The military history of New Zealand during
World War II began when New Zealand entered
the Second World War by declaring war on Nazi
Germany with Great Britain. The state of war
with Germany was officially held to have existed
since 9:30 pm on 3 September 1939 (local time),
simultaneous with that of Britain, but in
fact the declaration of war was not made until
confirmation had been received from Britain
that their ultimatum to Germany had expired.
The group (led by Peter Fraser as Prime Minister
Michael Savage was terminally ill) listened
to the shortwave radio in Carl Berendsen's
room in Parliament Buildings but were not
certain what Neville Chamberlain had said
because of static on the short-wave radio,
and a coded telegraph message from London
did not arrive until just before midnight
as the messenger boy with the telegram in
London took shelter because of a (false) air-raid
warning. The Cabinet acted after hearing the
Admiralty's notification to the fleet that
war had broken out. The next day Cabinet approved
nearly 30 war regulations as laid down in
the War Book, and after completing the formalities
with the Executive Council the Governor-General,
Lord Galway, issued the Proclamation of War,
backdated to 9.30 pm on 3 September.Diplomatically,
New Zealand had expressed vocal opposition
to fascism in Europe and also to the appeasement
of Fascist dictatorships, and national sentiment
for a strong show of force met with general
support. Economic and defensive considerations
also motivated the New Zealand involvement—reliance
on Britain meant that threats to Britain became
threats to New Zealand too in terms of economic
and defensive ties.
There was also a strong sentimental link between
the former British colony and the United Kingdom,
with many seeing Britain as the "mother country"
or "Home". The New Zealand Prime Minister
of the time Michael Joseph Savage summed this
up at the outbreak of war with a broadcast
on 5 September (largely written by the Solicitor-General
Henry Cornish) that became a popular cry in
New Zealand during the war:
It is with gratitude in the past, and with
confidence in the future, that we range ourselves
without fear beside Britain, where she goes,
we go! Where she stands, we stand!
New Zealand provided personnel for service
in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and in the Royal
Navy and was prepared to have New Zealanders
serving under British command. Royal New Zealand
Air Force (RNZAF) pilots, many trained in
the Empire Air Training Scheme, were sent
to Europe. But unlike the other Dominions,
New Zealand did not insist on its aircrews
serving with RNZAF squadrons, so speeding
up the rate at which they entered service.
And the Long Range Desert Group was formed
in North Africa in 1940 with New Zealand and
Rhodesian as well as British volunteers, but
included no Australians for the same reason.
The New Zealand government placed the New
Zealand Division of the Royal Navy at the
Admiralty's disposal and made available to
the RAF 30 new Wellington medium bombers waiting
in the United Kingdom for shipping to New
Zealand. The New Zealand Army contributed
the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF).
== Home front ==
In total, around 140,000 New Zealand personnel
served overseas for the Allied war effort,
and an additional 100,000 men were armed for
Home Guard duty. At its peak in July 1942,
New Zealand had 154,549 men and women under
arms (excluding the Home Guard) and by the
war's end a total of 194,000 men and 10,000
women had served in the armed forces at home
and overseas.Conscription was introduced in
June 1940, and volunteering for Army service
ceased from 22 July 1940, although entry to
the Air Force and Navy remained voluntary.
Difficulties in filling the Second and Third
Echelons for overseas service in 1939-40,
the Allied disasters of May 1940 and public
demand led to its introduction. Four members
of the cabinet including Prime Minister Peter
Fraser had been imprisoned for anti-conscription
activities in World War I, the Labour Party
was traditionally opposed to it, and some
members still demanded conscription of wealth
before men. From January 1942, workers could
be manpowered or directed to essential industries.Access
to imports was hampered and rationing made
doing some things very difficult. Fuel and
rubber shortages were overcome with novel
approaches. In New Zealand, industry switched
from civilian needs to making war materials
on a much larger scale than is commonly understood
today. New Zealand and Australia supplied
the bulk of foodstuffs to American forces
in the South Pacific, as Reverse Lend-Lease.
With earlier commitments to supply food to
Britain this led to both Britain and America
(MacArthur) complaining about food going to
the other ally (and Britain commenting on
the much more generous ration allocations
for American soldiers; General Marshall admitted
that the meat ration was too large, but he
was not going to challenge the ration set
by Congress). By 1943 there was a manpower
crisis, and eventually the withdrawal of the
Third Division from the Pacific.In winter
1944 the government hastened work on docks
and repair facilities at Auckland and Wellington
following a British request, to supplement
the bases and repair yards in Australia needed
for the British Pacific Fleet.
== Land forces ==
=== Greek campaign ===
The New Zealand authorities deployed the 2nd
New Zealand Expeditionary Force for combat
in three echelons — all originally destined
for Egypt, but one diverted to Scotland (it
would arrive there in June 1940) following
the German invasion of France. In April 1941,
after a period training in Egypt, 2NZEF's
New Zealand 2nd Division, stationed in Egypt,
deployed to take part in the defence of Greece
against invasion by Italian troops, and soon
German forces too when they joined the invasion.
