During World War II, Jerusalem, then part of the British Mandate for Palestine, functioned as a key administrative and logistical hub for Allied operations in the Middle East. While not a battlefield, the city was central to planning and coordination for campaigns in North Africa and beyond, serving as a waypoint for troops moving between frontlines and supply centers.
New Zealand soldiers stationed in the region often passed through Jerusalem en route to campaigns such as those at El Alamein. For Kiwi troops accustomed to desert warfare and the harsh conditions of the Sinai and North African deserts, the city offered a rare opportunity for rest, reflection, and exposure to a landscape dense with historical and religious significance. Many visited sacred sites, walking through spaces their faith and the Bible had made familiar, which offered a profound contrast to the immediacy of military life. Hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Jerusalem also treated wounded soldiers, providing an important respite and reminder of normalcy amid wartime chaos.
Jerusalem also held political significance during this period, as the war heightened tensions in the region. The influx of Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution and the push for the establishment of a Jewish homeland increased pressures on the British administration. New Zealand troops stationed in the Middle East observed these tensions, adding another layer to their understanding of the complex geopolitical landscape. For many New Zealand soldiers, their time in Jerusalem was not just a military interlude but a profound encounter with a city that symbolized the endurance of history amidst the turmoil of war.
These sentiments are seen in Noel’s photos of Jerusalem during the war. A religious man when he left New Zealand (though perhaps slightly less when he returned), many of his photos are captioned with reference to the Bible or Bible verses, and his reflections on religion and religious sites.
Sites appearing in Noel’s photographs
Garden of Gethsemane
The Garden of Gethsemane is located at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Since the early Byzantine period, it has been recognised as the site where Jesus prayed before his arrest. For New Zealand soldiers visiting during WWII, the garden’s ancient olive trees and enclosed courtyards presented a contemplative space, sharply contrasting with the desert campaigns. Noel appears to have purchased a range of pre-developed photographs of the Gardens, which he included in his photo albums.
Calvary / Golgotha
The site of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial has been debated for centuries, but only two locations are widely considered historically plausible today. The traditional site lies within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (described below), in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City.
The second site is a rocky hill just north of the Old City referred to as Gordon’s Calvary. Noel took photos of both locations. Adjacent to Gordon’s Calvary is a quiet garden with a rock-hewn tomb, popularly called the Garden Tomb. Though its authenticity is debated, it offers visitors a serene environment for reflection and remains a focal point for devotional activity.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, in Jerusalem’s Christian Quarter, marks the sites traditionally identified as Calvary and the tomb of Jesus. Originally built by Constantine in the fourth century and expanded under Byzantine, Crusader, and Ottoman rule, the church reflects centuries of architectural adaptation, repair, and negotiation between Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Latin custodians. During World War II, New Zealand soldiers passing through Jerusalem could move along the established pilgrim routes within the church, stopping at Calvary and the tomb.
Way of the Cross / Via Dolorosa
The Via Dolorosa, the path traditionally associated with Christ’s journey to crucifixion, extended through Jerusalem’s Old City. Soldiers could walk segments of this route, reflecting on both historical continuity and the layering of civic, religious, and military history along its narrow streets. The stations of the cross, many marked since medieval times, provided a structured pilgrimage experience amid the unpredictability of wartime movement.
Temple Mount
The Temple Mount, a site sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, had been central to Jerusalem’s religious and political life for millennia. During WWII, access was tightly controlled under British administration, but soldiers could appreciate its historical significance as the location of the First and Second Temples and later Islamic structures like the Dome of the Rock.
King David Street
King David Street is one of the main thoroughfares in Jerusalem’s Old City, connecting the Jaffa Gate to the Christian, Jewish, and Armenian Quarters. Its origins date back to the medieval period, with the street evolving over centuries as a center for trade and daily life. By the 1940s, it was a bustling corridor lined with shops, markets, and local residents. The street provided both a practical route through the city and a window into Jerusalem’s living history. Today, it appears to have lost its lustre, although it still hosts the famous King David Hotel, bombed in 1946.
Commonwealth War Cemetery
The Commonwealth War Cemetery (Jerusalem War Cemetery) on Mount Scopus commemorates soldiers from across the British Empire who died in the region during the World Wars. At the time of Noel’s visit, it included the graves of 34 men who served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War. By the 1940s, it was carefully maintained with rows of uniform headstones, reflecting both respect for the fallen and the British administrative effort to preserve memory in a contested landscape.
Dome of the Rock
The Dome of the Rock, completed in 691 CE, sits on the Temple Mount as one of Jerusalem’s most iconic Islamic monuments. Its gold-plated dome and octagonal structure mark the traditional location where Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven. In the 1940s, soldiers could reportedly approach the building closely, walking on the Temple Mount terraces – access that would later become more restricted – but the only photo Noel has of the interior appears to be a purchased pre-developed photo.
Mount of Olives
The Mount of Olives, overlooking the Old City from the east, has been a sacred site since antiquity, associated with Jewish burial traditions, Jesus’ ministry, and later Christian pilgrimage. At the time of Noel’s visit, its slopes were dotted with ancient tombs, churches, and monasteries, offering panoramic views of the city below.
Chapel of the Ascension
The Chapel of the Ascension, situated on the Mount of Olives, marks the site traditionally identified as the location where Jesus ascended to heaven. Originally constructed in the fifth century and rebuilt under Crusader and later Muslim rule, the small octagonal structure has been a focus for pilgrimage for centuries. By the mid-twentieth century, the chapel was maintained as both a Christian and Muslim holy site and visiting soldiers could witness the coexistence of these traditions within a single historical monument.
Absalom’s Pillar
Absalom’s Pillar, or the Tomb of Absalom, is a rock-cut tomb in the Kidron Valley, dating to the first century CE and traditionally associated with Absalom, the son of King David. Its distinctive conical roof and carved facade reflect Second Temple-period funerary architecture.
Damascus Gate
Damascus Gate, one of the main entrances to the Old City, was originally constructed during the Roman period and rebuilt in its present form under the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman in the 16th century. By the 1940s, it served as a key access point for both civilians and military personnel.
Church of All Nations
The Church of All Nations, located on the Mount of Olives adjacent to the Garden of Gethsemane, was completed in 1924 and funded by multiple countries, giving it its name. Built over earlier Byzantine and Crusader chapels, it features a mosaic facade and a vast interior designed for communal worship.
Wailing Wall / Western Wall
The Western Wall, or Wailing Wall, is the last surviving section of the retaining wall of the Second Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE. Its massive stones, some dating from Herod the Great’s reconstruction in the first century BCE, have made it a central site of Jewish prayer and identity for nearly two millennia. During the Ottoman period, the area in front of the wall was informal and often crowded, but by the British Mandate, it had become more organised, with designated spaces for worshippers and pilgrims. New Zealand Soldiers could observe worshippers leaving written prayers in the crevices, a practice dating back at least to the 18th century.