[Photo Album]: World War II

Minnesota, California, India, Egypt: 1942-1943.

Price: $500.00

Hardcover. Folio. String-tied brown leather over paper boards with gilt decorations. A collection of 80 black and white photos various sizes measuring between 1" x 1½" to 8" x 17" with captions. Near fine with some wear on the edges and rubbing. A photo album and scrapbook kept by Captain Daniel A. Watkins during World War II while he was stationed with the Railway Engineers in the 702nd Railway Guard Division of the Army. The beginning of the album is a five page handwritten timeline that keeps a detailed account of Watkins' time with the service starting with basic training at Fort Snelling in Minnesota in October of 1942. From there he left for California and in December he was aboard a ship out of San Francisco which made stops at Pearl Harbor, New Zealand, Australia, and India before depositing the troops in the Middle Eastern theater. "On this voyage there were about 6800 troops and about 1000 ships crew which made it very congested." On landing in New Zealand he writes, "even if we were away from home it felt grand to have your feet on good old mother nature." The photos show the various ports, camps, and cities where Watkins was stationed including Cairo and Bombay. A group of photos from Egypt shows local children in a town square, the Sphinx, Blue Mosque, and soldiers posing in uniforms in front of various barracks. One particularly nice photo shows a group of soldiers and their guide in front of one of the great Pyramids. Tipped in is a government pamphlet about "Trading with the enemy," a newspaper, and Watkins assignment memo from the war office in August of 1942. There are a few group photos of the entire company, some women including photo booth strips, and currency from India. One of the last entries in Watkins' timeline tells about an "accident" he doesn't elaborate on which left him in the army hospital in Iran.

An interesting account of the Northern Africa and Middle Eastern theaters of war during 1942 and 1943.


Item #399243

item image

Item #399243 [Photo Album]: World War II. Captain Daniel A. WATKINS.
[Photo Album]: World War II
[Photo Album]: World War II
[Photo Album]: World War II
[Photo Album]: World War II
[Photo Album]: World War II
[Photo Album]: World War II
[Photo Album]: World War II