This defence was mounted alongside British
and Australian units - the corps-size Commonwealth
contingent under the command of British General
Henry Maitland Wilson known together as W
Force, supported a weakened Greek Army.
As German panzers began a swift advance into
Greece on 6 April, the British and Commonwealth
troops found themselves being outflanked and
were forced into retreat. By 9 April, Greece
had been forced to surrender and the 40,000
W Force troops began a withdrawal from the
country to Crete and Egypt, the last New Zealand
troops leaving by 29 April.
During this brief campaign, the New Zealanders
lost 261 men killed, 1,856 captured and 387
wounded.
=== Crete ===
Two of the three brigades of the New Zealand
2nd Division had evacuated to Crete from Greece
(the third and division headquarters went
to Alexandria). New Zealanders bolstered the
Crete garrison to a total of 34,000 British
and Commonwealth soldiers (25,000 evacuated
from Greece) alongside 9,000 Greek troops
(see Crete order of battle for more detail).
Evacuated to Crete on 28 April (having disregarded
an order to leave on 23 April), the New Zealand
General Freyberg became commander of the Allied
forces on Crete on the 30th. Ultra intercepts
of German signals had already alerted Allied
commanders to the German plans to invade Crete
with Fallschirmjäger (Luftwaffe paratroopers).
With this knowledge, General Freyberg began
to prepare the island's defences, hampered
by a lack of modern and heavy equipment, as
the troops from Greece had in most cases had
to leave only with their personal weapons.
Although German plans had underestimated Greek,
British and Commonwealth numbers, and incorrectly
presumed that the Cretan population would
welcome the invasion, Freyberg was still faced
with the harsh prospect that even lightly
equipped paratroopers could overwhelm the
island's defences.
Operation Mercury opened on 20 May when the
German Luftwaffe delivered Fallschirmjäger
around the airfield at Maleme and the Chania
area, at around 8:15 pm, by paradrop and gliders.
Most of the New Zealand forces were deployed
around this north-western part of the island
and with British and Greek troops they inflicted
heavy casualties upon the initial German attacks.
Despite near complete defeat for their landing
troops east of the airfield and in the Galatas
region, the Germans were able to gain a foothold
by mid-morning west of Maleme Airfield (5
Brigade's area) - along the Tavronitis riverbed
and in the Ayia Valley to the east (10 Brigade's
area - dubbed 'Prison Valley').
==== Maleme ====
Over the course of the morning, the 600-strong
New Zealand 22 Battalion defending Maleme
Airfield found its situation rapidly worsening.
The battalion had lost telephone contact with
the brigade headquarters; the battalion headquarters
(in Pirgos) had lost contact with C and D
Companies, stationed on the airstrip and along
the Tavronitis-side of Hill 107 (see map)
respectively and the battalion commander,
Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie Andrew (VC) had
no idea of the enemy paratrooper strength
to his west, as his observation posts lacked
wireless sets. While a platoon of C Company
situated northwest of the airfield, nearest
the sea, was able to repel German attacks
along the beach, attacks across the Tavronitis
bridge by Fallschirmjäger were able to overwhelm
weaker positions and take the Royal Air Force
camp. Not knowing whether C and D Companies
had been overrun, and with German mortars
firing from the riverbed, Colonel Andrew (with
unreliable wireless contact) ordered the firing
of white and green signals - the designated
emergency signal for 23 Battalion (to the
south-east of Pirgos), under the command of
Colonel Leckie, to counterattack. The signal
was not spotted, and further attempts were
made to get the message through to no avail.
At 5:00 pm, contact was made with Brigadier
James Hargest at the New Zealand 2nd Division
headquarters, but Hargest responded that 23
Battalion was fighting paratroopers in its
own area, an untrue and unverified assertion.
Faced with a seemingly desperate situation,
Colonel Andrew played his trump card — two
Matilda tanks, which he ordered to counterattack
with the reserve infantry platoon and some
additional gunners turned infantrymen. The
counterattack failed — one tank had to turn
back after suffering technical problems (the
turret would not traverse properly) and the
second ignored the German positions in the
RAF camp and the edge of the airfield, heading
straight for the riverbed. This lone tank
stranded itself quickly on a boulder, and
faced with the same technical difficulties
as the first Matilda, the crew abandoned the
vehicle. The exposed infantry were repelled
by the Fallschirmjäger. At around 6:00 pm,
the failure was reported to Brigadier Hargest
and the prospect of a withdrawal was raised.
