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Story: Gambling

Soldiers playing two-up, around 1941

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Soldiers playing two-up, around 1941

This drawing by New Zealand war artist Peter McIntyre shows Kiwi soldiers playing two-up in North Africa during the Second World War. Although such games were against regulations, officers usually turned a blind eye to gambling activities because they aided morale.

Using this item

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAAC 898 NCWA 328

by Peter McIntyre

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

David Grant, Gambling – Cards and games, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/39431/soldiers-playing-two-up-around-1941 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by David Grant, published 3 December 2012.