Description
Object description
New Zealand private served 19th Bn, 4th New Zealand Infantry Bde, 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div in Egypt and Greece, 9/1940-4/1941; evaded capture in Greece, 4/1941-4/1942; prisoner of war in Campo PG 51, Bari and Campo PG 57, Grupignano, Italy, Stalag IV-G, Oschatz and Arbeitskommando E188, Leipzig in Germany, 4/1942-4/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Te Kuiti, New Zealand, 1918-1940: family; effects of Depression; employment; reaction to threat of war; reaction to declaration of Second World War, 3/9/1939; opinion of GB. Aspects of enlistment and training with New Zealand Army in New Zealand, 5/1940-8/1940: enlistment, 5/1940; role of reinforcements; story of leaving Wellington on board HMT Mauritania, 8/1940; question of adjustment to military life; question lack of training and preparation for active service. Aspects of period as private with 19th Bn, 4th New Zealand Infantry Bde, 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div in Egypt, 9/1940-1941: landing at Port Said, 9/10/1940; role as reinforcements to 19th Bn; construction of defensive positions; conditions in deser, including climate, dust storms and training at Helwân. Recollections of operations as private with 19th Bn, 4th New Zealand Infantry Bde, 2nd New Zealand Infantry Div Greece, 1941: voyage from Alexandria, Egypt to Piraeus; move to Athens; relations with Greek civilians.
REEL 2 Continues: move to Katerini; move via Mount Olympus to west coast; terrain; question of lack of air cover; reaction to German Air Force Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bomber attacks; withdrawal to defensive positions; reaction to unit casualties; German Air Force attacks during retreat; withdrawal to defensive positions on Corinth Canal; reaction to being wounded in shoulder. Recollections of period evading capture in Greece, 4/1941-4/1942: retreat into hills; decision to stay with wounded comrade; story of receiving shelter and medical treatment from Greek civilian couple; sight of advancing Germans; joining other evading Allied troops in hills; sheltering with Greek civilians; story of learning Greek language and disguise; decision to leave Greek civilians' house; question of who to trust; question of stress of hiding out; betrayal and capture by Greek patrol, 4/1942; reaction to being captured in civilian clothes. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Campo PG 51, Bari and Campo PG 57, Grupignano in Italy, 4/1942-9/1943: move to Bari, Italy; conditions in Campo PG 51 Bari; question of treatment of escapees; move to Camp 57 Grupignano, 6/1942; morale; nature of camp; Red Cross parcels; rations.
REEL 3 Continues: mail; family support; agricultural work; relations with Italian farmer; relations with camp guards; reaction to escape attempts and escaping; story of Italian guards disappearing at time of Armistice and being picked up by Germans, 9/1943. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Stalag IV-G, Oschatz and Arbeitskommando E188, Leipzig in Germany, 9/1943-4/1945: journey in cattle trucks from Italy and Germany; Allied bombing in Leipzig area; working parties on railway; reaction to being caught in Allied bombing raids, reaction of German civilians towards prisoners of war during Allied bombing raids; bomb damage; story of digging trenches for burial of air raid victims; rations; accommodation; reaction to German victims of Allied bombing; question of personal morale; health; relationship with German guards; personal morale and story of prisoner of war wounded in Allied air raid; question of changing German attitude towards prisoners of war as Allied forces approached; reaction to mistreatment; hearing Allied gunfire; story of escaping from prisoner of war column, 4/1945.
REEL 4 Continues: condition of German countryside; reaction to meeting a United States Army patrol; prisoner of war accommodation at airport. Aspects of journey from Germany to GB, 1945: flight to GB; move to Margate; reaction to freedom; rations and leave; story of visit to London and reunion with brother at New Zealand House; visit to Bath; story of obtaining flight in brother's aircraft; voyage aboard HMT Mauretania from GB to New Zealand and meeting brother on board; homecoming; return to farming.
REEL 5 Continues: question of effects of war; opinion of GB and Commonwealth; reaction to experiences as prisoner of war.