Colonel Andrew was informed that he could
withdraw if he wished, with the famous reply
"Well, if you must, you must," but that two
companies (A Company, 23 Battalion and B Company,
28 (Māori) Battalion) were being sent to
reinforce 22 Battalion. To Colonel Andrew,
the situation seemed bleak; ammunition was
running low, the promised reinforcements seemed
not to be forthcoming (one got lost, the other
simply did not arrive as quickly as expected)
and he still had no idea how C and D companies
were. The two companies in question were in
fact resisting strongly on the airfield and
above the Tavronitis riverbed and had inflicted
far greater losses on the Germans than they
had suffered. At 9:00 pm, Andrew made the
decision to make a limited withdrawal, and
once that had been carried out, a full one
to the 21 and 23 Battalion positions to the
east. By midnight, all of 22 Battalion had
left the Maleme area, with the exception of
C and D Companies which withdrew in the early
morning of the 21st upon discovering that
the rest of the battalion had gone.
This allowed German troops to seize the airfield
proper without opposition and take nearby
positions to reinforce their hold on it. Junkers
Ju 52 transport aircraft flew in ammunition
and supplies, as well as the rest of the Fallschirmjäger
and troops of the 5th Mountain Division. Although
the landings were extremely hazardous, with
the airstrip under direct British artillery
fire, substantial reinforcement was made.
On 21 May, the village of Maleme was attacked
and captured, and a counterattack was made
by the 20 Battalion (with reinforcements from
the Australian 2/7 Battalion), 28 (Māori)
Battalion and later 21 Battalion. The attack
was hampered by communications problems and
although the New Zealanders made significant
advances in some areas, the overall picture
was one of stiff German resistance. 5 Brigade
fell back to a new line at Platanias, leaving
Maleme securely in German hands, allowing
them to freely build up their force in this
region.
==== Galatas ====
On the night of 23 May and the morning of
24 May, 5 Brigade withdrew again to the area
near Daratsos, forming a new front line running
from Galatas to the sea. The relatively fresh
18 Battalion replaced the worn troops from
Maleme and Platanias, deploying 400 men on
a two kilometre front.
Galatas had come under attack on the first
day of the battle — Fallschirmjäger and
gliders had landed around Chania and Galatas,
to suffer extremely heavy casualties. They
retreated to "Prison Valley," where they rallied
around Ayia Prison and repulsed a confused
counterattack by two companies of 19 Battalion
and three light tanks. Pink Hill (so named
for the colour of its soil), a crucial point
on the Galatas heights, was attacked several
times by the Germans that day, and was remarkably
held by the Division Petrol Company, with
the aid of Greek soldiers, though at a heavy
cost to both sides. The Petrol Company comprised
poorly armed support troops, primarily drivers
and technicians, and by the day's end all
their officers and most of their non-commissioned
officers had been wounded. They withdrew around
dusk. On the second day, the New Zealanders
attacked nearby Cemetery Hill to take pressure
off their line, and although they had to withdraw,
for it was too exposed, the hill became a
no man's land as Pink Hill was, relieving
the New Zealand front. Day three, 22 May,
saw German soldiers take Pink Hill. The Petrol
Company and some infantry reserve prepared
a counterattack, but a notable incident pre-empted
them - as told by Driver A. Pope:
Out of the trees came [Captain] Forrester
of the Buffs, clad in shorts, a long yellow
army jersey reaching down almost to the bottom
of the shorts, brass polished and gleaming,
web belt in place and waving his revolver
in his right hand [...] It was a most inspiring
sight. Forrester was at the head of a crowd
of disorderly Greeks, including women; one
Greek had a shot gun with a serrated-edge
bread knife tied on like a bayonet, others
had ancient weapons—all sorts. Without hesitation
this uncouth group, with Forrester right out
in front, went over the top of a parapet and
headlong at the crest of the hill. The [Germans]
fled.
Days four and five featured only skirmishes
between the two forces. Luftwaffe air raids
targeted Galatas on 25 May at 8:00 am, 12:45
pm and 1:15 pm, and the German ground attack
came at around 2:00 pm. 100 Mountain and 3
Parachute Regiment attacked Galatas and the
high ground around it, while two battalions
of 85 Mountain Regiment attacked eastwards,
with the aim of cutting Chania off. The New
Zealand defenders, though prepared, suffered
from a disadvantage: 18 Battalion, 400 men,
was the only fresh infantry formation on the
line — the rest were non-infantry groups
like the Petrol Company and the Composite
Battalion, consisting of mechanical, supply
and artillery troops. The fighting was fierce,
especially along the north of the line, and
platoons and companies were forced to retreat.
Brigadier Lindsay Inglis called for reinforcement
and received 23 Battalion, which, along with
an improvised group of reinforcements scraped
together at Brigade headquarters (including
the brigade band and the Kiwi Concert Party),
stabilised the north of the line. South of
Galatas, only 18 Battalion and the Petrol
Company were defending - 18 Battalion was
forced to withdraw, and the Petrol Company
on Pink Hill followed suit after eventually
becoming aware of this. 19 Battalion was the
only formation still in combat on Pink Hill,
and they too withdrew. These forces withdrew
past Galatas, as no defenders were in the
village to link up with.
