Kiwis at war 1939-40 and earlier. Part three, Army and others.

Edited by Martin B. Watson.

"Young New Zealanders write from the cauldron of World War Two ... as it happens - or very soon thereafter"--Cover.

Introduction -- Narratives (Pre-war Europe (Tragedy) and Britain (Resolute) [Dr. W.A. Fairclough ; Leslie Verry ; Téphany Ross ; W.A. "Billy" Blomfield ; Zita Wright ; Bob Cotterall ; Hilma Thomas ; Mavis Brown ; Cynthia Howden ; Dr. E. S. Jamieson] ; Empire outpost exploits [Leonard H. Williams ; Lieutenant J. D. Maling ; Lieutenant-Colonel John Inglis Chrystall ; Edgar Apsey ; W.S. Meads ; Norman Davis] ; Dunkirk: five New Zealanders tell of their experiences [Captain Hal Davis ; Lieutenant W. J. Watt ; Lieutenant M. G. Grace ; Lieutenant P. M. B. Matson ; Kathleen Gunn] ; The evacuation of the Channel Islands)

The Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (Major-General B.C. [Bernard] Freyberg ; Captain F.L. Davis ; Troper Archibald Gillies ; Colonel John Gray ; Leonard Merrington Kissel ; Lieutenant-Colonel H.K. [Howard] Kippenberger ; Captain Harold Oliver Jefcoate ; Lieutenant Richard Lewis Hutchens ; Captain Cecil Reese ; J. A. Patrick ; Lance-Sergeant Philip Henry Tritt ; Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Norriss Peart ; Captain Leslie Innes Day ; Lieutenat John H. Kempthorne ; Lieutenant-Colonel Michael George O' Callaghan ; Corporal Les King ; Bombardier M. G. Niven ; Private R. Milligan ; Lieutenant-Colonel Hunter ; Lieutenant Edward George Smith ; Andrew Frederick Cooper ; Sergeant William Thomas Job ; Major James Leggat ; Major George Frederick Bertrand ; Keith Elliott ; Private Albert George Lloyd)

The strength of Singapore (Ivan Palmer) -- Wartime voyagers (My journey to New Zealand: a young Swiss miss writes / Elisabeth Cotti ; Mid-European "aliveness" / Alison Robinson ; Leaving England as an evacuee under the Government scheme ; A wartime journey / R. Brown-Douglas ; Over perilous waters / Winifred Dromgool ; My journey to New Zealand ; Margaret Naylor writes ; A voyage to New Zealand in war time ; First impressions of New Zealand) -- Meanwhile, back in Britain (J. Chapman-Smith ; Mollie Smith ; Bob Cotterall ; Audrey Chitty ; Gunner M. K. Joseph) -- Snippets: brief items of general interest.

When these young people pick up their pens and write home about action as it happens or very soon thereafter, they have no idea of their fate or that of the free world. Outwardly, they exude confidence Inwardly, many write with tongue placed firmly in cheek. For most, Death is a constant fellow-traveller. For many, She will beckon ...