Description
Object description
New Zealand NCO served with New Zealand Coastal Artillery in New Zealand, 1940-1942; served with 28th (Maori) Bn 5th New Zealand Infantry Bde, 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div in Italy and Egypt, 1943-1946; gunner served with 16th Field Regt, Royal New Zealand Artillery, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1950-1953
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Palmerston North, New Zealand, 1923-1940: family; tribal affiliations; story of failure to complete apprenticeship; employment; reaction to threat of war; story of formation of Maori Bn and barefoot Maoris, 1/1940; family opinion of GB and declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; question of Maoris' reasons for joining armed services; status of Maori Bn during the conflict and casualties; story of not attempting to join 28th (Maori) Bn. Aspects of enlistment and service with Coastal Artillery, 1940-1942: story of enlistment; duties at instructional school; transfer to Coastal Artillery; story of stowing away aboard HMT Aquitania, 1942; story of interview with commanding officer; parents' reaction to possible overseas service.
REEL 2 Continues: promotion to bombardier and duties with coastal artillery, 1941-1942; types of defensive guns employed; radar activity. Recollections of period with as private with 28th (Maori) Bn 5th New Zealand Infantry Bde, 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div in Italy and Egypt, 1943-1946: transfer to battalion; training in Egypt, 1943-1944; story of being sent back to Egypt to train recruits, 5/1945; story of scramble to get away from Royal Air Force attack on German tank in Italy; question of battalion shooting German prisoners of war; role as Bren Gun operator; story of modifying Thompson Machine Gun; joining battalion after Monte Cassino battle, 1944; question of the truth of British Broadcasting Corporation statement that South African troops captured Florence; positions on Arno; story of inability to speak Maori; sight of United States Army Air Force raid near River Senio; flame-throwers in action on River Senio, 1945; role of 2nd New Infantry Zealand Div and composition of 5th New Zealand Infantry Bde; question of each battalion's front line service; German defences; story of encountering Germans and calling for an artillery strike; reaction to being under fire.
REEL 3 Continues: story of Maoris soldier wanting to shoot prisoners; story of encountering Gurkha troops; story of attacking house in Italian town; question of looting; story of finding money on German Army officer; story of acquiring Hungarian bank bonds; question of reputation of United States Army Air Force for bombing allied troops; story of being bombed by United States Army Air Force aircraft in advance to River Po; sight of Royal Air Force aircraft attacking German Tiger tank; aspects of a German tank attack; reaction to a television programme that stated Maori troops killed German prisoners of war; story of shooting prisoners from German 90th Light Panzer Division; question of post-war reaction to incident; story of later volunteering for Korean War, 1950 and aspects of two tours of service in South Korea. return voyage aboard HMT Dominion Monarch from Egypt to New Zealand, 1946; leave in Palestine, 5/1945; story of war brides aboard HMT Dominion Monarch; concert parties; New Year's Eve on Suez Canal, Egypt, 31/12/1945; demobilisation in New Zealand, 1946. Recollections of period as gunner with 16th Field Regt, Royal New Zealand Artillery, 1st Commonwealth Div in South Korea, 1950-1953: situation in South Korea, 1950; serving with British units on formation of 1st Commonwealth Div; story of serving with Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regiment in Italy and South Korea; opinion of a French Canadian regiment; story relating to French Canadian unit in South Korea; story of hospitalisation in American Mobile Army Surgical Hospital after a road accident; incident with confused American sergeant on hospital train. Reflections on service with New Zealand Army: opinion of GB.
REEL 4 Continues: reaction to use of atomic bombs on Japan, 8/1945; story of visit to VE Day celebrations, 8/1995; story of attending post-war Anzac dawn parades.