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A Very Rare and Important World War Ii New Zealand Killed in…
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Auction House:
Auction Location:
Auckland
Date:
29-Jul-2009
Lot No.
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Description:
A Very Rare and Important World War Ii New Zealand Killed in Action Officer's Diary. This is the diary of Captain Robert Blair Symon of the 6th Field Regt. New Zealand Artillery. It commences 2 April 1941 in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand and follows Symon overseas to North Africa where he campaigned with the New Zealand Field Artillery. Symon was a well known observer officer and is well mentioned in the official history of the New Zealand Artillery in World War Ii by W.E. Murphy including: [The wadi was under constant shellfire, yet the many and various tasks which had to be performed to serve the guns and control their fire were carried out without pause. They included the work of 9 Light Aid Detachment under second Lt. Bourke, repairing damaged guns. Bourke worked in the open, with first a bombardier and then a sergeant of the 4th Field helping him. After the campaign there was a court of inquiry into the loss of certain guns and Bourke's evidence to this under oath reads in part as follows, 'One of A Tp's Bdrs came to see me about repairing a gun with a damaged trail. I....found it had the trail damaged badly on the left side.......... No. 2 gun also had both tyres but to ribbons. We changed the dial sight bracket from No. 1 and removed the two wheels.....' And all this work, related in this matter-offact fashion, went on in front of the infantry and in constant expectation of tank attack by enemy just beyond the slight rise to the west!] Although Symon had a few near escapes when his positions were over run by German Panzers he was less lucky at a Wadi near Zaafran in Libya and on 2 December 1941 died as a result of his wounds received. The diary details every day until 16 August 1941 when it abruptly ends. The survival rate of casualty diaries is virtually nil, given people were often not buried for days and in many cases kit was abandoned or destroyed. Included with the diary is a 1941 2 Nzef Christmas Card (sent to New Zealand in Oct 1941 by Symon), obituaries and a newspaper clipping concerning his death. There is also a condolence letter from a friend to Symon's mother. The start of the diary contains a poem, presumably by a friend of Symon's. Robert Blair Symon was the son of Colonel Symon. He was born in the Uk during World War I. He was educated at Wellesley College and embarked on a career as a professional soldier which saw him attend Royal Military College, Duntroon. He graduated in 1938 being awarded both the Sword of Honour and the King's Medal in Gold. He was killed in Libya while serving with the New Zealand Artillery in December 1941
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Price:
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Category:
Militaria & Weapons: Ephemera