Twelve New Zealand built Fairmile launches of the 80th and 81st Motor Launch Flotillas went forward in early 1944.  • Manila 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. June 1942, the Allies get wind of the impending invasion of New Zealand by reading Japanese codes. World War 2 (WWII) was the Second World War of the 20 th Century, but more so than the first, was truly a global war in nature. On 14 June 1942 the generals recalled the New Zealanders from their occupation-duties in Syria as the Afrika Korps broke through Gazala and captured Tobruk. Garth Brooks gives unifying, across-the-aisle performance.  • Kiev The majority of New Zealanders who served during World War II served in the Army (127,000). HMNZS Leander fires on the Japanese cruiser Jintsu. Many New Zealanders did their advanced training in Canada. Japan enters the war – US enters New Zealand. One may have been attacked by the NZ navy off Canterbury. New Zealand mosque attack suspect Brenton Tarrant grins in court.  • Crete  • Pointblank At 9:00 pm Colonel 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. 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. Top Answer. Fatal casualties during the conflict numbered 11,928 (Commonwealth War Graves Commission figures). By nightfall German troops had occupied Galatas, and Lieutenant-Colonel Howard Kippenberger prepared a counterattack. John returned to New Zealand on the hospital ship Maunganui. Return to the World War 2 Tanks by Country Index. Seventy-five years ago, New Zealand played a pivotal role in defeating Nazi Germany in a land battle for the first time, changing the outcome of World War II. About 140,000 New Zealand men and women served, 104,000 in 2NZEF, the rest in the British or New Zealand naval or air forces. 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. The New Zealand Navy did not exist as a separate military force until 1941. Japan had begun a war of aggression in 1931 with the invasion of China. It was a war in which New Zealanders gave their greatest national effort — on land, on the sea and in the air — and a war that New Zealanders fought globally, from Egypt, Italy and Greece to Japan and the Pacific. Luftwaffe air raids targeted Galatas on the 25th at 8:00 am, 12:45 pm and 1:15 pm, and the German ground attack came at around 2:00 pm. 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.  • Hungary There are a total of [ 8 ] WW2 New Zealand Tanks entries in the Military Factory. They retreated to "Prison Valley" where they rallied around the Ayia Prison and repulsed a confused counterattack by two companies of 19 Battalion and three light tanks. 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.  • Manchuria However, proportionally speaking, New Zealand made a greater contribution to WW2 among all Commonwealth nations. The impact on the home front was considerable. In April 1943 an aerial attack sunk the Moa in Tulagi Harbour in the Solomons.  • Budapest Once trained, the majority of RNZAF aircrew served with ordinary units of the RAF or of the Fleet Air Arm. Japan never landed units to invade New Zealand, but New Zealand knew the enemy was around for most of the War. The Allied advance started from the South Pacific. From mid-1943 at Guadalcanal, starting with No 15 and No 14 squadrons, several Kittyhawks units fought with distinction. Map of the positions of 22 Battalion, New Zealand 2nd Division at Maleme in the Battle of Crete, 20 May 1941. 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. 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