Private john hector augustine mudford

Discussion in 'New Zealand' started by kareen squires, Mar 6, 2012.

  1. kareen squires

    kareen squires Junior Member

    Hi to World War II Folks.

    Thank you for your wonderful invitation to enter into a past that without
    research remains in doubt,with enormous implications for future politics of war.

    For me, personally, I am researching my late Father's military history,
    as a way of exhuming and separating out bias from Truth.

    I would like to follow in other World War II researchers and trace
    the movements of my late Dad, from Gisborne, 1941, when he lied on his application form to go To War...being charged and fined 10 pounds for drunk and disorderly behaviour in Wellington before embarking on either The Mauritania or The Nieuw Amsterdam...to engraving his name on a big rock
    in query North Africa, that made it Television in 1961 (ANZAC DAY), to
    surviving three years incarceration in Stalag XVIIIC, still with a post-humourus reputation of sitting the war out drunk...to lying on the sitting room floor in Napier, laughing at Hogan's Heroes, as he said that that was the only time he could laugh at the Germans...to spending his years working on The Railways, paying the rent, eight kids, and spending every Saturday in The RSA.

    Dad died a broken man, and whether that was becuase of The War, or The War just contributed to it, is the reason for my research. And so
    far despite the above record, Dad was an enormous influence on how to be in the world. He shaped mty thinking as a Catholic. He shaped my thinking and those of his kids, to nursing/navy/army/marriage and kids and making a garden. And he shaped my thinking into what was important in his letter that he wrote to a Brigadier when Dad was fighting in North Africa, and received a cable that hsi first wife had died of TB and his fourth child of colitis, leaving his three kids orphans. He wrote asking for compassionate leave as he was worried about his kids.

    The letter I read in his handwriting decades later (Dad died when I was 17), tore me in two. And from that point I have made a concerted effort to vindicate this man, whom I hardly knew in Truth, but only in hearsay.

    Thank you to fellow talkers on talk about talk about World War II from New Zealand.

    Ms Kareen Squires R.N.B.A.Theol. NDA Fremantle Perth Western Australia.:poppy:
     
    Fred Wilson likes this.
  2. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Welcome to the forum

    Cheers
    Paul
     
  3. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Welcome on Board

    If your require help in your quest just post the details that will help with your request and the members will try their best to give you the information if they can
     
  4. kareen squires

    kareen squires Junior Member

    Hi to folks of world war ii talk thank you for welcoming me to such
    a rewarding land.

    So far i have got to know more about my late dad, and am so grateful for that.

    In one instance dad used to lie under the shade of the trees by a river
    when working on the railways and there used to be the railway picnic day. Yes, resting under the shade of the trees was very much dad.

    Kareen.
     
  5. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    Was your dad related to Darkie Mudford?


    Sgt H. Mudford; Korokoro, Petone; born Wanganui, 28 Jul 1915; carpenter; wounded 15 Dec 1944.


    ‘We were still struggling when daylight came and Jerry opened up with minewerfers (7? multi-barrelled mortars). Sgt Roberts wounded. After this he scored a direct hit with a shell and wrecked all our work. Darkie Mudford (a new reinforcement of three days standing) was badly wounded. Helped to carry him out to the RAP but never realised how long and hard a mile could be.’
     
    Fred Wilson likes this.
  6. kareen squires

    kareen squires Junior Member

    Hey to Dave B, yep...Darkie Mudford was my late Uncle. He was called 'darkie'
    because he had olive skin, and when his sox were on and then he took them off, he was for sure, query Maori but in actual fact, like my late Dad was Irish Catholic.

    Lovely to make contact with you today pre ANZAC day over here in Australia Fremantle.
    I have darkie Mudford's relie over this way Dave and will let her know of your email as she will be eternally grateful. Kareenxxx
     
  7. Melmax

    Melmax Junior Member

    Kareen do you have access to paperspast the nz site, if you type in Markt Pongau, there are Newspaper articles about that Stalag and the Redcross conditions as reported to kiwi's
     
  8. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Kareen
    Many of the best archives on the war are of the New Zealand activities in both Africa and Italy - your Father's records are sure to be there probably at Auckland - someone is sure to have the address for you shortly

    Cheers
     
  9. Melmax

    Melmax Junior Member

    I would also been keen to do further research on Markt Pongau - Stalag 317/XVIIC as my grandfather was issued a pow tag for that camp. I live in Auckland if that is also of any help
     
  10. Dave Gibson

    Dave Gibson Member

    Kareen,

    If you submit a written or emailed request to New Zealand Defence Force Archives, you can obtain a copy of your father's or uncle's service records. The contact email address is personnel.archives@nzdf.mil.nz , and the NZDF website has pretty comprehensive guides on how to make sense of the records once you recieve them. The Archive enquires team is also available for any queries you might have about any records that you request as well as we're aware that the files can often be a bit hard to understand.
     
    Fred Wilson likes this.

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