Desert warfare

Date: 1940

From: Creator unknown: Photographs of North African scenes during World War II

Reference: PA1-o-1565

Description: Photographs of military troopships and naval vessels (including Ramilees, Strathaird), soldiers recreation and entertainment, Mersa Matruh in Easter 1940, soldiers playing tenniquoits, military vehicles in the desert, Egyptian antiquities, races at Heliopolis in 1940, Tood? Sporting Club in Helipolis. Quantity: 1 album(s). Physical Description: 230 x 310 mm

Date: Sep-4 Dec 1941

From: Mason, Helen Wilmot, 1915-2014: Collection

Reference: MS-Papers-11191-25

Description: Notes describing conflict, most likely written by Lieutenant-Colonel C J Williams of Masterton (see inscription on rear of page eight). Quantity: 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Mss

Date: 1942-1943

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-298

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in North Africa and the Pacific during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Many of the group portraits are fully named in the album, many of whom are not listed above. Scenes include various views of the Kiwi Concert Party (with a named group portrait) on tour and in action, in Syria, Alexandria, Tripoli & Malta (p 1-5, 42, 137-138); New Zealanders in the RAF at Middle-Eastern stations (p 6-7, 19-23); casualties and medical officers from the El Alamein battle at a NZ military hospital, including a view of twin brothers E R & E O Riley who painted a mural while convalescing (p 8-9, 23); a group of NZ merchant seamen visited the 2nd NZEF base at Maadi with one of the soldiers at the base (A Currie, E Warner, D Duff (all from Lyttelton) and S Rogers from Wellington), with soldier W E M Cornish (also from Lyttelton). Lieutenant-General Montgomery inspecting troops and presenting awards (p 10-180 and Monty in the desert (p 63); from the Azizia region to Tripoli (p 24-36) including stacks of German bombs abandoned near Azizia, troops on leave in Tripoli, Monty visits, parades, scenes with Winston Churchill and Bernard Montgomery; inspection of troops and awards presented by General Freyberg (p 68-72, 75-76). The Libyan battle and advance to Benghazi; Xmas scenes at Maadi Camp (p 40-41), at the Helwan Hospital (p 53-54) & at Sirte (p 55-56); scenes of flooding in the desert; light naval craft in the harbour of a Western Desert port. Nursing sisters in the Western desert (p 45-49); infantry troops taking an Italian fort "Forte Giudice[?]" (p 50-51). Visit of the NZ Minister of Defence (Hon Frederick Jones (p 52-53, 84-85, 94-97, 125-127); presentation of 2 ambulances by the Hugh Baird family (Hastings) and the Sutherland Ross family (Dunedin). Clearing mines (p57-59); Divisional Signals in the desert (p 60-61); photographs taken on a German camera captured in the Sidi Barrani area (p 64-66); various sporting events including rugby championships in Tripoli (p 67-68) & Alexandria (p 72-74), hockey, tennis (p 149), swimming (p 149), and athletics in Cairo (p 127-129). An ambulance train, diesel drawn train of ambulance carriages operated by NZ engineers (p 79); NZ Spitfire fighters operating from Britain (Fl/Lt Pattison, Squad. Leader R J C Grant (DFC, DFM) & Fl/Lt Baker (DFC)); South Island airmen making a broadcast to NZ from the studios of the Canadian Broadcasting Studios in Halifax. Final phase of fighting in North Africa (p 89-93) and the surrender by General Messe, the German Chief of Staff. Scenes of the "First New Zealand Mule Pack Company" (p 129-131) for transporting ammunition and suppliesl in Tunisia; the marriage of Brigadier Kenneth MacCormick to NZ WAAC Joan Stewart Fenwick at Maadi Camp; reproductions of paintings and portraits by war artist Peter McIntyre (p 100-105, 113-114), including members of the Long Range desert Group, Benghazi, Siwa, Monty, Norman Johnston (NZ Broadcasting Unit) and entry into Tripoli. NZers at Stalag 18A Germany (photo taken by A "Carl" Carlisle); passing through Gabes & Sousse; arrival of men in NZ on home leave from Egypt (p 111-113), and office scenes showing the ballot for home leave (p 139-140); British and NZ forces repatriated from Italy on a hospital ship to Alexandria (p 115-116) and a British Embassy garden party for the troops held in the British Embassy grounds in Cairo (p 121-122, 131). Captured German weapons; the end of the North African Campaign; NZers in Britain; NZ prisoners in an Italian prison camp (photo taken by one who was repatriated (L P Halle from Wanganui); celebration of Empire Day in Cairo; command performance by unites of the Allied Forces for the King of Egypt; a group at Medinine; arrival back at Base Camp of the NZ Division after 2000 mile journey from near Tunis back to Maadi after continuous campaigning for nearly a year. Arrangement: Images in album form single numerical sequence, 2115-2555. 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.

