Recognising Milestones

As a professional projectionist and amateur photographer Caleb Wyatt Junior had an eye for detail. He also had a knack for recognising those occasions that would become ‘milestones’ in local history. Not only did Wyatt capture these events on film, he also recorded the people, place and date - down to the hour - the photograph was taken. Accompanying this image was the following caption: "On Tuesday morning, October 3rd 1939 a crowd estimated at three thousand gathered at New Plymouth railway station to farewell the first batch of 126 volunteers for service in World War Two as they left by train for military training at Trentham Camp. After final leave the first echelon of soldiers left by train from New Plymouth for military camp on the morning of Thursday December 28th, 1939".