|
Where?
Jun 12, 2008 19:27:40 GMT 12
Post by shorty on Jun 12, 2008 19:27:40 GMT 12
Here is a rather tatty photo I have, which one day I'll try and fix up in photoshop or something like that. In the meantime the question is where and what is happening? There is nothing on the back to help me but points to note are: It's a RNZAF ensign on the flagstaff. The sign on the right starts with "Sea" so my guess is "Seabees" The troops on the left are all wearing sidearms so presumably they are aircrew with the officer in front saluting. One of the three officers in a roe seems to be wearing alighter colour F/S hat. Is he an American officer. Theguy at the base of the pole may be reading something out (but why would the oher guy be saluting so presumably he is tying the halliard. Behind him is a detachment of gobs and the guy in front seems to be wearing the same light hat as the other guy in the centre group. The baggies around the ouside are paying a reasonable amount of attention so perhaps it is just the morning flagraising ceremony. Any ideas where? [ ]
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 12, 2008 20:30:17 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 12, 2008 20:30:17 GMT 12
Interesting photo. it all looks pretty civiliased with the fences and paths, etc so probably late in the war. It puts me in mind a little of a photo i have on my website from Cliff Morriss's collection. His photo shows another RNZAF parade, where I am unsure, but he was in No. 15 Squadron. You can see it on this page of my site - scan down a bit: www.cambridgeairforce.org.nz/RNZAF%20Pacific.htm
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 12, 2008 20:51:00 GMT 12
Post by shorty on Jun 12, 2008 20:51:00 GMT 12
Dave, I see one of your captions you said that they were Probably all groundcrew, they may have been members of No. 15 (Fighter) Squadron or perhaps wireless operators. If they were groundcrew they wouldn't be 15 sqn. They would be from a SU as squadrons were only aircrew with a clerk and Inteligence Officer.
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 12, 2008 20:55:07 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 12, 2008 20:55:07 GMT 12
That is very true, I shall have to amend it when I get a chance.
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 12, 2008 20:56:08 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 12, 2008 20:56:08 GMT 12
Something about the place in your photo Shorty says to me Ondonga. But I just cannot be sure.
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 19, 2008 12:59:22 GMT 12
Post by tbf25o4 on Jun 19, 2008 12:59:22 GMT 12
It looks very much like a handover ceremony as there are RNZAF personnel in the left background and US navy personnel in the right hand formation. That would tend to indicate somewhere like Espiritu Santo which we took over from the USN.
Paul
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 19, 2008 12:59:36 GMT 12
Post by tbf25o4 on Jun 19, 2008 12:59:36 GMT 12
It looks very much like a handover ceremony as there are RNZAF personnel in the left background and US navy personnel in the right hand formation. That would tend to indicate somewhere like Espiritu Santo which we took over from the USN.
Paul
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 19, 2008 13:05:28 GMT 12
Post by FlyNavy on Jun 19, 2008 13:05:28 GMT 12
Welcome to the ECHO club tbf2504 ;D
To explain I have 'echos' on this forum when my entry 'hangs' and does not update the site. So I re-enter the site to add my bit while the first entry remains hidden to me anyway. Then later people tell me about an ECHO (double entry) but by then Dave or CoarseAir have removed it. Sigh. ;D
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 19, 2008 13:24:44 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 19, 2008 13:24:44 GMT 12
I'll leave this one here just for you Phil. I usually remove double posts as they're either caused by a glitch or an error. No harm done though.
Did Santo have coconut plantations like that Paul? I thought it was more cut into jungle.
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 19, 2008 23:12:14 GMT 12
Post by smithy on Jun 19, 2008 23:12:14 GMT 12
Could it be a farewell ceremony for one of the RNZAF squadrons leaving base after the end of the war?
Don't know how much it helps but which RNZAF Pacific bases were fitted out with Nissen huts?
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 22, 2008 14:55:47 GMT 12
Post by shorty on Jun 22, 2008 14:55:47 GMT 12
I would have thought that if it was a handover ceremony there would have been a US guy standing at the base of the flagpole with a Stars and Stripes ready to be run up. Same as if it was a farewell parade there would have been more personell involved. Looking again at it again therer are about 16 guys on parade who all seem to be aircrew. That equates to a squadron (with all the SU guys in the background?)
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 22, 2008 16:18:53 GMT 12
Post by Dave Homewood on Jun 22, 2008 16:18:53 GMT 12
Is there any chance of a higher resolution scan please?
I wonder if it's a medal ceremony, but I don't know if they did them in the Pacific. I know early on they didn't, George Gudsell told me he never got presented his DFC (US) till almost a year later when he was back in NZ.
|
|
|
Where?
Jun 26, 2008 17:50:29 GMT 12
Post by shorty on Jun 26, 2008 17:50:29 GMT 12
I have just been over the photo with a 10X magnifier and found" All the RNZAF tpes on the left are wearing side arms (I can see the lanyards around there necks and the ammo pouches on the belts.) The flight Commander is saluting and all though I can;t see his lanyard I can see his ammo pouch. There appears to be 18 of them plus the Flight Commander. Best guess is that they are fighter squadron aircrew. Any other sort of squadron would have more crew. There are four people in the party facing the flagpole. There is a RNZAF and a US officer in the front row, and three people behind them (one of who is almost obscured) the two visible are one NZ and one US. The NZ officer in the front row appears to be having a smoke but it is probably his arm coming down from the salute position. The person at the base of the pole appears to be tying the flag halyard. Of the USN personnel, the second from the left of the squad (between the officer and the sign pole)appears to be bare chested. My conclusions are it is the morning flag raising. (see the shadow of the palm trunk on the hut, indicitive of a lower sun angle)with the DNCO having just run the flag up. If it was a handover it would be more formal, they wouldn't be bare chested, there would be an American flag and flag raiser and the assorted RNZAF personel wouldn't be lurking in the background just in shorts. Much the same comments for a medal ceremony. Where and when? I still don't know.
|
|