HISTORY OF SECOND N.Z.E.F.

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 270, 13 August 1942, Page 4

HISTORY OF SECOND N.Z.E.F.

Competition For Best EyeWitness Accounts ACTIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST Soldiers of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. with a flair for descriptive writing were recently given, a chance to demonstrate their literary powers by entering a competition, for the best eye-witness accounts of Middle East actions in which New Zealanders were involved. Organized with the abject of supplementing official accounts of big battles and minor engagements, it' is expected that the competition will have produced much valuable material for eventual use when the official history of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. is written. The competition closed on June 30 last, and was open to all ranks of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. Three £5 prizes for officers, and three £5 prizes for other ranks were offered by the National Patriotic Fund Board. The judges— Lleut.-Colonel F. Waite (N.Z. Patriotic Fund Roar'd), the editor of the 2nd N:z.E.F. Times, and an officer appointed by Headquarters, 2nd N.Z.E.F., are at present dealing with the large numbers of entries received. . A pamphlet setting out the conditions of the competition and containing comments for the guidance of entrants 'by the Official Archivist, 2nd N.Z.E.F., was circulated ‘ throughout the Expeditionary Force early in May. Articles were required to be accurate and descriptive of actions of which the writer was an eye-witness. All articles submitted become the property of the New Zealand Government, and may be published as thought fit. They will be filed in official archives for use when the official history of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. is being written.