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Remembered Today:

Access to NZ WW1 diaries etc


Kiwi Bob

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I was not sure where to place this, but I have attempted to get a Blog going using Wordpress.com. For several years I have been going through the WW1 manuscripts collection of New Zealand's Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington. They have a very large collection of diaries, letters and postcards and I have examined about 70% of them and determined the authors of a fair number which had previously been unidentified. With their permission I will be posting my findings in a Excel Spread sheet on my Blog. The Turnbull's web site will also have a link to my blog. As an experimnent, I have included a cmall spread sheet right now which is part of my personal collection of manuscripts. I invite forum members who may like to 'pay me a visit'to go to http://robertcameron.wordpress.com/bobs-ww1-docs/ and click on ?attachment_id=9

You can Safely OPEN and view my Excel Spread sheet. This is a very basic version of the final one which is pretty large and only refers to documents that I own myself. Once you have finished viewing the spread sheet, use the return arrow top left corner and you can leave a reply.

If you click on Kiwi Bob on the opening page you will see stuff about me and I am sure will be most impressed!

I hope I have placed this in an appropriate area and apologise for any wrongdoing.

Cheers Kiwi Bob

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Good work Kiwi Bob, I'm sure your offer to do lookups in the NZ WW1 archives will be of great benefit to all who cannot readily access them.

Regards, Tom

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Good work Kiwi Bob, I'm sure your offer to do lookups in the NZ WW1 archives will be of great benefit to all who cannot readily access them.

Regards, Tom

Nice to get such a quick Kiwi reply Tom. I will be happy to do lookups for you and order files if you wish. My Turmbull database is about 1000 lines and it will be available soon I hope. Meanwhile any requasts will be looked at.

Cheers Kiwi Bob

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Thanks for you comment Dianne. Have a happy Christmas.

Kiwi Bob

Sorry Dianne, Such a nice verse you posted in memory of your lost rellie. I am sure he is RIP

Kiwi Bob

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Fantastic - Well done.

Have you thought of allowing others to add to the repository - it would be a great way to find/share information.

I'd happily add my collection of resource material e.t.c

Cheers

Grant

A Kiwi in Brussels

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Kiwi Bob

Interested to see you project and links. You are no doubt aware of my listing of members War Dairies which currently also includes some NZ diaries. It would be fantastic if we could get more NZ diary links so would like to include your researches etc via a link. If you are agreeable, please let meknow which link and comments you prefer. The link to the relevant page on my post is

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145000&st=127

Whilst replying, not sure if you saw my post on another forum:

http://ypres1917.3.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=709

I did obtain a few more pictures but they were not posted.

Bernard

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Fantastic - Well done.

Have you thought of allowing others to add to the repository - it would be a great way to find/share information.

I'd happily add my collection of resource material e.t.c

Cheers

Grant

A Kiwi in Brussels

Cheers Grant, thanks for your comments, I have no problem at all if you or anyone wanted to add to my small database. I guess we would just change the Reference Field to location or the like, what do you thin"? When the Turnbull Library database becomes available you wuill find around about 800 Kiwi soldiers listed, quite a few will not have any written material, just a reference in another soldier's diary, letters or postcards. My motiviation in this is to provide a resource for folks out there who, as Galliopli Centenary approaches, may suddenly wonder if there is anything by, or about a long lost rellie, as we know, over the years so many people just trashed tons of old soldiers letters etc with no thought of our heritage. I note you are in Brussels, I have a lovely friend and her family of hubby and two boys aged anout 6 an 8 I thing, he works for BP and they live in Overijse, I could let you know her email if you wanted to contact her. She is British but worked in NZ for several years hubby is Belgian.

Better finish Cheers from Kiwi Bob

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Kiwi Bob

Interested to see you project and links. You are no doubt aware of my listing of members War Dairies which currently also includes some NZ diaries. It would be fantastic if we could get more NZ diary links so would like to include your researches etc via a link. If you are agreeable, please let meknow which link and comments you prefer. The link to the relevant page on my post is

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=145000&st=127

Whilst replying, not sure if you saw my post on another forum:

http://ypres1917.3.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=709

I did obtain a few more pictures but they were not posted.

Bernard

Cheers Bernard, when my spreadsheet of Turnbull Library manuscripts is OK for publishing the "Reference" field will have the actual reference number of the Turnbull folder but the detail given in the Turnbull's description will be much less than mine. As I have examined each file very closely, I have either typed out or made an audio copy of the contents of the letters or postcards and in a few cases have transcribed the diaries by photocopy or audio transcription. Due to the effort required, I have mainly tended to do this to material written by soldiers who were members of the 3rd Battery of the NZFA which is my special interest. I cannot really afford to make copies of all diaries as it will cost me 50 cents NZ per A4 page and in most cases one would only get two or 4 days of the dairy per page. There are one of two magnificent diaries, beautifully annotated and well preserved. Many of the soldier’s names in my Turnbull spreadsheet will not have actual written material, I have found their names mentioned in other men's writing and whenever possible have given them their own listing. My greatest difficulty has been in identifying the writer, particularly postcards. It has been a real labour of love to find the identity, usually by having all potentials army files (if they exist) digitized, then comparing their attestation signatures.

i think that is enough in the meanwhile.

