WW2 letters from Hugh Davidson Smith to Mary Annette Burgess [Hay]

item details

NameWW2 letters from Hugh Davidson Smith to Mary Annette Burgess [Hay]

ProductionHugh Smith; writer; 1944-1945

Classificationpersonal correspondence

Materialspaper, ink

Techniqueshandwriting

Registration NumberCA000924/001/0001

Credit lineGift of Mary-Annette Hay, 2008

Overview

Wartime correspondence consisting of 34 letters written to May-Annette Hay by Hugh Davidson Smith who was on active service for the Royal New Zealand Navy during WW2. Seven of the letters are Airgraph messages [introduced during the war for messages between servicemen and civilians. The message was written onto a special form that was then given an identification number and photographed onto microfilm. The microfilm was flown to its destination, developed into a full size print, and posted to the recipient. Copies of the microfilm were keptin caseofthe mail planewas shot down the messages could be resent]. Hugh Davidson Smith returned to NZ a Naval Officer and became a lawyer in Waipukarau in the Hawkes Bay. Also included is a photograph of Smith in uniform and one of the frigate H.M.S. Odzani which Smith served on.