|
|
Post by SEAN on Nov 23, 2009 11:32:39 GMT 12
Now for Mystery No 2 Again source unknown, so I will say RNZAF Official. This appears to be an RNZAF Station "somewhere", but I don't know where. The writing on the bottom left is Hindi and means keep out, as does SA TABU. So I guessing this might be in India, but I have (so far) not ever seen anything to say we had an RNZAF Station in India.... Any thoughts....  |
|
|
|
Post by shorty on Nov 23, 2009 16:09:41 GMT 12
I would have thought more likely to be in the Malayan area, there is a large Indian population and the Sa Tabu sounds like the Malay language,
|
|
|
|
Post by angelsonefive on Nov 23, 2009 16:10:43 GMT 12
My guess is Fiji.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 23, 2009 17:16:43 GMT 12
Perhaps the SA TABU is in fact an RNZAF acronym. ie like OTU, maybe the U stands for Unit. Maybe the SA stands for South Africa, or South Australia, and maybe the rest is Torpedo and Bomb Unit or something?  ? |
|
|
|
Post by chinapilot on Nov 23, 2009 19:50:38 GMT 12
Fiji is my bet too...
|
|
|
|
Post by tbf25o4 on Nov 24, 2009 8:49:33 GMT 12
I also suspect it is Fiji will do some research
|
|
|
|
Post by angelsonefive on Nov 25, 2009 9:26:13 GMT 12
Tabu=tapu=taboo. Meaning " forbidden "
In this particular case meaning " Keep Out."
The guy on the right is, in my opinion, wearing a US Army pattern belt.
In Feb. 1942 an RNZAF pilot, F/L Eric Griffiths was killed in a stall/spin crash near Nandi Airport. His Bell P-39 Airacobra belonged to the the 70th Pursuit Squadron, USAAF.
So there were US Army personnel in Fiji as early in the Pacific War as that.
|
|
|
|
Post by oldnavy on Nov 25, 2009 9:48:02 GMT 12
The background doesn't look like Fiji. Wouldn't you expect more trees?
|
|
|
|
Post by Dave Homewood on Nov 25, 2009 10:10:08 GMT 12
There were American units in Fiji earlier than that even Angels, the first to arrive was a Catalina unit which was based at Suva alongside No. 5 GR Squadron's Singapores. There was also a number of B-17's that operated in and out of the Fijian islands. And of course many US transport units came and went through the RNZAF stations there.
If this is an RNZAF Station in Fiji it will be either Nadi or Nausori I guess. The latter was carved out of coconut plantations from memory.
The man on the left looks like he's about to play tennis.
|
|
|
|
Post by SEAN on Nov 25, 2009 11:27:40 GMT 12
Hmm, all good thoughts, but I personally don't think it is Fiji, if it were I would expect there to be "Keep Out" in Fijian.
I don't actually know, but I would think that during the war there would not be as many Indians in Fiji as there are now, so why only put the "keep out" in Hindi, and whatever language SA TABU is.... Hmmmm....
|
|
|
|
Post by tbf25o4 on Nov 26, 2009 10:03:41 GMT 12
my bet is that it is Fiji.
There is open ground around Nandi and Nausori so background would make sense. The khaki personnel could well be from the Aerodrome construction squadron that was building Nandi. The White clothed "native" is in typical "Colonial" official uniform of the period. The other supporting evidence is the construction of the fence which is very typical of that constructed by the PWD in New Zealand and can still be seen around the country.
Paul
|
|
|
|
Post by angelsonefive on Nov 30, 2009 8:54:02 GMT 12
Nadi ( correct spelling ) was constructed in '39 by NZ on behalf of the British colonial authority. The Western Pacific High Commission, I believe it was called.
I believe the bloke on the right is American, based on his uniform, so this dates the picture as being from, say, Jan. 42 to the end of the war.
The weathered appearance of the fence and sign board would, I think, also militate against the pic. being taken at Nadi at the time of the construction of the airport.
Sean, can you tell us any more about the origin of this very interesting picture ?
|
|
|
|
Post by SEAN on Nov 30, 2009 11:20:36 GMT 12
Sorry, all I have is the photo image, and nothing else.
|
|
?