Date: 1941-1942

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-288

Description: Official photographs from World War II, very few of which have captions. Scenes show activities relating to the New Zealand forces in the Middle East in 1941 and the beginning of 1942, including military training in the desert; social life and daily life in camps, scenes in hospitals, sporting activities and social clubs. Military leaders include General Freyberg, Brigadier Alexander Smith Falconer, Lieutenant-Colonel A S Wilder, Howard Karl Kippenberger and Field-Marshall Auchinleck. The New Zealand High Commissioner in Britain visited the tropps and can be seen inspecting the New Zealand reinforcements at Base Camp, Maadi. Several photographs show Charles Hazlitt Upham (awarded the Victoria Cross), including one portrait painted by war artist Peter McIntyre. Other paintings by Peter McIntyre are reproduced on pages 147-149, portraying the part played by New Zealanders in the Libyan offensive of November-December 1941, which McIntyre made from sketches drawn quickly on the field of battle. They include one of the NZ Infantry going into the attack at Sidi Rezegh; New Zealanders at Fort Capuzzo; the tank battle at Belhamid; New Zealand field workshops in the desert; an anti-tank gun in action at Sidi Rezegh; and tank "cavalry" scouting for Rommel's columns in the desert. The second Libyan campaign is seen in numbers of photographs. These include the advance into Libya after Fort Apuzzo fell to a New Zealand column; New Zealand engineers building a wharf at Tobruk; and German and Italian prisoners of war. Items captured include guns, German gas masks, German motor cycles, tanks, Nazi flags, and a captured whip. Three photographs show a group of four New Zealanders who fled from Benghazi on foot when unable to use vehicles after the road was cut behind them. They took about 11 days to walk 250 miles across the desert, gaining help from Arab groups on the way. (Drivers S G McKinnon (Auckland), A W Blackburn (Auckland), Corporal S Roa (Auckland) and Sergeant T W Gill (Wellington)). On pages 133-136 Middle East scenes show a group of New Zealanders arriving back at the N.Z. Base Camp after 37 days imprisonment in Bardia, Libya. 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: 1940-1983

From: Creator unknown: Photographs of North African scenes during World War II

Reference: PA1-o-1566

Description: Photographs of the troopship Strathaird, 1942 wedding to a unnamed French woman in Egypt, daughter Ann Ellen (born circa 1945 in Egypt), son Richard, arrival back to Wellington in 1948, residences in La Marsa, Benghazi and Tripoli 1947-1952,, daughter Ann winning a beauty pageant in Tripoli 1952, training camps in New Zealand, desert warfare in Egypt, Baghdad Villa at Claridge in 1960, family bathing at Eastbourne Beach in 1983. Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: 220 x 310 mm

Date: 1940-1945

By: Jones, W E, active 1940-1945

Reference: PA1-o-1564

Description: Photograph album compiled by Gunner W E Jones who served with 29 Battery, 6th Field Regiment, 1940-1945. Images include damaged tanks as well as vehicles in the desert. Jones appears to have got hold of captured film as some 1941 images from Bardia show NZ/British prisoners under German guard as well as Panzers. Other images from Tunisia and Bardia show German graves, a German half track captured by 28th Maori Battalion, a shot down German plane and pilot and also Jones and his battery. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: 215 x 285 mm Provenance: Purchased at auction, 2009

Date: [ca 1939-1945]

By: McGovern, Desmond Philip, 1917-2014

Reference: PA-Group-00437

Description: Photographs of 27 NZ machine gun battalion in Crete, Egypt and North Africa, WW2. The images are largely annontated verso and include images of desert battles, group photos, troopships and tanks etc. Also includes images from the camera of a German paratrooper. Photographs taken & collected by Private Desmond Philip McGovern. Source of title - Title supplied by Library Quantity: 2 album(s) Album(s). Provenance: Purchased at auction, 2009 Transfers: Collection as a whole received into Photographic Archive; material transferred to other sections from here - Transfers - to MSS; embarkation rolls, menus, postcards, bus passes - To Manuscripts & Archives - Embarkation rolls, menus, postcards, bus passes (MS-Papers-9341).

