22battalion crest

22nd Battalion 2NZEF

"Vrai et Fort"



Photographs of Egypt, Italy and Japan

Stuart Richard SOUTHALL (621870) was posted to the 22nd Battalion in 1944, joining the Battalion for the NZ Division's final push into Trieste in northern Italy. Stuart's earlier military service included a posting as part of the guard on the Featherston POW camp near Masterton, New Zealand. From there he went overseas to training in Cairo before crossing into Italy. Stuart's active service was brief: the push into Trieste saw all the German forces in Italy surrender on 4th May 1945 to the 22nd Battalion. Stuart was a participant in that surrender process. The NZ Division's role in keeping the peace in Trieste was soon passed over to other forces, allowing the Battalion to move to Winter quarters at the Scola Aeronautica polythechnic in Florence. By early 1946 it had been decided that the Battalion would transfer to Japan as part of the Occupation Forces. Stuart spent time in Japan before being repatriated to New Zealand in late 1946.

These photos are from his album and record his days of training in Maadi Camp near Cairo, his time in Italy, especially Florence and his time in Japan.

Training at Maadi Camp, Cairo

Maadi Camp 1944
Training in desert
Maadi camp 1944
Maadi Camp 1944
Maadi Camp 1944
Maadi Camp 1944
New Zealand Forces Club Cairo - 1944
Maadi township
Maadi township
Cathedral Maadi

Italy - the push to Trieste

After a short time in Cairo, Stu was transferred to the 22nd Battalion in Italy, as the NZ Division was making the final push across the Senio River and on to Trieste. The 22nd Battalion was the first of the Allies to enter Trieste where they took the formal German surrender.

15 Platoon Fabriano (Italy) 1945
No 1 Section 15 Platoon - Fabriano 1945
No 1 Section 15 Platoon - Fabriano 1945
Push to Trieste
Po River and Senio
Adige River
Doug Harris 19 Battalion - Trieste
Doug Harris 19 Battalion - Trieste
19 Battalion - Trieste

In Trieste

After the German surrender and the tensions with the Yugoslav partisans had died down, the Battalion could spend some time relaxing.

Ken Prockter (496135), Grif, Stu - Trieste 1945
Trieste 1945
Jesi Aerodrome 1945

Rest camp at Mondolfo Beach and then Winter quarters in Florence

In August 1945 the Battalion moved south from Trieste, to bivouac near Perugia and then spent a week at a rest camp near Mondolfo. The Battalion Diary notes the prevalence of baseball and beach swimming at this camp - some of Stu's photos may be from this time.

Support COY/HQ baseball teams
Doug Harris
>
1&2 Sections, 15 Platoon, "C" Company
Jack Sicely (22805)
Doug Baty (214388)
Lance & Stu - Florence
Florence Camp 1945
Morrie Oliver (459099) & Jack Sicely - Florence 1945
?, Brian Innis (444514) & Stu - Florence
Florence
Smithy, Bib Fraser - Florence Camp
Smithy, Stu & Lance - Florence
Lance & Stu
Doug Harris, Howard Davie, Jim Murphy, Bill Whitehead (449982)
Trotting - Florence 1945
George McCormick, Lance Marshall & Bill Whitehead
Bill Whitehead & Stu barter for camera

Rugby Matches

Resting up before 22nd Bn rugby - Dick Jacob (378446) & John Sharp (397437)
22nd Battalion rugby team - Florence 1945
Both teams line up - Florence
22nd vs Artillery
Doug Harris vs Artillery
Doug scores!
Lineout win!
22nd Bn vs DivCav - Florence
HQ Coy Rugby Team - Xmas 1945 Florence
Support Coy team - Before!
Piped onto field - 22Bn Pipe Band
During!
After!

NZ Forces Club Florence

Stu & George - NZ Forces Club Florence
Morrie, Lance, George
Lance, Stu & George
George & Morrie
Lance at NZ Club Florence
Jim Murray & Bill Whitehead (449982)
Brian Innis (444514) & Bill Whitehead
George & Lance - Club swimming pool

On Leave in Venice

Venice - Hugh Poland (438135) & Lance
Lance & Stu - Venice 1945
St Marks Square Venice 1945
Clock Tower - St Marks Square
Venice Grand Canal
Venice Grand Canal

On Leave in Naples

Naples
Naples
Naples, Vesuvius in background
Naples 1946
Naples leave
Naples leave
Pompeii
Pompeii
Pompeii
Pompeii
Pompeii

On Leave in Rome

Stu on rooftop of NZ Club - "Quirinale Hotel", Rome
Rome leave

Christmas in Florence

New Year's Eve Florence 1945
George McCormack, Doug Harris, Stu, Joe Barnard - Florence 1945
George McCormick, Lance Marshall & Bill Whitehead
George McCormick - Florence
"Tiny" Freyberg's final parade

Transfer to Japan - February 1946

Naples harbour 21 Feb 1946
"Strathmore"
Naples Harbour
Embarkation Naples for Japan 1946
Lance & Tubby Stewart onboard "Strathmore"
Lance - we pass Isle of Capri
Deck tennis - Gordon Anderson, Bib, Lance & Geo McCormack
Suez Canal
"Strathmore" enroute Japan
Suez Canal
"Strathmore" in Suez Canal
"Strathmore" in Suez Canal
Ferdinand de Lessop Memorial, Suez Canal
de Lessops Memorial, Suez Canal

Colombo

Water barge, Colombo
Colombo

Japan

Hiroshima from train Kobe/Chofu
Shimomoseki
Doug Harris - Chofu
Japanese girls entertain - Chofu
Battalion sports, Japan - Doug Harris
Sports day
Johnny Sharp - Bn long jump
Lance & Stu - Chofu
Doug & Stu - Chofu
Changing of guard - Bn HQ
Taking over Bn HQ - Chofu
Taking over Bn HQ - Chofu
22 Battalion - at Chofu

Back in New Zealand

Taxes Ball, Wellington 1946
Battalion reunion, New Plymouth 1958:
Buff Worth, Al Ciceridge, Bib Fraser, ?, Stu Southall (621870), Don Thomson, Brian Innes (444514), Gil Wall (444680).
15 Platoon reunion, Wellington 1954
22 Battalion reunion, Napier 1974
15 Platoon reunion, Rotorua 1984
C COY (including 15 Platoon) reunion Trentham, 1994
The Final Battalion Reunion, Katikati, Christmas 2010
(This function was the last of many that Stu Southall had organised for the Battalion)
Back Row (L-R): Des Flavall, Charles Purcell, Chuck Hausman, Malcolm Waller, Lionel Isted, Barry Bracewell
Front Row: Jim Sherratt, Ned Nolan, Haddon Donald, Stu Southall, Doug Froggatt, Stewart Nairn, Barry Dods

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Last updated: 02/10/2018