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Part 4 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 and Doug Laurenson.
Sister Allen, one of the ship's nurses is intiated and dunked in a pool on deck.
Identified New Zealand troops being initiated by Father Neptune in the ceremony include:-
Jack Evans from 19th Army Troops, Forestry
Lieutenant Ken King [Military Service no. 23534], 14th Forestry (Kenneth Walter King)
Company Sergeant Major Ben Brothers [Military Service no. 34518] of Rotorua, 14th Forestry (Benjamin Henry Brothers)
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.
DAT77 Tk21