By nightfall, German troops had occupied Galatas,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Howard Kippenberger
prepared a counterattack. Two tanks led two
companies of 23 Battalion into Galatas at
a running pace - heavy fire was encountered
and as the tanks went ahead towards the town
square, the infantry cleared each house of
German soldiers as they worked inward. When
the infantry caught up with the tanks, they
found one out of action. With German fire
coming primarily from one side of the square,
a bayonet charge was mounted and the New Zealanders
cleared the German opposition. Patrols quelled
resistance elsewhere in Galatas - apart from
one small strongpoint, Galatas was back in
New Zealand hands.
A conference between Brigadier Inglis and
his commanders reached the consensus that
Allied forces needed to make a further counterattack
urgently — and that without a counterattack
Crete would fall to the Germans. Despite hard
fighting so far in the battle, the 28 (Māori)
Battalion was considered to be the only "fresh"
battalion available and the only one capable
of carrying out such an attack. Their commander
was willing to mount the attack despite the
difficulty, but a representative sent from
Brigadier Edward Puttick at New Zealand 2nd
Division headquarters recommended against
such an attack for fear of being unable to
hold the line subsequently. The counter-attack
was scrapped, and so too was Galatas, its
position being far too vulnerable to hold.
However, without Galatas the whole line was
untenable and so the New Zealanders again
retreated, forming a line from the coast to
Perivolia and Mournies, near the Australian
19th Brigade.
=== North Africa ===
While New Zealand soldiers formed the majority
of the personnel of the Long Range Desert
Group when it was formed in 1940, and a small
number of New Zealand transport and signals
units supported Operation Compass in the Western
Desert in December 1940, it was not until
November 1941 that the 2nd New Zealand Division
became fully involved in the North African
Campaign. Following its evacuation from Crete,
the division regrouped at its camp near Maadi,
at the base of the desert slopes of Wadi Digla
and Tel al-Maadi. Reinforcements arrived from
New Zealand to bring the division back up
to strength and the training, cut short by
the deployment to Greece and Crete, was completed.
On 18 November 1941, Operation Crusader was
launched to lift the Siege of Tobruk (the
third such attack), under the command of Lieutenant-General
Alan Cunningham and the 2nd New Zealand Division
(integrated into the British Eighth Army)
took part in the offensive, crossing the Libyan
frontier into Cyrenaica. Operation Crusader
was an overall success for the British, although
Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps inflicted heavy
armour and infantry losses before its weakened
and under-supplied units retreated to El Agheila
and halted the British advance. The New Zealand
troops were the ones to relieve Tobruk after
fighting around Sidi Rezegh, where Axis tanks
had inflicted heavy casualties against the
several New Zealand infantry battalions, protected
by very little of their own armour. In February
1942, with Crusader completed, the New Zealand
government insisted that the division be withdrawn
to Syria to recover – 879 men were killed
and 1,700 wounded during the operation, the
most costly battle the 2nd New Zealand Division
fought in the Second World War.
On 14 June 1942, the generals recalled the
New Zealanders from their occupation duties
in Syria, as the Afrika Korps had broken through
Gazala and captured Tobruk. The New Zealanders,
put on the defence, found themselves encircled
at Minqar Qa'im, but escaped thanks to brutally
efficient hand-to-hand fighting by 4 Brigade.
The British forces prevented Rommel's advance
from reaching Alexandria, Cairo and the Suez
Canal in the First Battle of El Alamein, where
New Zealand troops captured Ruweisat Ridge
in a successful night attack. However, they
were unable to bring their anti-tank weapons
forward, and more importantly, British armour
did not move forward to support the soldiers.
Heavy casualties were suffered by the two
New Zealand brigades involved, as they were
attacking by German tanks, and several thousand
men were taken prisoner. Charles Upham earned
a bar for his Victoria Cross in this battle.
With the Eighth Army now under the new command
of Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery,
the Army launched a new offensive on 23 October
against the stalled Axis forces in the Second
Battle of El Alamein. On the first night,
as part of Operation Lightfoot, the New Zealand
2nd Division, with British divisions, moved
through the deep Axis minefields while engineers
cleared routes for British tanks to follow.
The New Zealanders successfully captured their
objectives on Miteiriya Ridge. By 2 November,
with the attack bogged down, Montgomery launched
a new initiative to the south of the battle
lines, Operation Supercharge, with the ultimate
goal of destroying the Axis army. The experienced
2nd New Zealand Division was called on to
carry out the initial thrust - the same sort
of attack they had made in Lightfoot. As the
under-strength division could not achieve
this mission alone, two British brigades were
attached. The German line was breached by
British armour and, on 4 November, the Afrika
Korps, faced with the prospect of complete
defeat, skillfully withdrew.
The New Zealanders continued to advance with
the Eighth Army through the Tunisia Campaign,
driving the Afrika Korps back into Tunisia,
and notably fought at Medenine, the Tebaga
Gap and Enfidaville. On 13 May 1943, the North
African campaign ended with the surrender
of the last 275,000 Axis troops in Tunisia.
