Noel Reid Cameron was born on 28 June 1917 in Wellington, New Zealand. A few days after his birth, his mother, Annie Stewart, passed away. He was raised by his father, Ernest Reid Cameron, and his step-mother, Annie Fuller. He had two older siblings, Phyllis and Elva, and two younger half-siblings, Marie and Richard.
Noel attended school in Blenheim, and at the age of fourteen, left to support the family through paid work, completing his further schooling through correspondence. He was able to obtain employment as a clerk for the Farmers’ Trading Company. He worked in a series of clerking roles until he was conscripted as part of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Third Echelon, made up of 356 officers and 6,078 individuals of other ranks.¹ Enrolled as a Lance Corporal, he left New Zealand in December 1940. Noel arrived in Egypt in February 1941. Noel was overseas until mid-1943, where he was evacuated from the Middle East, following a long period in hospital after being injured in the controversial battle of Minqar Qaim. While Noel’s injuries were not devastating, the nature of the injury – damage to his hand – required a long and painful recovery, resulting in him not being able to participate in active duty.
A timeline of Noel’s participation in World War Two is included below.
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Upon his return from the war, Noel married Dorothy Mary Ham.
Noel’s experience and contribution to the war were not exceptional; he was an ordinary New Zealander who, like so many others, embarked on a journey dictated by the demands of the time. As a conscript, he went to war not by choice but with a mix of apprehension and a sense of adventure. The men of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force likely understood the dangers that awaited them in foreign lands, having seen their fathers and uncles participate in World War One.
The photographs Noel captured date from December 1941 to June 1943, concluding when he was evacuated from the Middle East aboard the MS Oranje. This website features over 100 of his photographs, along with other artefacts that offer a glimpse into his time in the Middle East. Captured in two albums, Noel (and later, his wife Dorothy) meticulously documented the content of the photographs, helping me to annotate most pictures on this website.
To learn more about Noel’s life and service, you can follow the link in the toolbar above. Additionally, you can use the toolbar to explore the history of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force and its role in World War Two.
Where possible, I have sought to supplement Noel’s photographs with information on what is presented, and the locations and sites that he experienced, to the best of my knowledge. This information has been collated from the document supplied to me, along with general research. Where possible, I include references on each relevant section of the website, as well as in the ‘references’ section linked above. I have noted the different materials featured on this site here. I have sought to ensure accuracy of information presented but acknowledge that some errors or omissions may exist. Over time, I will try and add more information as time allows.
References
1. Auckland War Museum (2022). Middle East Troop Convoys.
2. National Library of New Zealand (no date). Troopship, Dominion Monarch, bringing members of the Maori Battalion home after World War 2, Wellington Harbour.