New Zealanders & Australian at Sling Camp 1919?

[Martyzone]

Hi I am hoping someone will be able to tell me if both New Zealanders and Australians were at the same camp in 1919 while awaiting repatriation back home.

 

My grandfather spoke of being in a camp in South England during June and July 1919 while waiting to embark on a ship to New Zealand. He told us (his family) that at some stage he was given charge (he was a sergeant) of some Australians who were battle weary and wanting to return home. 

 

I am trying to find out what camp my NZ grandfather and these Australian men would have been in together - would it have been Sling Camp? 

 

Cheers

Marty

 

[Moonraker]

Sling was predominantly a New Zealand camp but was very close to other camps that housed Australians, so it's very possible that an NCO from one camp might have been given charge of men from another. Colleen Brown in The Bulford Kiwi mentions, Australian, New Zealand and British troops being involved in disturbances at Sling. (Though known as the "Bulford Kiwi", the chalk figure was closer to Sling than to Bulford.)

 

You may be able to find out where your grandfather was from

 

this website

 

During the war, Australians were at several other camps in southern Wiltshire, often being moved from one to another for a few weeks.

 

Forgive me for smiling a little when you write " some Australians who were battle weary and wanting to return home". By mid-1919 nearly all soldiers, of whatever nationality and fed up with long delays over being demobbed, filled this description and there were disturbances in many parts of Britain. Colleen admirably describes those at Sling.

 

The point occurs why a New Zealander should be given charge of Australians when there would have been many NCOs of the latter nationality available to do the job.

 

Moonraker

[Martyzone]

Hi Moonraker 

 

Thanks for replying to my query. Yes, I do realise that by mid-1919 all men were desperate to be repatriated. I certainly didnt word that well! My grandfather didn't arrive back in NZ until September 1919 so he had quite a long wait considering he left NZ in October 1914 as part of the Main Body of the NZEF.  

 

I have a copy of Colleen's book - it is an excellent book - but am still puzzled as to where my Kiwi grandfather was and why/how he was given charge of a group of Australians. I agree with you that the point is why a NZer was given charge of a group of Australians but my grandfather was very definite about this happening and spoke about how he got on with them. 

 

Thanks for the link to the list of resources available for NZ WW1 research. Unfortunately I am still unable to find which camp my grandfather was in while waiting for a ship home and his personnel file gives no clues. 

 

I appreciate your reply.

Marty.