The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War II

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War II PDF

Author: Wayne Stack

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-03-20

Total Pages: 49

ISBN-13: 178096112X

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In 1939 more than 140,000 New Zealanders enlisted to fight overseas during World War II. Of these, 104,000 served in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Initially thrown into the doomed campaign to halt the German blitzkrieg on Greece and Crete (1941), the division was rebuilt under the leadership of MajGen Sir Bernard Freyberg, and became the elite corps within Montgomery's Eighth Army in the desert. After playing a vital role in the victory at El Alamein (1942) the 'Kiwis' were the vanguard of the pursuit to Tunisia. In 1943–45 the division was heavily engaged in the Italian mountains, especially at Cassino (1944); it ended the war in Trieste. Meanwhile, a smaller NZ force supported US forces against the Japanese in the Solomons and New Guinea (1942–44). Fully illustrated with specially commissioned colour plates, this is the story of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force's vital contribution to Allied victory in World War II.

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I PDF

Author: Wayne Stack

Publisher: Osprey Publishing

Published: 2011-10-18

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781849085397

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Although comparatively small in number, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I (1914-1918) earned an elite reputation on the Western Front, and the New Zealanders' war effort was a defining moment in their national history and sense of identity. The statistics are astonishing: of the total population of New Zealand of 1 million, no fewer than 100,000 men enlisted - that is one in every five men in the country, and of those, 18,000 men were killed and 58,000 wounded. In other words, 15 per cent of the male population of New Zealand became casualties. The NZEF was first committed at Gallipoli in 1915, NZ cavalry regiments helped defend Egypt and fought in Palestine with Allenby's famous Desert Mounted Corps; on the Western Front the Kiwis were called the 'Silent Division' for their fieldcraft and their uncomplaining professionalism. This book is both a tribute and a history of the crucial contribution made by a small nation.

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War I PDF

Author: Wayne Stack

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2011-10-20

Total Pages: 49

ISBN-13: 1849085404

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The New Zealand Expeditionary Force earned an elite reputation on the Western Front In World War I, and the New Zealanders' war effort was a defining moment in their national history. The statistics are astonishing: of the total population of New Zealand of 1 million, no fewer than 100,000 men enlisted, and of those, 18,000 were killed and 58,000 wounded. In other words, 15 percent of the male population of New Zealand became casualties. Famously, the NZEF was first committed at Gallipoli in 1915, but NZ cavalry regiments also helped defend Egypt and fought in Palestine with Allenby's famous Desert Mounted Corps. On the Western Front the Kiwis were called the 'Silent Division' for their fieldcraft and their uncomplaining professionalism. This book is both a tribute and a history of the contribution made by a small nation.

Soldiers from the Pacific

Soldiers from the Pacific PDF

Author: Howard Weddell

Publisher:

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 9780473338305

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"During World War One over 1,000 men from Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Samoa and Norfolk Island volunteered to join the New Zealand Military Forces. Their service included Gallipoli, France, Egypt and Palestine. Despite the fact that 107 of these men died of disease or enemy action, 73 were wounded in action and three became prisoners of war, regrettably their story has yet to be told. They served New Zealand and this is their story"--Back cover.

The Australian Army in World War I

The Australian Army in World War I PDF

Author: Robert Fleming

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-06-20

Total Pages: 50

ISBN-13: 1849086338

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The importance of the Australian contribution to the Allied war effort during World War I should never be underestimated. Some 400,000 Australians volunteered for active duty, an astonishing 13 per cent of the entire (white) male population, a number so great that the Australian government was never forced to rely on conscription. Casualties were an astonishing 52 per cent of all those who served, ensuring that the effects of the war would be felt long after the armistice. In particular, their epic endeavour at Gallipoli in 1915 was the nation's founding legend, and the ANZACs went on to distinguish themselves both on the Western Front and in General Allenby's great cavalry campaign against the Turks in the Middle East. Their uniforms and insignia were also significantly different from those of the British Army and provide the basis for a unique set of artwork plates.

