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Part 2 of 5.
Continuation of recordings of the Crossing the Equator or ""Crossing the Line"" ceremony on board the ""Empress of Japan"" troop ship taking the 3rd Echelon of New Zealanders overseas. Commentary by Bosun Wilson.
Colonel Shuttleworth, the New Zealand Officer-Commanding on board, can show a certificate that he has crossed the line already, so he avoids being initiated by 'Father Neptune' and his 'pirates' and 'bears'.
The first subject, is eventually identified as Captain Jack Redpath [Military Service no. 30836], 19th Army of Christchurch who was found guilty of making his troops march around the deck and kept everyone from sleeping. He receives the traditional lathering and dunking, which is commentated by Bosun Wilson."
This item is part of a collection of recordings made by the Mobile Broadcasting Units, which travelled overseas with New Zealand forces between 1940-1945. They recorded New Zealanders' experiences of war and messages to their families and friends, which were sent back home to be played on a weekly radio programme.