Bull, George Robert, 1910-1996. Signalman W Smith recording a message to be broadcast to New Zealand on the Cassino Front, Italy - Photograph taken by George Bull. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch. Ref: DA-05598-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22702117
A brief history of the Mobile Unit recordings
Sarah Johnston
In August 1940, three New Zealand radio broadcasters set sail on an army troop ship from Wellington. They were bound for Egypt, where the New Zealand armed forces were part of the British Empire’s push to drive the German and Italian armies out of North Africa and the Middle East. With them was a mobile recording van, equipped to capture the voices and sounds of New Zealanders at war on lacquer discs, and send those recordings back for radio broadcasts on the other side of the world.
For the next five years, the National Broadcasting Service Mobile Unit recorded interviews and reports about the fighting and the day-to-day business of war, as well as thousands of simple messages home from servicemen – and a few women. The unit also recorded in the Italy campaign and a second Mobile Unit travelled with New Zealanders fighting in the Pacific.
Today, the 1600 surviving Mobile Unit discs form part of the sound archives of Radio New Zealand, held by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Work to digitise the discs and make them available online is on-going. Some of the recordings can be heard online already, while others may be requested via Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision's online catalogue.
About the author
In 2021, Sarah Johnston, recipient of funding from the Judith Binney Trust and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage New Zealand History Research Fund, commenced work on providing insight into the content and significance of the National Broadcasting Service Mobile Units.
Online Cenotaph is pleased to be collaborating with Sarah to help match the personnel records with the recordings held in Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Read more about the project at worldwarvoices.wordpress.com
Results
| Photo | Force | Wars | Service # | |
| C20143 |  | Agnew | Allan Edward Manus | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 9105 | | |
| C134286 | | Asher | Frank | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 5748 | | |
| 149907 | | Barr | James Ambrose | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 27752 | | |
| 117333 | | Begg | Jonathan Spencer | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 27571 | | |
| C120048 | | Belk | Mary Helen | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 34967 | | |
| 147499 | | Bell | Henry Hector | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 23034 | | |
| C134539 | | Bennington | Lawrence | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 4295 | | |
| C38844 | | Bourke | Alfred Bernard | Army | World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945 | 11/6, 5589 | | |
| 117594 | | Brothers | Benjamin Henry | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 34518 | | |
| C118015 | | Brown | Doris Irene | Army | World War II, 1939-1945, Regular Military Service | 1426 | | |
| 88214 | | Browne | Laurence Hamilton | Army | World War II, 1939-1945, World War II, 1939-1945 | 4444 | | |
| 117626 | | Buckett | Ivan Darcy | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 27506 | | |
| 144491 | | Burt | Charles John | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 14021 | | |
| C135059 | | Campbell | William Donald | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 9376 | | |
| C135081 | | Carroll | Thomas Anthony | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 2134 | | |
| 117789 | | Caughey | John Egerton | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 31827 | | |
| C40641 | | Cobb | Walter | Army | World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945 | 11/26, 804515 | | |
| C36029 | | Cohen | Keith John Hartog | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 23050 | | |
| C135340 | | Conway | Franklin Gordon | Army | World War II, 1939-1945 | 1038 | | |
| 89315 | | Cooksley | Bertie Victor | Army | World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945 | 4/1086a, 72174 | | |