On 15 May, the division began a withdrawal
back to Egypt and, by 1 June, the division
had returned to Maadi and Helwan, on standby
for use in Europe. Total losses for the 2nd
New Zealand Division since November 1941 stood
at 2,989 killed, 7,000 wounded and 4,041 taken
prisoner.
=== Italy ===
During October and November 1943, New Zealand
troops from the 2nd New Zealand Division assembled
in Bari in Apulia, weeks after the Allied
invasion of Italy. In November, the division
crossed the Sangro River with a view to breaching
the German Gustav Line and advancing to Rome,
capturing the village of Castelfrentano in
the Abruzzo (part of the Gustav Line) on 2
December. The division attacked Orsogna on
the next day, but was repulsed by the strong
German defence. In January 1944, the 2nd New
Zealand was withdrawn from the stalled front
line and transferred to the Cassino sector,
where other Allied troops were bogged down
in costly fighting for the position of Monte
Cassino. On 17 February, the division attacked
Cassino but it was strongly defended and they
withdrew in early April. Cassino was eventually
captured on 18 May by British and Polish troops,
with the support of New Zealand artillery
units. On 16 July, the division captured Arezzo
and reached Florence on 4 August. By the end
of October they had reached the Savio River,
and Faenza was captured on 14 December. In
Operation Grapeshot, the final Allied offensive
in Italy, the division crossed the Senio River
on 8 April 1945, then began their final push
across the Santerno and Gaiana Rivers, finally
crossing the Po River on Anzac Day 1945. The
division captured Padua on 28 April 1945,
crossed the Isonzo River on 1 May, and reached
Trieste on 2 May, the day of the German unconditional
surrender.
=== Campaigns in the Pacific ===
When Japan entered the war in December 1941,
the New Zealand Government raised another
expeditionary force, known as the 2nd N.Z.E.F.
In the Pacific, or 2nd N.Z.E.F. (I.P.), for
service with the Allied Pacific Ocean Areas
command. This force supplemented existing
garrison troops in the South Pacific. The
main fighting formation of the 2nd N.Z.E.F.
(I.P.) comprised the New Zealand 3rd Division.
However, the 3rd Division never fought as
a complete formation; its component brigades
became involved in semi-independent actions
as part of the Allied forces in the Solomons
at Vella Lavella), Treasury Islands and Green
Island. The War Cabinet had held the division
at two rather than three brigades, and this
limited its use, although MacArthur had a
role for a full division; Halsey was "greatly
disappointed that New Zealand could not furnish
a division with three full brigades" but his
deputy accepted that the division was last
in New Zealand's Pacific priorities, after
the air force, navy and food production. Preference
was given to the Second Division, on the advice
of Churchill and Roosevelt. However New Zealand
also had 19,000 troops in New Caledonia, Tonga,
Norfolk Island and Fiji in 1943; and the 3000
Air Force personnel would rise to 6000 when
more planes were available. In Australia the
reaction of Curtin (but not Evatt) to the
withdrawal of the Third Division was hostile.Eventually,
American formations replaced the New Zealand
army units in the Pacific, which released
personnel for service with the 2nd Division
in Italy, or to cover shortages in the civilian
labour-force. New Zealand Air Force squadrons
and Navy units continued to contribute to
the Allied island-hopping campaign, with several
RNZAF squadrons supporting Australian ground
troops on Bougainville.German and Japanese
surface raiders and submarines operated in
New Zealand waters on several occasions in
1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1945, sinking a
total of four ships while Japanese reconnaissance
aircraft flew over Auckland and Wellington
preparing for a projected Japanese invasion
of New Zealand.
In 1945 Peter Fraser wanted to contribute
to a Commonwealth force against Japan, including
an army contribution of at least two brigade
groups as "from previous experience small
units are given the harder jobs or are not
properly supported". But during the Hamilton
by-election, 1945, National had campaigned
on withdrawing New Zealand troops from Italy
and restricting New Zealand's role in the
Pacific War to food supply, though Labour
wanted to keep New Zealand troops in the Pacific
to "have a say" in the peace. So Fraser met
the Opposition leaders Sidney Holland and
Adam Hamilton before the Dunedin North by-election,
1945, noting the divisions in his own caucus.
Holland agreed with Fraser not to refer to
the matter (which was agitating the whole
country) during the by-election campaign,
saying it would not be right to divide the
House on this. In a (non-broadcast) semi-secret
section on 2 August the House agreed to participate
in a force against Japan "within the capacity
of our remaining resources of manpower". And
National's proposal to reduce the total armed
forces to 55,000 was accepted.The Commonwealth
Corps, planned to participate in Operation
Downfall, the Allied invasion of Japan, would
have included New Zealand Army and Air Force
units, with Air Force units included in Tiger
Force to bomb Japan.