A Job to Do

A Job to Do PDF

Author: John Gordon

Publisher: Exisle Publishing

Published: 2014-10-01

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 1775591980

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What was it really like for the soldiers of 2 New Zealand Division in World War Two? How did they spend their time and how did they see their lives as servicemen, from training at home and sailing off to war, to setting up camp, relaxing off -duty, fighting in hostile environments and possibly being taken prisoner? This anthology is a personal selection of material describing the experiences of these men, almost all written from within its ranks. Colloquially known to its members as ‘The Div’, it was by far the major part of New Zealand’s Second Expeditionary Force, making it our main contribution to the war. Naturally it had a distinctly New Zealand character, and despite being caught in several difficult situations in its early years – and not necessarily of its own doing – it gained an international reputation for courage, reliability and achievement. In this book John Gordon presents a lively and illuminating selection of the published words of members of ‘The Div’ or those with close associations. The chosen extracts are drawn from memoirs, fiction, verse, news reports and magazine articles penned by soldiers of all ranks. The result is a compilation of the written views and experiences of over 80 insiders, creating an intimate glimpse of life and war within ‘The Div’, supported by a host of photographs and cartoons from the period. From the declaration of war to the return home, this is a sample of the experiences of well over 100,000 New Zealand men who served in the division: how they coped with discipline and disaster, sacrifice and success. They write with the same frankness, humour, wry cynicism and understatement that they used to cope with the challenges of their war.

Flies, Sand and Unwashed Socks

Flies, Sand and Unwashed Socks PDF

Author: Dick Harris

Publisher:

Published: 2017

Total Pages: 149

ISBN-13: 9780473410865

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Letters from WWII New Zealand Expeditionary Force 1940-1943 R.G. (Dick) Harris These letters are from Egypt, Greece, Syria, Libya, Tunisia, Italy: Dick Harris travelled huge distances in North Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe. For more than three years he lived with bombing from the air and shelling fro the ground. He manoeuvred guns and ammunition, lived in slit trenches and tents, talked with people from other cultures, and learned the skills of radio operation. He was a quiet gentle person who liked his own company, read widely, enjoyed writing and painting. World War II brought adventure, exploration, companionship, challenges, hardship and loss. It changed his life forever. This is his story, told in his own words, and the story of many New Zealanders who set out to defeat tyranny and make the world a better place.

Fifth Army in Italy, 1943–1945

Fifth Army in Italy, 1943–1945 PDF

Author: Ian Blackwell

Publisher: Casemate Publishers

Published: 2014-01-19

Total Pages: 476

ISBN-13: 1783032448

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A history of the Allied coalition in Italy during World War II. The US Fifth Army first saw action during the Salerno Landings in September 1943. While commanded by US Lieutenant General Mark Clark, from the outset one of its two Corps was the X (British) Corps; the other V1 (US) Corps. The multi-national composition of Fifth Army is demonstrated by the French Expeditionary Corps, the Brazilian Expeditionary Force, the South African Armoured Division, the Italian Co-Belligerent forces, formations from the New Zealand Corps and the 4th Indian Division. Clark’s Fifth Army was itself part of the Fifteenth Army Group, commanded by Field Marshal Alexander. Alexander’s light and diplomatic touch oiled the wheels of this uneasy arrangement but inevitably there were tensions and disagreements that threatened success. The low priority accorded to Italy as compared with OVERLORD and NW Europe did not help matters. Seen as a backwater, crack units were taken away and insufficient resources allocated to the Italian Campaign. This combined with the tenacity of the Germans, the difficult terrain and the harsh climate caused real problems. Allied morale was at times particularly brittle and desertion rates worryingly high. This superbly researched book objectively examines the performance of Fifth Army against this complex and troublesome backdrop. The author’s findings make for authoritative and fascinating reading and give food for thought about multinational cooperation in more recent conflicts.