Best wishes Kiwi Bob

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Cheers Grant, thanks for your comments, I have no problem at all if you or anyone wanted to add to my small database. I guess we would just change the Reference Field to location or the like, what do you thin"? When the Turnbull Library database becomes available you wuill find around about 800 Kiwi soldiers listed, quite a few will not have any written material, just a reference in another soldier's diary, letters or postcards. My motiviation in this is to provide a resource for folks out there who, as Galliopli Centenary approaches, may suddenly wonder if there is anything by, or about a long lost rellie, as we know, over the years so many people just trashed tons of old soldiers letters etc with no thought of our heritage. I note you are in Brussels, I have a lovely friend and her family of hubby and two boys aged anout 6 an 8 I thing, he works for BP and they live in Overijse, I could let you know her email if you wanted to contact her. She is British but worked in NZ for several years hubby is Belgian.

Better finish Cheers from Kiwi Bob

I'll put together a list based on your fields. I tried to PM you, but it says you can not accept any more messages?

On scanning your list I notice you have noted 12/3050 A Howe - I would be extremely interested to know if there was more information on him as I have his medals in my collection and would love to be able to add to his story.

Always happy to connect with like minded people, ex-pats or not. Feel free to PM me their email address.

Cheers

Grant

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Hello Grant.

You can view this fellows army file which is held in our National Archive using this link http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/RefineItemBriefDescSearch.do

You then type in his army number 12/3050 and his file should appear. Let me know at my email address cameron.marg.bob@xtra.co.nz if you cannot download it. I will also copy the Postcatd I have and put it into my Blog, well I will try anyhow.

I have just realised my lovely friends have now left Belgium and are now in France. More later

Best regards from Kiwi Land, Kiwi Bob

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Hello again Grant there was something wrong with the link I gave you earlier, trey this http://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/RefineItemBriefDescSearch.do

Cheers Bob

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Sorry Grant, everytime I copy the link into this reply box it reads correctly, but as soon as I add reply it becomes shorter and deletes some of the text. If you cannot access it, send me an email to

cameron.marg.bob@xtra.co.nz

and I will email the link to you.

Cheers Bob

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Hi Bob,

No problem. I ordered his file some time ago. I'll contact you via email regarding the postcard.

Many thanks!

Grant

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

Good work. In your database, Eversedge, should be Leversedge. His photo is in Voices of Gallipoli, by Maruice Shadbolt.

Andy M

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Thanks Andy

I have made the correction. You will now see I have addded the trenscripts of a Kiwi artillery gunner named Leslie Gower from Wellington. I purchased the originals years ago and am trying to give him a place in history if I can. He died at Cape Helles in July 1915. I will check out what i can of Somme writers in the Turnbull which may be of ineterest.

Happy New Year

Bob

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Thanks Andy

I have made the correction. You will now see I have addded the trenscripts of a Kiwi artillery gunner named Leslie Gower from Wellington. I purchased the originals years ago and am trying to give him a place in history if I can. He died at Cape Helles in July 1915. I will check out what i can of Somme writers in the Turnbull which may be of ineterest.

Happy New Year

Bob

Hi mate,

Don't go to the trouble re Somme writers for me alone. I have copies of all their diaries/letters/memoirs/etc at home already.

Best

Andy M

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Hi Bob

Glad to see you have something sorted with making your research available for viewing, great that your efforts will be linked with Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington.

post-49999-099295000 1294381440.jpg Only darn trouble is I dont have Excel so I'm going to have to take myself off somewhere and find the Excel download.

I'm keen to see what you have been up to!

Wendy

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Hi Bob

Glad to see you have something sorted with making your research available for viewing, great that your efforts will be linked with Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington.

post-49999-099295000 1294381440.jpg Only darn trouble is I dont have Excel so I'm going to have to take myself off somewhere and find the Excel download.

I'm keen to see what you have been up to!

Wendy

Hello Wendy

Thanks for your comments. Sorry about Excel. I wonder if you can access it in the 'Microsoft Works'programme. Did you view my Leslie Gower files?.They are in 'MS Word'?.

Have a happy new Year

Kiwi Bob

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  • 10 months later...

Hello Kiwi Bob,

I have just read the post below and see that you are interested in the 3rd battery of the NZFA. My grandfather was in the 3rd battery of the 1st brigade NZFA. Is this the same battery you are interested in?

Cheers, Brent

Cheers Bernard, when my spreadsheet of Turnbull Library manuscripts is OK for publishing the "Reference" field will have the actual reference number of the Turnbull folder but the detail given in the Turnbull's description will be much less than mine. As I have examined each file very closely, I have either typed out or made an audio copy of the contents of the letters or postcards and in a few cases have transcribed the diaries by photocopy or audio transcription. Due to the effort required, I have mainly tended to do this to material written by soldiers who were members of the 3rd Battery of the NZFA which is my special interest. I cannot really afford to make copies of all diaries as it will cost me 50 cents NZ per A4 page and in most cases one would only get two or 4 days of the dairy per page. There are one of two magnificent diaries, beautifully annotated and well preserved. Many of the soldier's names in my Turnbull spreadsheet will not have actual written material, I have found their names mentioned in other men's writing and whenever possible have given them their own listing. My greatest difficulty has been in identifying the writer, particularly postcards. It has been a real labour of love to find the identity, usually by having all potentials army files (if they exist) digitized, then comparing their attestation signatures.

i think that is enough in the meanwhile.

Best wishes Kiwi Bob

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  • 6 years later...

Hello Brent. I have just been looking at some of my old replies and note that a reply to you was not well related to your question about the 3rd Battery NZFA. The answer should have been "Yes" that is the battery of my interest/ I have the writings of many of those who served in the Battery and am in contact with some of their decendents. Do you have any photos or writings of your grandfather. Can you give me his name and I will see if I can add to your knowledge. My sincere apology for my 2010 error.

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