[nzenigma]

Some of the people your parents used to hang out with 
Im completing our family history. ( 3yrs work )

During WW2 my father was with the Military Police. ( Provost Corp) Much of the time in the Middle East they were marking routes through mine fields etc to first guide sappers and then take troops in and out of battle.  Five or six of them would head out and work together . Dad mentions going for 2.5 months out in the desert; rationed one mug of water per day to shave and wash.

THE LAMP LINE. Every move New Zealand columns made after they crossed the El Alamein battlefield was marked by the Divisional Provost Company. Initially, the Provosts used 20 old railway lamps to guide New Zealand columns through dangerous mountain passes in Greece. The use of 'lamp lines' grew during the desert campaign and the men of the Provost Company went forward, at times even further than armoured patrols, sometimes under shellfire, to find and mark tracks through seemingly impassable country.  [Ed.]



Smoko



Servicing lamps



Meet and Greet _ Bedouin's were good blokes.

Extract from his diary :

4 July 42.   Moving up tonight. Have had first real experience in bombing raid. Jerry sent over fourteen Stukas. He hit a few trucks and killed two of the cooks. Two of our chaps, Frank Percy and Norm Thompson were hit in the leg. A bomb landed on each side of my slit trench about twenty feet away. One large piece of shrapnel landed on the edge of my trench. We lost our truck but have commandeered a three tonner. Our section has been attached to 5th Brigade.


13 to 16 July 1942.   Laid a lamp line for an attack by the infantry. Jerry threw a lot of shells and mortar fire at us for a couple of hours this morning. Our artillery returned the fire. Have been bombed several times in the last few days. German dive bombers have been coming over at regular intervals. Basil cracked up and has been sent back. The infantry are hitting back at Jerry pretty hard.

[Shambles]

Wow

Humbling...

[asathorny]

Thanks for sharing, brilliant  🇳🇿

[Dazzler]

Wow! That's awesome Gary. Love the pictures too. Thanks! 

[wooly]

Very good account, we owe much to people like these blokes. 

[nzenigma]

Very good account, we owe much to people like these blokes. 

Sure do. Unfortunately, not much is recorded about the Provo Company because they were basically individuals assigned to which ever Battalion needed them.


29 Jan 43.   Tripoli has fallen and I have been stationed in the town for a few days. There is very little to see or do here. Jerry didn’t leave too much for us. There is plenty of wine about if you know where to get it; so far we have been able to get all we require. I’m out with the 51 Battalion now.  We are moving up tonight.

The Eighth Army advance was blocked by Axis forces occupying the Mareth Line, a series of fortifications built by the French in the 1930s. The line of forts terminated at the Tebaga Gap, where in 1938, the French had judged the surrounding area to be impassable to motorised transport; however, a Long Range Desert Group patrol, advantaged by 1942 vehicles, found a way via ‘Wilders Gap’ to reach Tebaga Gap. Consequently, New Zealand Infantry were covertly moved into position and they engaged the Axis troops in the Tebaga Gap on March 21st 1943. [Ed.]

3 Mar 43.    Have taken up our position opposite the Mareth Line.  Rumours have it that Jerry is going to make an attack tonight. The last 24hrs have been very tiring. I have been at the wheel most of the time and have covered 220miles over some of the roughest roads I have seen. My back is all skinned from rubbing on the back of the seat. Otherwise, I am fit and well.

11 Mar 43.   All badges and shoulder tags have been taken off and the NZ Div. markings taken off the trucks. We left the company today and are laying a lamp line back and then up to the Free French position. We will have a week of lamp lines we have been told. It looks as if the Kiwi Div is making another of its secret moves.

14 Mar 43.   Have had three nights of patrolling lamp lines at night. Country is very rough and dusty. No transport is allowed to move during day light. It looks as if Jerry is in for a nasty surprise when the Push does start.

21 Mar 43.   We have moved around Jerry in an out flanking movement. Our infantry have contacted him and are giving him a rough handling.
   
29 Mar 43.   Moving slowly through the hills toward El Hamma and Gabes. Pockets of enemy amongst the foothills are slowing up progress. Prisoners are pouring in. They are short of supplies and water. Enemy aircraft have been rather quiet the last two days, but previously, they were making things a bit lively while getting through the gaps in the mine fields. One ‘Panzer Battalion’ tried to mix it with the bayonet, but unfortunately for them they picked on the Maoris. They had only 200 odd survivors all of which have been taken prisoner.

5 April 43.   Big barrage started at 0400hrs this morning. Out on a lamp line all night. Several bombers about. One dropped stick of bombs around us while we were laying lamp line. We had to take lamps up to minefield gaps today. A few shells were landing about. Another lamp line tonight.

25 April 43.   There have been several big barrages the past few nights. Jerry is well dug-in in the hills and will take a bit of shifting. Our bombers and fighter-bombers are hammering every day. Our 5th Infantry Brigade has been withdrawn for a rest.

5 May 43.   Moved to a new area today to support the Free French Forces. Had air raid , the first for some time. Laid a lamp line from Div HQ up into the forward positions.

