The Kia-Ora Coo-ee.

A rare complete run of all ten issues of the Kia-Ora Coo-ee, the monthly magazine of the ANZAC forces during the final year of the First World War, together with an even rarer, nearly-complete, run of its associated weekly bulletin, the Kia Ora Coo-ee News. The art editor for the magazine was Warrant Officer David Barker, co-editor of The Anzac Book and illustrator of its cover.

The Kia-Ora Coo-ee was founded in Cairo as a not-for-profit publication to 'gather and dispense all interesting information concerning the different Units in Egypt, Palestine, Salonica and Mesopotamia... to present to those loved ones far away a reflection, however slight of the conditions and strange surroundings in which their sons live' and 'to preserve also for time incidents, strange, bizarre, pathetic and historical'. The title is a combination of the Māori-language greeting meaning to 'be well', and the indigenous Australian Dharug call used for communicating at a distance, both commonly adopted by British settlers (placement of the dashes varies throughout these volumes).

The magazine welcomed contributions from readers, and the contents comprise news from home and the front; profiles and notices of various personalities, not only military leaders and their families but ordinary enlisted men, medical professionals, philanthropists, and missionaries; comedic and sentimental poetry and songs; and travel writing, essays, and letters to the editor. It was heavily illustrated with cartoons and photographs, and the first issue provided instructions for submitting illustrations: 'Draw sketches in ink or lead pencil... put in as little detail as possible; outline is best. Be as funny as you can, but do not ridicule the enemy too bitterly. You might be captured with a copy of the magazine in your pocket'.

The supplemental bulletin, the Kia Ora Coo-ee News, was begun on August 6th, 1918 and issued weekly through December 24th, and this set includes nos. 3 and 5-18 (of 19 total). Unlike the magazine, the bulletin primarily contains short news items on both the war and other international issues, often reprinted from major newspapers. Of particular interest are reports on demobilisation, including education and jobs for returning soldiers, as well as the tracking of influenza cases as they appeared on ships bound for Australia.

Complete run of 10 monthly magazine issues; illustrations throughout, many from photographs, some toning and spotting to contents; wire-stitched, illustrated wrappers, some with single and double-colour printing, pencilled note to upper wrapper of the second and fifth issues, spotting and toning of wrappers, particularly the first issue, some wear and creasing at the edges, particularly the spines of the second and tenth issues, very good condition; various page counts. 15 (of 19) weekly bulletin issues; text and ads only; wire-stitched self-wraps, wrappers and contents tanned, spotted, and somewhat rubbed and worn at the edges, very good condition, 12pp each. Housed together in a blue cloth folding case.