RAAF and other Australian Military Soccer Photos

Gearing up for the rewriting of my Soccer and Anzac piece in time for ANZAC Day, just found a little nest egg of photos recently added to the war memorial collection.

The first two are photos of soccer teams/games played in North Africa in 1943 involving members of the RAAF, or seconded RAF members.

El Daba, Egypt. c. December 1943. A group portrait of No. 451 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF, soccer team.
The squadron, in its long service overseas, has made a big name for itself in the field of sport,
including football, Australian rules, rugby and soccer.

LIBYA. 1943. RAF MEMBERS OF NO. 454 SQUADRON, RAAF PLAYING SOCCER IN THE WESTERN DESERT.

BAALBEK, SYRIA. 1941-11-01. A SCENE DURING THE SOCCER MATCH BETWEEN AUSTRALIAN AND INDIAN TEAMS. THE INDIAN TEAM WAS FROM THE ROYAL INDIAN ARMY SERVICE CORPS.

HOLLAND. 1944-10-23. RAAF AND RAF AIR AND GROUND CREWS OF SPITFIRE NO. 130 SQUADRON RAF KEEP WARM WITH A GAME OF SOCCER DURING A LULL IN OPERATIONS AT AN AIRFIELD IN HOLLAND.

Cuers, France. October 1944. Informal portrait of 11207 Leading Aircraftman K. E. Lewis of Hamilton, Vic, the only RAAF member of a soccer team from No. 451 (Spitfire) Squadron RAAF of France. All the other players were RAF members attached to the squadron.