In 1945, some troops who had recently returned
from Europe with the 2nd Division, got drafted
to form a contribution (known as J-Force)
toward the British Commonwealth Occupation
Force (BCOF) in southern Japan. No. 14 Squadron
RNZAF, equipped with Corsair fighters, and
RNZN ships also joined BCOF.
== Naval actions ==
At the outbreak of war in 1939, New Zealand
still contributed to the New Zealand Division
of the Royal Navy. Many New Zealanders served
alongside other Commonwealth sailors in vessels
of the Royal Navy and would continue to do
so throughout the war.
=== The Kriegsmarine and the Regia Marina
===
HMNZS Achilles took part in the Battle of
the River Plate (13 December 1939) as part
of a small British force against the German
pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. The action
resulted in the German ship retiring to neutral
Uruguay and its scuttling a few days later.
Another RNZN cruiser, HMNZS Leander, destroyed
the Italian "auxiliary cruiser" Ramb I off
the Maldives on 27 February 1941.
The New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy
became the Royal New Zealand Navy when King
George VI granted it the name on 1 October
1941.
=== The naval war against Japan ===
On 13 December 1939, New Zealand deployed
its naval forces against Germany and Italy.
The first vessel into action against Japan,
the minesweeper HMNZS Gale, steamed forward
to Fiji, arriving on Christmas Day, 1941.
HMNZS Rata and Muritai arrived in January
1942, followed by the corvettes HMNZS Moa,
Kiwi and Tui, to form a minesweeping flotilla.
The Achilles, Leander, and Monowai initially
served as troop-convoy escorts in the Pacific
in early 1942. In January 1942, Monowai inconclusively
engaged a Japanese submarine off Fiji. On
4 January 1943, a Japanese bomber destroyed
the aft gun-house of Achilles off Guadalcanal.
In January 1943, a morale-boosting episode
occurred: the duel Kiwi and Moa fought with
the much larger Japanese submarine I-1. Unable
to pierce the I-1, the Kiwi rammed her three
times, destroying her ability to dive. Moa
then hounded I-1 onto a reef, where she broke
up.
In April 1943, an aerial attack sunk the Moa
in Tulagi Harbour in the Solomons. The Tui
participated in the sinking of the 2,200-ton
Japanese submarine I–17 before joining the
Kiwi in redeploying to New Guinea, while the
corvette Arabis went to the Ellice Islands.
The Leander helped sink the Japanese cruiser
Jintsu in the Battle of Kolombangara on the
night of 11–12 July 1943. Holed by a Japanese
torpedo during the engagement, the Leander
withdrew to Auckland for repairs.
Twelve New Zealand built Fairmile launches
of the 80th and 81st Motor Launch Flotillas
went forward in early 1944.
The cruiser HMS Gambia bombarded Sabang (in
Sumatra) in July 1944, and with the recommissioned
Achilles joined the British Pacific Fleet,
later re-inforced by the corvette Arbutus.
The Fleet detached Achilles to tow the damaged
destroyer Ulster to the New Zealand Hospital
Ship Maunganui in the Philippines (where the
was at that time stationed). Both Gambia and
Achilles bombarded Japanese positions in the
Sakishima Group in May 1945. They were supported
by 100 New Zealanders in the Fleet Air Arm
operating from British carriers. The Achilles
left the fleet for Manus Island on 10 August.
Gambia was off Tokyo on VJ day, and was attacked
by a Japanese plane while flying the “Cease
hostilities” signal - with assistance from
surrounding ships, Gambia shot down the aircraft
but was hit by the debris.
The Gambia represented New Zealand at the
surrender ceremonies in Tokyo Bay (2 September
1945), and stayed as part of the occupation
force. Air Vice-Marshal Isitt signed the surrender
document on behalf of New Zealand, see photo.
By the end of the war the RNZN had 60 vessels,
most of them light craft.
== Royal New Zealand Air Force in World War
II ==
=== European theatre ===
On the outbreak of World War II the RNZAF
had as its primary equipment 30 Vickers Wellington
bombers, which the New Zealand government
offered to the United Kingdom in August 1939,
together with the crews to fly them.
Many other New Zealanders also served in the
RAF. As New Zealand did not require its personnel
to serve with RNZAF squadrons, the rate at
which they entered service was faster than
for other Dominions. About 100 RNZAF pilots
had been sent to Europe by the time the Battle
of Britain started, and several had a notable
role in it.
The RNZAF's primary role took advantage of
New Zealand's distance from the conflict by
training aircrew as part of the Empire Air
Training Scheme, alongside the other major
former British colonies, Canada, Australia,
and South Africa. Many New Zealanders did
their advanced training in Canada. Local enterprises
manufactured or assembled large numbers of
De Havilland Tiger Moth, Airspeed Oxford and
North American Harvard training aircraft,
and the RNZAF also acquired second-hand biplanes
such as Hawker Hinds and Vickers Vincents,
as well as other types for specialised training
such as Avro Ansons and Supermarine Walruses.
