This is unedited raw film footage, shot by Academy Award winning US Marine cinematographer Norman T. Hatch for a US newsreel that was never completed, provisionally titled 'Meet New Zealand'. Around 21,000 Marines were stationed in camps around the Wellington region from June 1942 until November 1943. Most of their time was spent training hard preparing for the war in the Southwest Pacific against the Japanese.
An advance expeditionary troop from the US Marines 3rd Division in a landing boat jet across the harbour and board one of the warships. The city of Auckland can be seen from the ship.
Scene cuts to a military brass band leading a parade of US soldiers.
Back on the warship a panoramic camera shot reveals the Auckland harbour headlands, another US transporter, and the docklands with the Auckland War Memorial Museum prominent in the background. A tugboat assists.
The parade continues from the docks to the train station. US soldiers are shown boarding the train then disembarking, where they then proceed to march in full kit to their camp. Relaxing on the ground and setting up their campsite.