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Rene and Alf – 1942. In service uniforms The Cottage rented in Blenheim for the duration of WWII

War-time Convoys
included the five settlements of Brunner, Taylorville, Dobson,
Stillwater, and Wallsend and that included non-mining families! They
gave every child in the community spending money for the annual
picnic at Lake Mahinapua, two shillings in my day, and that went a long
way. Although not perfect, these people were wholesome and forthright.
They deserve better treatment than they are receiving at the present time.
Alf Smith was the only one from the business called up during WWII
(because he was a married man without children) when hundreds of NZ
soldiers returned on leave and refused to return to war en masse. The
Government quickly discharged them all and sent replacements. Alf was
enlisted as a driver, but more than driving was required to go anywhere,
as the wartime photographs show. You needed courage.

El Djem NZ Troop Theatre, Maadi Egypt. The vast NZ camp to the rear

Cairo, Egypt

Entertainment was Alf's chosen career and he took it to war with him. Many soldiers talk of having to sit around with nothing to do for many hours,
even days and weeks at a time, but Alf's love of gymnastics kept him busy. He was part of the Entertainment Corps which was set up at Maadi
Camp in Egypt, and was also moved to other places in smaller form as required.
Alf did manage to see some of the sights of the cities abroad, and he sent gifts, photographs, and letters to Rene from every one of them. His sense
of humour remained constant.
Left: Alf Smith on the right in both group photos.
Below: What the drivers encountered after leaving their quarters after raids
- their trucks in bomb craters

34 CINEMARECORD # 93