Only when German surface-raiders became active
did the military authorities realise the need
for a combat force in New Zealand in addition
to the trainers.
==== New Zealand Squadrons of the RAF ====
Once trained, the majority of RNZAF aircrew
served with ordinary units of the RAF or of
the Fleet Air Arm. As in World War I, they
served in all theatres. At least 78 became
aces. New Zealanders in the RNZAF and RAF
included pilots such as the first RAF ace
of WW2, Flying Officer Cobber Kain, Alan Deere,
whose Nine Lives was one of the first post
war accounts of combat, and leaders such as
World War I ace, Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith
Park, who commanded 11 Group, responsible
for the defence of London in the Battle of
Britain, the air defence of Malta and in the
closing stages of the war, the RAF in South
East Asia. Through accident or design, several
RAF units came to be mostly manned by RNZAF
pilots (for example No. 243 Squadron RAF in
Singapore, No. 258 Squadron RAF in the UK
and several Wildcat and Hellcat units of the
FAA - leading some texts to claim these types
of aircraft were used by the RNZAF).
The Royal Air Force deliberately set aside
certain squadrons for pilots from particular
countries. The first of these, 75 Squadron,
comprised the Wellingtons and pilots lent
by New Zealand in August 1939, which later
flew Short Stirlings, Avro Lancasters and
Avro Lincolns. Other New Zealand squadrons
within the RAF included 485, which flew Supermarine
Spitfires throughout the war, 486 (Hawker
Hurricanes, Hawker Typhoons and Hawker Tempests),
487 (Lockheed Venturas and De Havilland Mosquitoes),
488 (Brewster Buffaloes, Hurricanes, Bristol
Beaufighters and De Havilland Mosquitoes),
489 (Bristol Blenheims, Bristol Beauforts,
Handley Page Hampdens, Beaufighters, and Mosquitoes),
and 490 (Consolidated Catalinas and Short
Sunderlands).
=== RNZAF in the Pacific ===
The presence of German raiders led to the
formation of New Zealand-based air-combat
units — initially using re-armed types like
the Vildebeest, and hurriedly converting impressed
airliners such as the DH86 to carry bombs.
RNZAF obtained Lockheed Hudsons early in 1941
to take over this role. 5 Squadron with Vickers
Vincents and Short Singapores was sent to
Fiji to protect that colony.
In December 1941, Japan attacked and rapidly
conquered much of the area to the north of
New Zealand. New Zealand had perforce to look
to her own defence as well as help the "mother
country". Trainers in New Zealand such as
the North American Harvard, Hawker Hind and
even the de Havilland Tiger Moth were camouflaged
and armed. Hudsons moved forward, while 5
Squadron in Fiji, commenced operations against
the Japanese despite its obsolete equipment.
The Imperial Japanese Navy demonstrated the
vulnerability of New Zealand when submarine-launched
Japanese float-planes overflew Wellington
and Auckland in 1942. In March a Glen floatplane
from I-25 overflew Wellington on 8 March and
Auckland on 13 March, then Suva, Fiji on 17
March. The submarine was not seen by the Wellington-Nelson
ferry when navigating Cook Strait on the surface
on a full-moon night. In May a floatplane
from I-21 overflew Suva on 19 May and then
Auckland on 24 May. Lost in heavy fog the
pilot (Matsumora) was helped by airport staff
who heard a plane apparently in trouble and
turned on the runway lights so allowing the
pilot to find his bearings. During one March
or May 1942 overflight a Tiger Moth apparently
gave chase ineffectually.)
As few combat-capable aircraft were available
at home, and Britain was unable to help, New
Zealand benefited from the British-United
States lend-lease agreement. Gradually, America
supplied New Zealand with aircraft for use
in the Pacific Theatre. The early lend-lease
aircraft were obsolescent models like the
Brewster Buffalo which were no match for the
skilled and well-equipped Japanese pilots,
although the Brewster was successfully used
by Geoffrey Fisken the top New Zealand and
Commonwealth ace in the Pacific.
From mid-1943 at Guadalcanal, starting with
No 15 and No 14 squadrons, several Kittyhawks
units fought with distinction. Several RNZAF
pilots became aces against the Japanese, including
Geoff Fisken, the Commonwealth's leading ace
in the Pacific war. Other squadrons flew the
elderly but effective Douglas Dauntless and
later the big, modern Grumman Avenger torpedo-bomber.
The RNZAF took on a major part of the maritime
reconnaissance task too, with Catalina (and
later Sunderland) flying-boats and Hudson
bombers.
The role of the RNZAF changed as the allies
moved off the defensive. The Americans, prominent
amongst the Allied nations in the Pacific,
planned to bypass major Japanese strongholds,
but instead to capture a handful of island
bases to provide a supply-chain for an eventual
attack on Japan itself (see island hopping).
The Allied advance started from the South
Pacific. The RNZAF became part of the force
tasked with securing the line of advance by
incapacitating the bypassed Japanese strongholds.
