More Info →1st Division NZ Army 1914 - Photograph

Object type:Image

Description: This scroll photograph was brought into the Levin Library by Jill Pettifer (daughter of Mrs Babs Leckie).

Jil provided the following details:

'Here is what I can remember of this photo, which unfortunately is not much!

It is of the first New Zealand division on their return from the war in France.

They were stationed at Brockenhurst New Forest Hampshire, England. After being pulled out of France, they were rested here with the wounded until being sent home to New Zealand.

My mother, 'Mrs Babs Leckie', nursed there as a VAD (Voluntary Auxiliary Division(, and got to know a lot of them very well - I remember her telling me that my grandfather, Mr P.D. Leckie used to send the car on Sundays so that she could take a few that could go for a drive through the new Forest and then enjoy afternoon tea at 'Buskets' my gradfather's Estate at 'Lyndhurst'.

'Buskets' has long since gone and I had always thought the First Division had been stationed at 'Lyndhurst', however, according to the photo they weren't.

If anyone has any recollections of this photo - I would be most interested and very glad to hear from them.'