Date: [ca 1939-1945]

From: Davey family: Photographs

Reference: PA1-o-1538

Description: Photograph album relating to soldier's service during World War II in Italy and Egypt. Includes photographs of tanks, gunnery, cities and towns in Italy, Austria and Middle East, ruined buildings, and desert warfare. The image captioned as 'With Tiger tanks' on top left of page.3, actually shows a Panther tank on the road. Source of descriptive information - tank type identified by reader Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: 185 x 285 mm

Date: 28 Jun 1941-1942

From: Buckley, John David, 1901-1983 :Photographs

Reference: PA1-o-1805

Description: Photograph album compiled by Elizabeth Buckley of Taihape of photographs sent by her daughter Agnes Mary Buckley during her service as nurse during World War II, 1941-1942. Photographer is unidentified, but some images are likely taken by Agnes Mary Buckley and soldier Ron J Moore. Album contains images of Agnes's departure from Wellington, including portraits of Agnes in her nurses uniform, and a family group. Images of the ocean voyage feature deck scenes with other nurses and views from the side of the boat. Egyptian images are mainly tourist snaps around cities including Cairo, Alexandria, and Helwan. Street scenes show gharry carts, nurses, local people, and donkeys. Mosques, churches, Saladin Citadel, King Farouk Palace, various gardens, and the Great Sphinx of Giza, also feature. Contains images of the military camp, including Agnes's tent, the mess where the nurses ate, and other details of daily life such as practicing fitting gas masks and a garden party held for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). Further images of Libya [possibly taken by Ron J Moore?] show military life, images of towns (mosques, locals, and animals), and geographical features (salt lake, oases, and rocky outcrops), and the aftermath of conflict. Transportation is featured with vehicles moving through the desert and convoys that have been attacked; the burnt out truck in which Captain Beech was killed and his grave are photographed. Also shows the Ford of Murzuk, Italian prisoners of war, soldiers' camps in the desert. Also contains a copy of a poem 'If' and a newspaper clipping of a photograph showing Moore and T M Hutchinson (both in wheelchairs) with Buckley at the New Zealand hospital following the men receiving bravery awards from General Bernard Freyberg (not pictured). Inscriptions: Front cover reads 'Photos from Cairo' check PAColl-10087 for missing prints Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Scrapbook album with blue card covers and pastoral illustration printed on the front cover

Date: 1916-1918, 2015

By: Ebbitt, William Henry, 1893-1970; Dunkley, Gillian, active 2016

Reference: ATL-Group-00135

Description: Collection contains: Photographs taken and collected by William Henry Ebbitt during his service during World War One. Photographs mainly taken in Egypt depict other military personnel including S S M Ebbitt with Sgt Curtis and Sgt Hines wounded in hospital, Corporal Ferguson of the 9th Squadron from Mohaka Wairoa, Major Armstrong, Father McDonald, D. McMillan, W. O'Donald, 9th Squadron officers and football team, Turk prisoners, military horses (feeding, watering, under fire, treking), desert patrol, Indian transport men, camel transports, military camps (Bir el Maler, Kirba, Romani), visiting ancient Egyptian tombs at Katia (Quatia), and an aeroplane which landed behind their lines. Includes a photograph postcard from W H Ebbitt to his brother Len (dated November 1917). Text of postcard transcribed by Gillian Dunkley. Photographs are numbered from 1 to 102 (note there is some duplicates with differing annotations on the back) and are accompanied by documentation which provides information and notes relating to each photograph and biographic information relating to Ebbitt. This documentation was compiled by Gillian Dunkley. A selection of the photographs has been digitised by John Dunkley in January and February 2015. Title supplied by Library. Arrangement: Collection has been arranged by the donor prior to their deposit with the library. Each photograph is numbered (enclosed in a circle) on the back. These numbers reference electronic scans also supplied with the collection on deposit. Corporal William Henry Ebbitt, of Wairoa, served in the Wellington Mounted Rifles (Regiment No. 11/250) during World War I. He saw action at Gallipoli and Eygpt. Quantity: 111 b&w original photographic print(s). 119 electronic scan(s) of original black and white photographic print(s). 1 folder(s). Physical Description: Photograph prints, typescripts Provenance: Donor is the daughter of William Henry Ebbitt.