[New Zealand Expeditionary Forces]. MACKENZIE, Trooper Clutha

Chronicles of the N.Z.E.F. Records of Matters concerning the Troops and Gazette of Patriotic Effort. [A complete run from Volume I, Number 1, 30 August 1916 to Volume V, Number 61, 24 January 1919]

London, New Zealand Contingent Association, 1916 to 1919.

Quarto, 60 issues bound in three volumes, comprising Volumes I and II: 288 and 288 pages; Volumes III and IV (part): 228, 24, [277]-300 and 168 pages; and Volumes IV (part) and V: [169]-288 and 320 pages, all profusely illustrated. The break in pagination in Volumes III and IV occurs after the 24-page single issue comprising 'Special Edition. Vol. III. Nos. 34 and 35. January 2 & 16, 1918, but all issues are present in spite of the hiatus.

The three volumes are bound in the original wrappers, with the title printed on the front cover (albeit the rear cover of the second and third volumes are modern card replacements); spines reinforced with tape; paper tanned and somewhat brittle, with occasional small tears and chips at the edges; loss to the bottom corner of the last four leaves; overall, in good to very good condition.

A complete run of this fortnightly magazine, which provided news and entertainment to New Zealand troops in the First World War. It incorporates unit news, casualty lists, verse and humorous contributions from soldiers, cartoons, illustrations from photographs and more. Complete runs of this publication are scarce, due in part to the poor-quality wartime newsprint on which it was printed.

Clutha Nantes Mackenzie (1895-1966) lost his sight at Gallipoli in August 1915 when a British shell fell short. Despite his total blindness, within a year he was editing this publication, presumably with the aid of readers and typists. He was later knighted for services to the blind ('Dictionary of New Zealand Biography').

Dornbusch NZ 239. [3 items].

Item #146484

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