What was 2NZEF's 27(Mg) Btn. doing 2/45 to2/46

[Lynn Eades]

A lady is hoping to find out a bit about where her dad(Francis Leonard (Tommy) Feetham R.N. 444991) went and what his battalion 27 ( machine gun) did in Italy. She has photos of the graves of some of his friends kia. they were;
R.N. 244891 pte g. Hultenberg kia 17/4/45
R.N.???????????N.J. Fuller.....? kia 15/4/45
R.N.4818 Young kia 25/4/45
R.N.63183 pte Anderson kia 2/4/45
Her dad suvived and came home from Italy on the "Sterling Castle" He was awarded the Italy star medal, and qualified to wear theNZ war medal 39-45, and the N.Z. war service medal.
Can anybody give us a bit of a run down on where these lads went/ fought etc.
Thanks in advance,
Lynn.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

G'day Lynn,

Your lot should have access to the Regiment's War Diaries through whatever National Archives you have, should you not? I recommend these as the best way to get the most detailed information possible on any given unit, short of personal accounts. If they're compartmentalised like ours are, you can search on that specific Battalion and time period, and obtain copies of just those rather than of the documentation for the entire war - if that's all you want.

Look it up and let us know!

Jif

[cliff]

contact the Army Museum at Waiuru (cold hole of a place) and if they can't help then they will know who and where to go to find the required information.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi Lynn;

A start may be found at Archives New Zealand, who have their website here

or at the Army Museum Waiouru, who have their website here

Cheers

[Rookie]

Lynn

My father inlaw was with the 27th originally and then to infantry to go as reinforcements to Italy after Cassino, went through up into Senio, Trieste etc. A lot of them get sent to Japan from Italy as J force, the veterans were sent home the newbies went to Japan. He is in Auckland so Ill chase him up over the names if you want

Rookie

[cliff]

My Dad was in J Force with the NZ army. He was invalided home when he picked up some tropical disease.

[Rob Beale]

Try this link: <http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-27Ba.html> . It is the Electronic Text Centre which has digital copies of all the NZ WW2 war histories and more besides.

Rob
ps no Fluro involved

[Rookie]

Sory Lynn

Spoke to the father in law, memory has faded over the years although he was in some fierce action in Italy near the end all he said was "a lot of good blokes were killed right near the end of the war, it was sad" as to names he had no recollection he said that there were too many to remember and at that stage he was not making friends in case they were killed

Rookie

[Lynn Eades]

The Tauranga R.S.A. has just hosted a reunion for 27btn.
Jan learned quite a bit and spoke with a few of the veterans.
Once again, thanks to all who responded with their help.
Lynn.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

No thanks necessary... that's what we're here for, mate!