The 2nd New Zealand Division, initially the New Zealand Division, was an infantry division of the New Zealand Military Forces (New Zealand's army) during the Second World War. The division was commanded for most of its existence by Lieutenant-General Bernard C. Freyberg. It fought in Greece, Crete, the Western Desert and Italy. In the Western Desert Campaign, the division played a prominent role in the defeat of German and Italian forces in the Second Battle of El Alamein and the British Eighth Army's advance to Tunisia.
In late 1943, the division was moved to Italy, taking part in the Eighth Army's campaign on Italy's Adriatic coast, which ground to a halt at the end of the year. In early 1944, the division formed the nucleus of the New Zealand Corps, fighting two battles attempting unsuccessfully to penetrate the Gustav Line at Monte Cassino. The division saw further action on the Gothic Line in 1944 and took part in the Allied 1945 Spring offensive, which led to the surrender of German forces in Italy in May. After returning to New Zealand, reorganised elements of the division formed part of the occupational forces in Japan from 1945.
History
Formation
At the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, it was decided that New Zealand should provide an Expeditionary Force. Initially a 'Special Force' was to be raised, of one battalion in each of the three military districts, but the requirement was then raised, to that of a division. Major-General Bernard C. Freyberg, of the British Army, but with strong New Zealand connections, was appointed as General Officer Commanding. This force became known as 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) and the division, initially, as the New Zealand Division. The first echelon, 2NZEF Headquarters and the 4th Infantry Brigade, left New Zealand in January and landed in Egypt on 12 February 1940.Malcolm Thomas and Cliff Lord, 'New Zealand Army Distinguishing Patches 1911–1991,' 1995, Part One, p.41. The second echelon, the 5th Infantry Brigade, was diverted to Britain on Italy's entry into the war, joining the British VII Corps. Composite elements were formed into an extra brigade, 7th Brigade, to strengthen the invasion defences.Malcolm Thomas and Cliff Lord, 'New Zealand Army Distinguishing Patches 1911–1991,' 1995, Part One, pp. 41, 158. The third echelon, the 6th Infantry Brigade, arrived in Egypt on 27 October 1940 and concentration of the division was completed after the second echelon, no longer required in Britain, reached Egypt the following March.
The division remained as part of the British Eighth Army to the end of World War II in 1945, during which it fought in the Battle of Greece (March–April 1941), the Battle of Crete (May 1941), Operation Crusader (November–December 1941), Minqar Qaim (June 1942), First Battle of El Alamein (July 1942), Second Battle of El Alamein (October–November 1942), Libya and Tunisia (December 1942 – May 1943), the Sangro (October–December 1943), Battle of Monte Cassino (February–March 1944), Central Italy (May–December 1944), and the Adriatic Coast (April–May 1945).2 Div NZFE DiggerHistory.Info Inc
Defence of Greece In March 1941, the division was deployed to Greece to assist British and Australian forces in defending the country from an expected German invasion. The New Zealanders were combined with Australian and British forces as 'W Force' under Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson.Orbat.com, W Force, 5 April 1941, accessed July 2009 The immediate operational commander was Australian Lieutenant-General Thomas Blamey with his I Australian Corps headquarters, which was briefly renamed Anzac Corps. On 6 April, the Germans launched their invasion, commencing the Battle of Greece. They overwhelmed the British and Commonwealth forces and forcing them to retreat to Crete and Egypt by 6 April. The last New Zealand troops had evacuated mainland Greece by 25 April, having sustained losses of 291 men killed, 387 seriously wounded, and 1,826 men captured in this campaign.
Battle of Crete
Since most 2nd New Zealand Division troops had evacuated to Crete from mainland Greece, they were very much involved in the defence of Crete against further German attacks. As Freyberg was judged to have performed extremely well during the evacuation of Greece, he was given command of all Allied forces for the defence of the island. Consequently, the New Zealand Division temporarily lost him as its commander. However, the attempt to defend Crete was as doomed as that to defend Greece had been.
German paratroopers landed in May 1941. While suffering many casualties, the Germans gradually gained the upper hand over the Allied forces in the Battle of Crete. By the end of the month, German soldiers had once again overwhelmed British and Commonwealth forces, and it was decided to evacuate the division from the island, again without its heavy weapons. This evacuation was to Egypt, with the forces landing in Alexandria in June. The unit's ability to help itself to enemy—and Allied—heavy weapons and transport led to it being nicknamed "Freyberg's Forty Thousand Thieves". In the Battle for Crete, 671 New Zealanders were killed, 967 wounded and 2,180 captured. During the battle, Charles Upham was awarded the first of his two Victoria Crosses.
