Grandfather and Great Uncle

My Grandfather Trooper M.H Blackford enlisted with in the New Zealand Army in 1940 and sailed for the Middle East in May 1943. Arriving in Egypt he was posted to the 18th Armoured Regiment, 4th Armoured Brigade, 2nd New Zealand Division who were equipped with Shermans. He landed at Taranto, Italy in October 1943 and fought throughout the Italian Campaign till the end of the war in 1945.

My Great Uncle M.A Whitehead enlisted with the Royal New Zealand Air Force in March 1943 and was trained as an Air Gunner. In January 1944 he was posted to Number 4 Squadron RNZAF in Fiji which was equipped with Hudson Bombers. In late 1944 the squadron converted to PV-1 Ventura Bombers and between November 1944 and February 1945 the Squadron was stationed at Emirau Island and he flew bombing operations over Bouganville, New Britain and New Ireland. After a rest in NZ the squadron returned to Emirau in May 1945 and continued operations till the end of the war.