Tank of Tobruk : A New Zealand YMCA Secretary at War

Carterton's Hector Tankersley was involved with the YMCA in the late 1930s, and lived in the 'Y' hostel while working in Wellington from 1938-1940. He was recruited as a YMCA secretary to work on New Zealand military bases. This led to secondment to the British YMCA in North Africa, running canteens, entertainment and providing some well-being services for the British Empire forces there. Shortly after arriving in Egypt he was sent to Tobruk, arriving just before the besieging German and Italian forces in April 1941. Hector's diaries and photographs record his YMCA life, for which he was awarded the MBE in late 1942. His service extended to mid-1943 before he returned to New Zealand, where he continued his YMCA work at RNZAF bases in the South Island. Hector's story brings to life the busy and exhausting experiences of a New Zealand non-combatant in the Desert War.