THE GHOST PHOTOGRAPH FROM GAZA

In the first issue of the battalion magazine Sandpappret, published during the UNEF II mission in Sinai, readers can find a remarkable story about a mysterious ghost photograph that appeared among the battalion photographer's pictures.

When the battalion photographer of the Swedish UNEF II Battalion, 52M, had his first roll of film developed, there was one photograph he did not quite recognise. It showed the entrance to a camp, with the words "Swedish Battalion" displayed on a large sign above the entrance. What was strange, however, and what puzzled the photographer, was that it was not the entrance to the Swedish camp in Sinai.

After extensive investigations, the battalion photographer, with the help of others, eventually managed to establish that the photograph showed the entrance to Camp Hill 88 in Gaza. It turned out that the camera he had been issued from the equipment depot in Sweden had remained packed away since it had last been used by the battalion photographer of the Swedish battalion in Gaza in 1967. For seven years, a roll of film containing this particular photograph had been waiting to be developed.

The remarkable story also has another interesting dimension. Among those who helped the battalion photographer identify the location were several men now serving with Battalion 52M who had themselves served with the Swedish battalion in Gaza just over half a decade earlier. They included Dr Lagerholm from Ängelholm, Chaplain Hjalmarsson, Sergeant Gert-Inge Olsson and Sergeant Lundqvist, whose father, Lars, had been deputy battalion commander of the last Swedish battalion in Gaza, 31G.

UNEF and the Swedish battalion in Gaza were established in 1956 in connection with the Suez Crisis and were withdrawn in June 1967. Initially, the Swedish troops were stationed in the Suez area but were transferred to Gaza shortly afterwards. In total, Sweden filled 12,160 personnel positions within UNEF.

UNEF II was established following the war between Israel and a coalition of Arab forces led by Egypt and Syria in October 1973. The conflict is known by several names, including the October War, the Yom Kippur War and the Ramadan War, as it coincided with both the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Swedish force was formed from personnel belonging to Sweden's UN Standby Battalion, following the deployment of an advance party from the Swedish battalion in Cyprus. In total, Sweden filled 7,642 personnel positions within UNEF II.