As the war progressed, more powerful modern
aircraft replaced the older types; Kittyhawks
gave way to Corsairs and Hudsons to Venturas.
At its peak in the Pacific, the RNZAF had
13 squadrons of Corsair fighters, six of Venturas,
two each of Catalinas, Avengers and C-47 Dakotas,
one using Dauntless dive bombers, mixed transport
and communications squadrons, a flight of
Short Sunderlands and nearly 1,000 training
machines. By 1945, the RNZAF had over 41,000
personnel, including just over 10,000 aircrew
who served with the RAF in Europe and Africa.
== Intelligence ==
New Zealand had a "Combined Intelligence Centre"
in Wellington. In 1942 papers from the centre
to the C-in-C, Eastern Fleet in Colombo and
the RN signals intelligence at Anderson outside
Colombo were captured on the Australian steamer
Nankin when she was intercepted in the Indian
Ocean by the German raider Thor.In the 1930s
the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy
established a chain of radio direction finding
(D/F) stations from Awarua in the far south,
Musick Point near Auckland, Waipapakauri in
the far north and Suva, Fiji. There were radio
intercept stations at Awarua, Suva, Nairnville
in Khandallah near Wellington, and from 1943
HMNZS Irirangi at Waiouru. Transmissions were
sent to the Far East Combined Bureau via the
Navy Office in Wellington.New Zealand’s
network of radio intercept and D/F stations
sent its material to Central Bureau in Brisbane
despite its main area of responsibility being
outside the SWPA. The network was supplemented
in 1943 by a Radio Finger-Printing (RFP) organisation
"manned" by local WRENS. These were valuable
for identifying Japanese submarines, and RFP
alerted the minesweepers HMNZS Kiwi and HMNZS
Moa, who attacked and rammed the Japanese
submarine I-1 running supplies to Guadalcanal
on 29 January 1943.In 1943 the New Zealand
(naval) operation was run by a Lieutenant
Philpott assisted by Professor Campbell (Professor
of Mathematics at Victoria University of Wellington)
plus a part-time civilian Japanese interpreter
and two women assistants both of whom were
of above average ability and one of whom knew
quite a bit of Japanese. It was said to be
remarkably productive despite its small size
and apparent lack of assistance or direction
from FRUMEL in Melbourne (where Rudi Fabian
was reluctant to cooperate with the Royal
Navy or the US Army's Central Bureau).
== Research ==
Several military research projects were conducted
in New Zealand during World War II, notably
a joint US/NZ project in 1944-45 called Project
Seal to develop a tsunami bomb.
== See also ==
Axis naval activity in New Zealand waters
Coastal Forces of the Royal New Zealand Navy
Coastal fortifications of New Zealand
List of New Zealand divisions in World War
IIGeneral topics
World War II casualties
Participants in World War II
Equipment losses in World War II
Australian home front during World War II
Military history of Australia during World
War II
Axis naval activity in Australian waters
Military production during World War II
List of British Empire divisions in the Second
World War
== References ==
== Bibliography ==
Bou, Jean (2012). MacArthur’s Secret Bureau:
The story of the Central Bureau. Loftus, NSW,
Australia: Australian Military History Publications.
ISBN 978-0-9872387-1-9.
Bradley, Phillip (2012). Hell's Battlefield:
The Australians in New Guinea in World War
II. Crow's Nest, New South Wales: Allen & Unwin.
ISBN 9781742372709.
Crawford, John, ed. (2000). Kia Kaha: New
Zealand in the Second World War. Auckland:
Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558438-4.
Ehrman, John (1956). Grand Strategy Volume
V: August 1942 – September 1943. History
of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military
Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
OCLC 217257928.
Ehrman, John (1956). Grand Strategy Volume
VI: October 1944 – August 1945. History
of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military
Series. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office.
Elphick, Peter (1998) [1997]. Far Eastern
File: The Intelligence War in the Far East
1930-1945. London: Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN
0 340 66584 X.
Hensley, Gerald (2009). Beyond the Battlefield:
New Zealand and its Allies 1939-45. North
Shore Auckland: Viking/Penguin. ISBN 978-06-700-7404-4.
McClymont, W. G. (1959). To Greece. Official
History of New Zealand in the Second World
War 1939–45. Wellington, New Zealand: War
History Branch. OCLC 4373298.
McGibbon, Ian (2000). The Oxford Companion
to New Zealand Military History. Auckland:
Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558376-0.
Smith, Michael (2000). The Emperor’s Codes:
Bletchley Park and the breaking of Japan’s
secret ciphers. London: Bantam Press. ISBN
0593 046412.
== External links ==
NZhistory.net.nz - War and society
Official History of New Zealand in the Second
World War
New Zealand Fighter Pilots Museum
New Zealand Victoria Cross winners at the
Wayback Machine (archived 26 October 2009)
New Zealand in the Second World War
The 11th Day: Crete 1941
