Pipe bands - Middle East

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

By: McIntyre, Peter, 1910-1995

Reference: PA1-q-295

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in the Middle East and Egypt during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official purposes. Many of the personnel identified are listed above, but group portraits in which individuals are named, are not individually listed above. Images include a consignment of 3000 cases of apples arriving at the New Zealand Forces Club in Egypt; YMCA secretaries of the NZEF in Crete before the blitz; NZ pilots at advanced RAF training school in England; King George II of Greece inspecting troops in the Middle East, being entertained by members of the Maori Battalion, and presenting medals to the platoon acting as his bodyguard on the Greek royal family's evacuation from Crete to Egypt (p 6-11). American aid to the ANZACs, showing a function in New York celebrating the presentation of over 100 ambulances to the fighting forces in Egypt, with (on p 12-15) views in Egypt of the ambulances & mobile surgical unit; the General Hospital at Helwan, with views inside wards, and life of convalescents including a swimming carnival, picnics and yachting (p 16-20); nurses' life at the General Hospital (p 139-141). Arrival of a mobile canteen for the YMCA (p 20-21); NZ soldiers on leave in Cairo; NZ cricket team at the Gezira Sporting Club (p 23-24); Parades of NZ units reviewed by general Freyberg; A YMCA canteen service van in Crete; opening of the Lowry Hut (p 8, p 28-30, p 34-35); Rowing races between a NZ team and Cairo representative team at the Cairo River Club (p 30-31, p 67). PM Peter Fraser's tour of NZ activities in Britain; broadcasts to NZ through the BBC's New Zealand programme (p 32-33, 92-93, 124-125); the New Zealand Forces Club (p 35-39, 44); ENSA Concert Party (p 40-42); staff at NZ House in London sorting parcels from NZ for NZ personnel. Attack on Crete (p 44-53), views taken by a German photographer who was killed in Crete, including Junkers transport carriers, Axis destroyers and wrecked German planes at Maleme airport; transport ship Glengyle after the evacuation from Crete. HMS Leander (p 55-61, p 79, p 84-85), includes group of sailors & NZ officers, all identified. Maori Battalion training in the Middle East; incidents during route march; two views of the official Netherlands Indies Women's organisation in wartime who looked after NZ airmen passing through batavia (Djakarta) (P 66, 68); sports meeting at the Prince Farouk Stadium Cairo (p 68-73, 83); artillery callibrating guns (p 73-79); field ordnance worlshops; Mobile Surgical Unit; copies of paintings by war artist peter McIntyre (p 87-91); Bomber Command Operational Training Unit. Postal unit (p 94-101); wireless operator air gunners after training at the WAG course at Mountain View Air Station in Canada (all named, p 96-97); investiture conferring Greek decorations on NZ officers (p 101-102, 110-111); Kiwi Concert Party (p 103-110); manouevres in the desert; fire brigade at NZ Base Camp (p 118-122); 2nd Echelon Office keeping personal records (p 120, 122-123); camp laundry in Egypt (p 128-130); work of a Light Aid Detachment in the field; the original ANZAC Club, Singapore (p 144); training under active service conditions in desert (p 145-149); visit by NZ soldiers to a stable maintained by the Egyptian Government at Heliopolis raising Arab horses. Arrangement: Images in album form single numerical sequence, 782-1226. Follows sequence established in PA1-q-294. Quantity: 1 album(s). Physical Description: Album with faded blue cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm

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-294

Description: Photographs of New Zealand military personnel serving in Greece, Crete, the Middle East and Egypt during World War 2, 1939-1945, taken by various photographers and compiled for official use. This album includes a number of official photographs taken for the British official records. Many of the personnel identified are listed above, but group portraits in which individuals are identified are not listed above. Many views show aspects of military training in the desert, including machine guns, rifles, manoeuvres, Bren guns, range practice, and anti-tank guns. New Zealand Divisional Cavalry. In England military training and preparation includes scenes of the New Zealand High Commissioner in London, William Joseph Jordan, watching New Zealand lumberjacks from the New Zealand Forestry Corps in a Gloucester forest felling trees for war purposes. Also related to England are scenes of the Duke of Gloucester inspecting troops, and King George VI at an investiture at Buckingham Palace investing Flight-Sergeant Williams with his Distinguished Flying Medal for gallantry in air operations. Long Range Desert patrols and expeditions into enemy territory showing the difficult terrain they had to negotiate. Views of a formation of five American-built Lockheed Hudson aircraft of the RAF Coastal Command carrying out an action patrol near Borkum, Heligoland and the Danish Coast. They are the first released photographs taken while under fire from German anti-aircraft ships, flying only 200 ft above the sea because of the weather (p 15-21). One image shows a wireless operator checking one of H.M. the King's homing pigeons, presented to the RAF to carry messages in case of a forced landing & breakdown of wireless. Arrival of NZ airmen & pilots for duty with the RAF in 1941. Gift of fruit and vegetables presented to NZ troops stationed in Fiji, transported 60 miles by boat from Kandavu, formally accepted by Brigadier Cunningham. (A number of images of Cunningham are dotted throughout the album). Views of the sinking of the Italian raider Ramb I, by HMS Leander in February 1941 (p 33-37). Scenes of a huge field bakery run by Egyptian bakers which can supply 3500 loaves each day. Also the "Waiwera Hotel - the 'ouse on the 'ill" cookhouse in the desert; and other scenes of food preparation. Relaxation organised by the YMCA, and the opening of the Lowry Hut run by the YMCA. Shipboard life on a transport ship, including games, relaxation and officers censoring mail. Floods after heavy rain in the Western Desert along the Mediterranean fringe (p 61-64). The Oranje leaving Amsterdam on her maiden voyage; used as hospital ship for Australian and New Zealand forces. Groups at the Royal Canadian Air Force Bombing and Gunnery School, all of whom are named (p 67-69). Prime Minister Peter Fraser's visit to the Middle East (p 69-72), his visit to Greece (p 93-105), and inspecting the hospital ship Maunganui (p110-111).) The No. 1 General Hospital in Greece. War damage to New Zealand House in London (p 105-106). Italian prisoners of war in a soccer match "NZ vs Italy" in Egypt (p 79-81); German parachute troops wounded and taken prisoner in Crete; captured swastikas used to hoodwink the enemy into dropping supplies. Fighting and evacuation of Crete. Evacuation of the Greek Royal party by a bodyguard of New Zealand soldiers, with views of a reception given by His Majesty the King of Greece, showing Lieutenant W H Ryan, Princess Marie, lady Palairet, Prince George, Prince Peter, and British military attache Colonel J S Blunt. Group portrait of New Zealanders in Britain training for the Fleet Air Arm (members named). Members of the New Zealand Bomber Squadron of the RAF who have been part of the raids on Germany, particularly on Berlin. (Several group portraits, some of which are named). Several photographs of unidentified men who escaped from Crete in barges. Arrangement: Images in album form single numerical sequence, 398-791 Quantity: 1 album(s) Album(s). Physical Description: Album with faded blue cover, black corners and spine; 34.5 x 22.0 cm