More about Grandad Ernie .....

When WW2 began, my Grandad was a married man living in Hedgehope, Southland and working at a Forestry/Sawmill place there. My mum was born in Invercargill while they lived down there. In late 1939 Ernie applied to join the army and was accepted into the Engineers Forestry division. After initial training in NZ he was sent to Cirencester, UK to join other Allied Sawmillers and Forresters. A continuous supply of timber was needed in the war  - for pit-props in mines, plywood for aircraft, building projects, landing rafts  etc

                                                   Grandad in his uniform

I found this article By P. McKelvey about NZ Forresters at War:
http://www.nzjf.org/free_issues/NZJF45_4_2001/A0695568-D535-44BE-9369-CD61A0303A06.pdf
"The I I t h Company moved first to Cirencester in
Gloucestershire where they worked in stands of what
had originally been Royal Forests."

So, Grandad was a 'Sapper' in the Engineers but got to do Forestry work instead of  being at the front. Although he enlisted voluntarily and enjoyed the work, he was quite homesick. He also suffered from anxiety and had trouble sleeping which resulted in the MO admitting him to the military hospital in Bath and later the Warbrook convalescent hospital. He was also laid low with a severe case of mumps. I think he was admitted to the hospital a couple of times, but recovered OK and returned to the forestry work. At some point, possibly for health reasons, he was offered a change of  job and had a stint with the Post Office division in London. I think he witnessed some terrible destruction (bombings etc?) whilst there and ultimately returned to his Forestry unit in Cirencester. He was in the UK from January 1940 - December 1943. His family were pleased to have him home after 4 years away.

                                          Warbrook House, Eversley, UK.

Here is a photo of Grandad meeting Clement Attlee in London. Mr Attlee was a Labour politician who became deputy PM in Churchill's coalition wartime government.

                                                              click to enlarge

Line of descent: Me - Mum - Ernie