Hi guys, can anyone help with 2NZEF info??

That's a good idea Brian, I will get in contact with Charles in the next couple of days. I would guess that Archives New Zealand also hold the same files?

 

That's a good idea Brian, I will get in contact with Charles in the next couple of days. I would guess that Archives New Zealand also hold the same files?


Not sure about that Andy there is very little else at Kew regarding War Diaries of different Btns. I would think Charles will know due to the No.of years he has been going through NZ Records.

 

Hello Regan & all posters,

I am new to this site and hoping I may find some information about the 5th reinforcements.
My father was also on board the Mauritania 7 April 1941.
He was Sgt. "Andy" Andrews #35199. He was an Infantry Instructor and attached to the 32Bn.
I am presently transcribing my fathers service records with the assistance of a number of lists of abbreviations kindly supplied by the NZDF.
If you wish, I can take a look at your gr.fathers records and possibly work out some sort of timeline (based on Dads movements). He was attached to a number of different battalions as he was hospitalized a number of times and was "marched out" to various battalions.
My father returned to NZ on the 16 March 1945.
kind regards,
CharlieA

Lest we forget - Anzac Day 2010

 

Hi Charlie, thanks for the post, it seems likely that my grand father was on the same boat at the same time, I have recently purchased a copy of the troop ship magazine which was put together by the soldiers who were on that particular voyage and later printed and I believe posted to the passengers after the war as a sort of momento... I'm waiting for it to arrive hopefully next week, I could photocopy it and post it to you if you like? It may even have mention of your grand father?

Also concerning my grand fathers movements overseas I would more than apprecicate you having a look over his records and see what you can get out of them. I have attached some of them back earlier in this thread if you wanted to have a look? Its pretty hard reading though.

Curiously I believe my grand father was initially part of 32 Battalion then posted to 22 battalion upon arriving in Egypyt? I think I have a photo of a Sargent from egypyt somewhere you never know it may even be your grand father, If I can find it I'll post it up and see if anyone knows who it is. Also did your grand father serve in crete?

Kind Regards

Regan Harris

 

Hello Regan,
Attached are the transcriptions I offered. I hope they will make a little more sense. It looks like you gr.father had an adventurous time and please let us know what you find out about the Puttick Wing.
I have my fathers photo album from when he was in the Middle East & Egypt but unfortunately he didn't write the names of the soldiers on the back of them.
I can't wait to see what is in the ships magazine you bought. I have been trying to find one also, but they are as rare as hen teeth.
I have started a group on this site especially for 2NZEF, I thought we need somewhere that we can put photos and documents together.
regards
CharlieA

 

Hi Charlie.
Wow thanks so much you've done an amazing job deciphering that. As a token of my appreciation I will send you a copy of the HMT 25 troop ship magazine, if you could email me your postage address and I will get it in the mail ASAP. It has passenger lists and there assigned units on board as well as stories photos etc.

I have also got alot of photos from my grand fathers time in the war as well as an amazing collection from a chap who was in the role of 2nzef 6th Field ambulance during ww2 his collection is massive & includes shrapnel, photos (Trentham & Egypt), movie tickets, telegrams all sorts you name it! so when I find the 2NZEF group I'll post some of these up there.

Thanks again, if I can help in any way drop me a line

Kind Regards

Regan Harris

 

Hi Regan,
Only too happy to help. Will send you my address via personal message.
The 2 NZEF group I have started is under Social Goups on the Quick Links drop-down menu.
From reading my fathers records, he did not go to Crete. If he had, I suspect he would have been given the Medal of Greece as he has all the others except that one.
regards
CharlieA

 

Hi again Charlie, just curious were your grand fathers initials Sgt Andrews, V.M

 

Hi guys please find attached an extract from a diary my grand father kept while POW during ww2, he has the listed dates and names of the camps he was sent through untill he reached Germany, I am having a bit of trouble reading the old style hand writing but I have added what I could work out. If anyone could help deciphering the names of these places I would greatly appreciate your help.

Kind Regards

Regan Harris

 

Hi Regan,
From a quick look at it, I would say it reads following El Alamein:
Darba?
Mersa Matruh
Derna
Palms camp?
Benghazi
Benghazi

The only other one that seems to stand out for me is 'Arrived Udine? (if correct would be Campo 57) 29/8/43
Hope that helps

 

Hi, I can't offer any new information but have just received my Grandfathers will and discovered he was part of the 5th Reinforcements at Trenthan. He went to Italy and part of the 6th Field Ambulance NZMC, I would say around if not at the same time as your grandfather. He was taken prisoner and ended up in an Italian POW camp but I can't seem to find any information on that. Belinda Smith

 

Hi Belinda, I have been doing quite alot of research into the 5th Reinforcements and I have a passanger list for the troop ship my grand father was on, if you could give me the name of your grand father and whatever information you have I may be able to help?

Kind Regards

Regan Harris

 

Hi again Charlie, just curious were your grand fathers initials Sgt Andrews, V.M

Hi Regan,
Oh my gosh!!! YES. That is my father, he died when I was 10 years old. Do you have a photo or something? I am in shock.
Will have a look at your Grandfathers diary and see if I can make some sense of it.
Have managed to decipher some more of Dads records and it appears he went to Italy with the English 8th Army.
regards
CharlieA:biggrin:

 

Hi Regan
Below is the transcription of your grandfathers diary. It appears to be a list of POW camps he went through until he got to Germany. I have added a link to a website you might be interested in.

regards
Charlie A

 

Hi Charlie, thanks for the help with the log book, using the names you deciphered I managed to actually trace his journey through north africa as POW on an atlas, the names all matched up with North African towns, very exciting! Oh and concerning your father SGT V.M Andrews I found his name listed in the troop ship magazine from the 5th reinforcements. On the boat he was listed as SGT of Three Battalion A company 3 Platoon, but obviously that would have changed when they reached Egypt....... I'll get on to my mother who has alot of Lauris war photos from the desert I'll post them up who knows.....

Kind Regards

Regan Harris

 

Hi Charlie, I couldn't see the photos you put up on the social group 2NZEF, but anyways I posted a few myself, more to come see what you think...

 

Hi Regan, Very interested in your story. My father was also on board HMT 25 (Mauretania) as a member of the 5th Reinforcements. He was in the Machine Gun (MG) Company that went on to become part of the 27th MG Battalion. The journal referred to earlier is called AKE AKE KIA KAHA and is available through the Hocken Library Otago. I emailed them hocken@otago.ac.nz enquiring about the availability etc and they emailed back a full copy, for free. Great acquisition. As my father never returned it was of great interest to have something in which he was named and created on the trip over to Egypt. Every soldier on board is named and their particular Battalion, Company and Platoon is recorded. Most interesting. Regards, Terry.

 

Regan,
the Palms was to the North of Benghazi at the Oasis of Koefia(Coefia)but was closed towards the end of August-early September 1942.
It looks as though he was one of the last few hundred transfered to the larger Camp at Sidi Husein which was on high ground overlooking the Salt Marshes and ajacent to the Harbour.

Boarded boat 12/11/42 and arriving in Taranto 23/11/42 is too long to have been at sea on this voyage. It could be that he was shipped down the Coast to Tripoli first before sailing for Taranto.

Brian

 

Hi terry thanks for the thread, my grand father had a copy of ake ake Kia kaha which my mother I'm Nz has, I managed to get a copy of it on trade me . Com great keep sake
Also do you know much of your fathers time overseas?
kind regards

Regan Harris

 

Hi Brian thanks for the thread, so how long did the boat trip usually take? I hadn't considered that. I will look into it

Kind regards

Regan Harris