Different M1A1 Carbine Carry Case

[Danmark]

“I love it when a plan comes together.”

Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith ( George Peppard )

[reneblacky]

Found a pic of the rear male snap (ex from one of my US Ike Jackets! these are well tucked away in the junk room)

[Anderson]

If you had posted the photo showing "Te Awamutu" up first I could have saved you some time, I live about 20km away from there. Also the US military presence and training was not secret, it was well know at the time and the location of training camps are also no mystery.



The first American serviceman steps ashore in New Zealand, 13 June 1942 as published in the Dominion newspaper that day.

As for identity of "E Barham", I think you have correctly identified him with Edwin George Barham. But the WW2 Ballot lists include everyone called up including those who served in essential industries and Home Guard. In a search of the overseas service list, I can't find EG Barham, so he may not have served overseas.

My explanation for his name on the case is he bought the carbine and carry case post WW2. Semi auto M1 type carbines were quite common in NZ after WW2. Barham probably bought one and may have used it for hunting. Tougher licencing rules more recently could have resulted in this carbine being sold again and exported. So it is possible it was never in NZ with the US Military but a post war import.