North Africa
Operation Crusader
Following the disasters in Europe, the division was then integrated into the regular order of battle of the British Eighth Army. It fought in many of the critical battles in the North African Campaign over the next year and a half. On 18 November 1941, the division took part in Operation Crusader. The New Zealand troops crossed the Libyan frontier into Cyrenaica, and linked up with the British 70th Infantry Division of the Tobruk Garrison on 26 November. Operation Crusader was an overall success for the British and the New Zealand troops withdrew to Syria to recover. The campaign in Libya was the most costly that the division fought during the Second World War, with 879 men killed, and 1,700 wounded.
Originally known as the 'New Zealand Division', the division became known as 2nd New Zealand Division from June 1942 onward as part of the Operation Cascade deception scheme and the 'formation' of Maadi Camp, the division's base area in Egypt, as "6th NZ Division".Malcolm Thomas and Cliff Lord, 'New Zealand Army Distinguishing Patches 1911–1991,' 1995, Part One, 50, 158 (Appendix I).
Mersa Matruh
After the Eighth Army's defeat in the Gazala battles, fresh forces were brought up to check the Axis forces in their drive into Egypt. The division was transported from Syria to Mersa Matruh. In the ensuing battle, the division's retreat was cut off on 27 June when the 21st Panzer Division got to the east of the division. That night, the division's 4th Brigade broke through the German positions, and the division retired to El Alamein.
El Alamein
The division played a prominent role in both Battles of El Alamein. During the First Battle of El Alamein, in July 1942, the division put in a night attack against the Afrika Korps, commanded by Erwin Rommel. As no armoured support was available to the division after their night attack against the Germans at Ruweisat Ridge, the 4th New Zealand Brigade was shattered, with the loss of around 3,000 men, during the fighting that resulted when German Panzers counter-attacked the New Zealand infantry the following morning. It was for his actions in this battle that Charles Upham was awarded the Bar to his VC, becoming only the third man to be awarded the VC twice and the first soldier in a combatant role. Also at Ruweisat, Sergeant Keith Elliott of 22nd Battalion was awarded the VC for continuing to lead his company, despite wounds, in assaults which led to the destruction of five machine guns plus an anti-tank gun and the capture of 130 prisoners.ed Max Lambert, Air New Zealand Almanac 1989, NZ Press Association, p.220
During the Second Battle of El Alamein, the division broke through the German positions and got behind Rommel's flank. During the night of 1–2 November 1942, the British 9th Armoured Brigade was to have advanced in support of an attack by the division. However, it was stopped in the minefield lanes by the 15th Panzer and 90th Light Divisions; the following morning, the armour continued to be attacked, suffering heavy losses.Latimer p. 290 However, the 9th Armoured Brigade's sacrifice had made the follow-up successes possible.
Tunisia
Following the victory at Alamein, the Eighth Army advanced west through Libya to El Agheila. For much of this time, Lieutenant general Bernard Montgomery, the Eighth Army commander since August 1942, was obliged to maintain a relatively small forward force because of the difficulties caused by a very extended supply line and the division was therefore held in reserve at Bardia.Stevens, p. 14. At the Battle of El Agheila, the division was brought forward with supporting tanks to conduct an outflanking movement while two divisions made a frontal attack.Stevens, p. 23 The battle started on the night of 11 December. Looking to preserve his forces, Rommel commenced a withdrawal to Buerat on the 12th.
The division then formed the left flank of the advancing Eighth Army and on 16 December had an opportunity to trap the retreating Axis forces. However, the division's troops were strung out and without anti-tank guns. The 15th Panzer Division was therefore able to punch through and secure the line of retreat.Stevens, p. 55
A further unsuccessful attempt to get to the rear of the withdrawing Axis forces took place at Nofaliya.Stevens, p. 61 The division then remained in reserve in the Nofaliya area until early January, when it was ordered forward to take part in the final push through Buerat and advance the remaining to Tripoli. The operation began on 15 January; by 21 January, Tripoli was less than ahead.Stevens, p. 110 However, skilful delaying tactics allowed the Axis forces to withdraw in good order and when leading elements of Eighth Army entered Tripoli in the early morning of 23 January its defenders had left.Stevens, p. 115
The Eighth Army arrived on the Mareth defensive line on the border with Tunisia shortly after the fall of Tripoli. After an unsuccessful attempt to break through the Axis defenses at Mareth, the division was reinforced to form a New Zealand Corps to execute a left hook around the main Axis defenses through the Tebaga Gap. The attack was launched on 21 March and the entrance to the gap had been secured after four days fighting, but no breakthrough was made. Further reinforcements from British X Corps were sent to the Tebaga Gap and overall control of the operation transferred to X Corps commander Brian Horrocks. Operation Supercharge II was launched on 26 March and by 28 March the main Axis forces on the Mareth Line had been forced to withdraw by the flanking threat from the advancing British 1st Armoured and New Zealand Corps.
At the end of Supercharge II, the New Zealand Corps was broken up and its elements allocated between X and XXX Corps. On 30 March, Montgomery sent the following message to Freyberg:
The division continued to fight in Tunisia with Eighth Army until Tunis fell to First Army on 7 May, prompting the surrender of the remaining Axis forces.