italy; Winston Churchill touring the 8th Army front. The RNZAF in Britain: fighter pilots of Hawker Tempest planes; pilots and navigators of a Mosquito squadron engaged in bombing targets behind German lines by night (British official photographs, p 60-63) Kiwi Concert Party entertaining children and adult refugees at a camp in Rome; a gala day held for Italian children by members of the No 21 NZ Battalion; the advance to Gambettola; troops on leave in Riccione; a donkey derby; advance through Faenza; scenes of Christmas celebrations in the No 3 NZ General Hospital and on the line in Italy. NZEF Middle East (p 104) the Honorable D G Sullivan visiting Maadi, NZEF Italy, Sullivan visiting the troops in Italy (p 107-110). A dance held at Senigallia as a farewell to members of Transport HQ returning to New Zealand under the replacement scheme; sporting activities including rugby, soccer and hockey; New Zealand High Commissioner to London visiting NZ troops and hospitals in italy; Sir Patrick Duff (British High Commissioner designate to NZ visiting Italy en route to NZ; Italian women partisans in Massa Lombarda; New Zealanders in Venice after having been liberated; a pontoon bridge over the River Po; meeting between General Freyberg and members of the Yugoslav Army; and NZ ex-prisoners of war at a NZ repatriation unit in Italy all of whom are named. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with faded blue cover, darker blue corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm