A Short History of the New Zealand Army

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A SH(}NT HI$T(}RY 0f the

NDIlI ZEATAND ARIIY W

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cpanded and a Austratia. O"*i.ion SecLion of the fmperial Genlral Staff was formed for the purpose of keeping New Zearand developments overse?9t foi preparing warabreast of ments plans for mobilisation ""[_ffi_"t_ a-r.,a foi gi"f"g-Jirect -to Imperial co-operation in defence ,nitt"ii. AII this resulted in increased efficiency and on the outbreak of war in 1914 New ZeafanJ offered Britain an expeditionary force. T1.r; Territorial Force was not mobilised U"i t".ritorial distinctions were preserved and each military district contributed troops.

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Departure Of 4th Continqent (Rouqh Riders) Dunedin 1900

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FIRST WORLp WAR 1-914-1918 ,a

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Parade of Territoriqle Wellinqton - 1913

volunteers sufficient 8,42'7 men two years. continued

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By the terms of the Defence Act, only could serve overseas and men offered in numbers to fill the "Main Body" of and to supply reinforcements for the next During the war the territorial system to function.

NZ

Soldier 1914-1918

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New Zeal-and's response to the outbreak of Compulsory military war on 4 August 1914 was quick. trai-ning begun three years before had already At the request yielded over 25,000 Territorials. of tne Imperial Government a force of approximately 1,500 men left New Zealand to occupy German Samoa. This was accomplished in an unopposed landing on 29 August.

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I'leanwhiLe, another expeditionary force intended for France was soon recruited from volunteers and equipped. The Main Body, as it came to be called, four mounted consisted of four battalions of infantry, rifle regiments, a fiel-d artillery brigade with ammunition column, and other ancillary arms, was despatched on 14 October 19L4. Under the command of Ivlajor General Godley, this force consisted of 8,427 men and 3,815 horses, and was the largest single body ever to leave New Zealand. It was l-inked with an even larger Australian contingent in one convoy, and while at sea, was redirected to Egypt, where the combined force arrived on 3 December. The first engagement with the enemy was i-n the defence of the Suez Canal. Ttre New Zealand and Australian Division (Iess the Mounted Rifle Brigades) became part of the Austral-ia and New Zealand Army Corps (abbreviated .\NZAC) who fought in the desperate campaign on until the evacuation on 9 January 1976. GaIlipoli

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IFF Sofdiers Rest In Trenches Peninsula L975 GalIiooli

France 1917 On the Hiqhway Of War

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Following the return of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to Eglpt it was organised as an The infantry division and a mounted brigade. division went to France, while the Mounted Brigade Both forces took continued to operate in Palestj-ne. part in practically a1I the great actions of their respective theatres up to the Armistice.

SECr.)l:'i WORLD WAR 1939-L945

New Zealand was less ready for war in 1939 '' r- .t had been .-n 79 1-4. Volunteer territorials ,,mbered only 10 ,364, the Special Reserve 374 and the Regular Force 578. On 6 September Cabinet authorised the mobilisation of a 6,000 strong volunteer "SpeciaJ- Force" which became the nucleas of the Second New Zealand E>rpeditionary Force, a title officially adopted on 12 December 1939.

Over 1O3,0OO troops left New Zeal-and for service with the New Zealand E>