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If you have a LOT of time on your hands , the NZ history of WW2 seb site does provide interesting reading .
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-corpus-WH2.html
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1940 cab 11 C8 1940 Morris-Commercial PU 1941 Morris-Commercial CS8 1940 Chev. 15cwt GS Van ( Aust.) 1942-45 Jeep salad |
#2
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The NZ battalions in WW2 are numbered sequentially from 18, as there were 16 infantry battalions plus the Maori pioneer battalion in the NZ Div in the NZEF in WW1. The Brigades were 1, 2, 3 and the Rifle Brigade.
So in 1917 NZ Div had 4 brigades of 4 battalions, but later reduced to 3 brigades when despite conscription the 3rd was disbanded to reinforce the others. (I believe some other armies operated on 3 brigades of 3 battalions.) Their sons formed the 2NZEF for WW2 and the brigades were numbered from 4 to 6 in 2 NZ Div and 7 and 8 brigades in 3 NZ Div in the Pacific. 4 Brigade were converted to an armoured brigade late in the desert war after suffering severe losses. Later in Italy when the 2 Div were short of infantry, 9 brigade was formed from the Divisional Cavalry, 27 MG Battalion and 22 (motorised) Battalion. So once again we had a 4 brigade division. (Conscription was in place but was still insufficient to sustain the 3 Div) NZ farmers supplied much of the US forces in the Pacific with fresh food including fruit and veges due to the shorter supply lines. That resulted in another drain on manpower despite the land girls! Funny that the europeans are moaning about food miles on our food exports now yet they screamed out for our food in WW2 and after, not to forget the 17,000 Kiwis buried in France and Belgium in WW1 from a population of only 1 million! ANZAC Day approaches... ![]() Rob |
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