WW1 Photo album - help please!

[kapaizealandia]

Hi there,

I have been buying and selling a few photos on Trademe lately - thanks for the plugs on my Grebe photos!

I got a lovely WW1 album by a Sgt R G Macdonald. [300 snapshot sized photos]

I would love any pointers about fleshing out the histories of the people shown in there.

It records his trip from New Zealand on the SS Matatua to Britain but half way there the Armistice on 11 11 1918 came so I assume that was it for them. Whole ship full of Air force and possibly army too. He has photos of:
"Doctor"
G Priest
I McGregor [prob I A McGregor of RNZAF Territorial Air force]
Macaulay
Captain Frame R.N.A.S.
Lt Bull
Tank
Webber [poss R J M Webber of RNZAF Territorial Air force]
McKeage
Bri General Richardson
Bishop Sadlier
G Mulligan
Mr Wilson

(my notes are in square brackets[])

He returned on SS Remuera

At the back he has photos of Allan William Macdonald RAF buried at Stamford son of Donald & Agnes Macdonald of Canterbury NZ died of
injuries flying at Stamford Nov 11 1918 aged 24. UK National No 1 Training Squadron Grave H. N. 18 [check out that date - has to be unluckiest trainee out! - Armistice day - I am not sure of relationship with RG MacDonald?]

Shows life on board troopship via NZ, Albany (Auckland), Wellington
troops on ship, Durban,Capetown, Sierra Leone, Canary Islands, England and return via New York, Newport Mews, Jamaica, Panama Canal, Pitcairn to Auckland. Noted six photos of Pitcairn & some early fighter airplanes [on the ground in Britain]

Has group photos of "The Sockburn Boys" too.

I can scan and post some of the photos if there is any interest?

I have just started an early New Zealand photo related blog at kapaizealandia.blogspot.com/ so could do a little write up with pictures there.

[kapaizealandia]

Have put up some images on my Blog of some of thte people and planes see kapaizealandia.blogspot.com/




2.bp.blogspot.com/_EVKs7-pPNzc/SOyQ_TL-T6I/AAAAAAAAAGE/tH2xmgQRPZk/s400/page.jpg

[Dave Homewood]

That album sounds like an amazing treasure and the photos you've posted are fascinating. None of the names ring particular bells with me but of course as the photos are taken aboard ship some may be Australians ratehr than kiwis as often the returning troopships carried both nationalties and sometimes others like Indians or South Africans, etc, and dropped them all off as they went round the world.

I would highly recommend that you contact The Vintage Aviator Ltd who're experts in WWI aviation, especially NZ related.
thevintageaviator.co.nz/node

The RNZAF Museum may be able to assist too, their email [e-mail]

I guess you may have tried them already of course. Again, the photos on your blog are great, and not just the aviation ones. Welcome to the forum.

[kapaizealandia]

Thanks for all your help. I'll check out those links you have provided and let you know how I get on.

[Dave Homewood]

Good luck.

[kapaizealandia]

Experiment with photo #1 This is the owner of this album Sargeant R G Macdonald I have found an Archives NZ reference: Civil Aviation - Pilot files bundle 104 MacDonald, R G Accession W3446 box 62,

It says restictions may apply - does anyone know my chances of getting a copy of this record?

[chewy]

A while ago i had the chance of looking at some WW1 photos that belonged to Sir Francis Fogerty. His daughter lives in Palmerston North. She lent me some of the interesting ones and i got the photographic center at Ohakea to copy them for their records.