Two Maori battalion soldiers pose for a photo which i believe is air field protection duty 30 miles south west of Sirte and surrounded by vast openess..Captain Hayward on right who was the 28th (Maori) battalion carrier CO had multitude of various duties to perform with his universal carrier platoon, including mounting anti-aircraft guns on them.This photo shot around November 1942 indicates that they were coming into range of German and Italian aircraft attacks from their airfield (Castel Benito) near Tripoli, Libya.
Ironically this Castel Benito airfield outside Tripoli was to become the New Zealand Division's home whilst based at Tripoli where they "Churchill Parade" took place and the final of the Divisional rugby championship was decided early 1943.
Hayward Family Rotorua.Denis Clough archive.
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