In my Grandfather’s diary entries from Tuesday 27th April – Friday 30th April 1943 and Friday 30th April – Monday 3rd May 1943, he wrote of his leave in Alexandria. These photos were possibly taken during this period of leave. The caption to the photos is what he had written on the back of them.
14 Weeks Worth of Socks 
I love going through my relatives old photographs, finding a box of them is like discovering a treasure chest. These are great pieces of history. Sometimes it’s like a puzzle trying to figure out old photos, so it was nice your Grandfather wrote notations on the back.
I’m really pleased he did else I’d be facing a mountain of random photos. Some unfortunately aren’t labelled, usually ones with people in – which is a real shame! Means their families may never see them…
Dear Elisa, Wonderful to see your grandfather’s photos. I’m just about to post my father’s own photo of the same view in Alexandria you have here, also photographed in 1943: the Tram Station – as I now know, because your Grandfather wrote on the back of his. I also have several photographs of the Sporting Club which my father took inside. Was you Grandad in the army, navy, airforce?
My Grandfather was in the New Zealand 23rd Army Battalion which was made up of men from the Canterbury and Otago regions. I am thrilled that you could identify your photos 🙂
It’s a strange feeling isn’t it, when something seeming so far away as Alexandria in wartime is also familiar (in a way) to someone else! My Dad’s Flight Commander in 46 Squadron, and great friend, Owen Hooker, came from Christchurch, New Zealand. He survived the war, went back to the police force, had a family of 7 children (with whom I’m now in contact) and ended up as a farmer in Motumaohoe, near Morrinsville – I’ve no idea if any of that is from the Canterbury/Otago regions! Owen asked my father to join him in New Zealand after the war and make a new life out there but Dad decided to stay here. I haven’t got round to posting the Alex pictures yet, but will – I’m following Dad’s diaries at the moment through October to March 1944, when he was stationed out there.
Great history. I do find it hard to imagine the man in the diary is my Grandfather and the same man I remember – and what he went through.
Christchurch is in the Canterbury province so he likely was in the same battalion as my grandfather if he was in the army.