11 May 43.   Things have been moving pretty fast over the last few days. We have moved back to our old position near Enfidha. Tunis and Bizerte are in our hands. The Jerries in the hills in front of us are fighting furiously and giving us everything they have. They consist of some of the 15th Panzer Div and the 90 Light; old enemies of the Kiwi Div but, it is only a matter of days now before they have to give in. The artillery barrages are something terrific reminding us of the Alamein days.  The airforce is giving us good support and hammering the enemy at every opportunity they get.

13 May 43.   The fighting finished in North Africa at 0900hrs this morning. It is hard to realise that it is all over up here. We are preparing for our move back to Egypt which will start in the next couple of days.

They then fought in Italy until mid-1945 [Ed]

[Dazzler]

My Dad who is 97 in July served in the RAF during WW2.

His Squadrons flew out of Italy (where he met my Mum) and the Middle east (apparently) at different times between 42 and 45. He speaks fondly of the NZ guys.

He was lucky to survive as he flew something like 48 missions.

Would be amazing if he knew your father (I doubt he would remember now)

Back Left

On the right - Blue Blazer

[CraigB]

I've only got one photo of my grandfather geared up for the Light horse, I did have some very early one's of my great grandfather in WW1 at Frommel though they've disappeared somewhere , he was gassed by the Germans and lived with serious health issues for the rest of his life.

[Dazzler]

Wow! That's a cool photo too! 

Hope Gary doesn't mind us adding to his thread. 

[nzenigma]

Not at all. Bring them on. 

These guys did marvelous work, many photos exist just because they were proud of their uniform, horse and mates.
They rarely said much, if anything, about their personal heroics.

[tw2005]

amazing stuff and the material is priceless. Having photos in this quality is simply astounding

[eye30]

My dad was on the navy landing crafts on DDay ferrying troops from ship to shore.

My daughter asked him what did on that day etc etc.

He never talked about his war service other to say to her...... Keeping my bl**dy head down and learning the breast stroke.
(his landing craft was on its was back to the ship and was tipped upside down from a shell landing by the craft in the sea)

[nzenigma]

Only reason we are here mate is because they were "Keeping  bl**dy head down"   

[Surferdude]

Only reason we are here mate is because they were "Keeping  bl**dy head down"   

My grandfather was shot in France in WW1.
Lost a testicle.
But only one or I wouldn't be here.

Dad was in New Guinea and Borneo.
Enlisted 14/4/1943
Discharged 3/7/1946

I have full copies of the service records of my grandfather, Reginald Coney Keith, my Dad, Reginald Trevor Keith and my Stepdad, Frederick Charles Garbett.


They make interesting reading if you ignore all the jargon and initials.

Dad brought back some pics from (I think) New Guinea plus a couple which I assume were taken from fallen enemy. Which are sad but graphic reminders of the losses suffered by both sides.
Dad never talked about the war but he didn't seem to bear any mental scars. He religiously attended ANZAC Day ceremonies and used to watch "Victory at Sea", a TV series back in the early 60's. So he seemed to be able to accept reminders of it all.
The originals are very small so I guess they'll appear small on here.
Some problem uploading.
I'll post this and try to do the pics separately.

[Surferdude]

Don't know what's happened here.
When I click on "Click here to add an image to this post" nothing happens.

[Surferdude]

[Surferdude]

Some of the others.

[Surferdude]

Don't know what's happened here.
When I click on "Click here to add an image to this post" nothing happens.

I still can't access this.
Used Imgur to post the pics.
Maybe @Shambles can have a look at it and check if I've broken the internet. 

OK. Working now.

Stand down all. 

[Shambles]

What a great thread great job to all


{imgbb seems to be having relay issues}

[Surferdude]

What a great thread great job to all


{imgbb seems to be having relay issues}

I'm pretty sure my issue was me.
I had a number of windows open and I think the upload page juts opened behind some of those not on top as it normally would.

[nzenigma]

What a great thread great job to all


{imgbb seems to be having relay issues}

I'm pretty sure my issue was me.
I had a number of windows open and I think the upload page juts opened behind some of those not on top as it normally would.

Thanks for persisting mate, they are great. 

[nzenigma]

Only reason we are here mate is because they were "Keeping  bl**dy head down"   

My grandfather was shot in France in WW1.
Lost a testicle.
But only one or I wouldn't be here.

After i wrote that comment to Lester, I had similar thoughts about my fate and the large scar running up dad's leg 

They used to Police in town.
 Cairo 1941:
 I was on duty in Emil-El–Dine on Xmas Eve. Had a few drinks at the Cabaret. About 10.30 we were called into the Beba where there was a bit of trouble. Settled that Ok. But as we were leaving we were attacked by some wogs.
 We were on into them and they soon had had enough. Chased a couple down to the dressing room where there were a few more of them. The lot turned on us, some drawing knives. As we were getting out, one caught me in the leg with his knife inflicting rather a deep wound. Next morning the doctor looked it over, redressed it and gave me a needle in the arm, also two weeks L.D.  On Xmas day the cook put on a great dinner. There was beer and cigarettes on the table as well.

[nzenigma]

A few more photos



Provost transport: Note its a BMW!! They couldn't take the dessert  conditions and were dumped as more rugged Jeeps and trucks came over.



German scout car.



German prisoners with own transport.



Italian prisoners. Eventually, nobody had time to be bothered with them so they just wandered around doing their own thing.