The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia: New Zealand (original) (raw)
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The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia | |
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New Zealand was a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire in 1941. Consisting of two large and several small islands with a total land area of about 172,000 square miles (445,000 km2), the country was mostly agrarian, with a population of just 1.6 million persons. It managed to mobilize 157,000 troops during the war, an impressive fraction of its population, and these generally proved to be very capable troops, serving with distinction in North Africa and Italyas well as the Pacific.
The larger South Island has a mountainous spine, the Southern Alps, reaching to 13,000' (4000m). This is bordered on the east by a coastal plain and the city of Christchurch. North Island is also rugged, with a number of large dormant volcanoes. The major city is Auckland, with port facilities to both east and west on either side of the Northland Peninsula. The capital city of New Zealand, Wellington, was deliberately located at the southern tip of North Island, just across from South Island, to forestall a movement to make South Island a separate Dominion. Both islands have a temperate climate. Rainfall is ample except in a few locations on South Island in the rain shadow of the mountains.
Prior to the start of the Pacific War, New Zealand had sent its best division, the 2nd, to Africa. This left a division of World War I veterans to guard New Zealand itself, plus a brigade in Fijiand scattered small garrisons elsewhere. Unlike Australia, New Zealand did not demand the return of its division from Europe, a decision made easier by New Zealand's greater distance from the Japanese threat. A second regular division was formed starting in mid-1942, but there were never enough troops to raise more than twobrigades to serve in the division, which was disbanded in 1944 after seeing some tough combat in the Solomonand BismarckIslands. The Royal New Zealand Air Force was well-trained but small, while the Royal New Zealand Navy consisted of a handful of light cruisers and destroyersthat operated as virtually an integral part of the U.S.Navy. New Zealand's ports were important rear bases early in the Pacific War, but became less important as the Allied counteroffensive moved forward.
Order of battle, 7 December 1941
| New Zealand Military Forces (Puttick; at Auckland) | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | 2 NZEF Corps (Suva) | | | | | | | 8 Brigade Group (Cunningham) | 8 battalions, plus platoons on Rorotongaand Fanning, the latter including an artillery battery. Also a battery on Suva. Generally short on heavy weapons. | | | | | FijiSquadron (at Nadi) | Command hierarchy and composition uncertain | | | | | | 22 F2A3 Buffalo | | | | Northern Military District (Auckland) | | | | | | | 1 Auckland Battalion | | | | | | 1 Mounted Rifles | | | | | | 1 Regiment | | | | | Central Military District (Wellington) | | | | | | | 1 Wellington Battalion | | | | | | 2 Mounted Rifles | | | | | | 2 Brigade | | | | | Southern Military District (Christchurch) | | | | | | | 1 Canterbury Battalion | | | | | | 3 Mounted Rifles | | | | | | 3 Brigade | | | | Royal New Zealand Air Force (Saunders; at Wellington) | | | | | | | 488 Squadron (at Kallang) | | | | | | | 32 F2A3 Buffalo | | | | | 5 Squadron (at Nadi) | | | | | | | 4 Singapore | | | H.M. New Zealand Squadron (at Auckland) | | | | | | | CL Achilles | | | | | | CL Leander | | |
References
http://www.freeport-tech.com/WWII (accessed 2002; now defunct)
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