NEW ZEALAND'S PART A War Chronology
1939 Sept. 3: New Zealand declares war on Germany. Sept. 5: First New Zealand casualtyF/O L. H. Edwards, R.A.F., taken prisoner. P/O H. M. F. Barnitt, R.A‘F., of New Plymouth, is claimed to have sunk the first U-boat from the air. Dec. 11: Advance party of First Contingent 2nd N.Z.E.F. leaves New Zealand. Dec. 13: New Zealanders in action on H.M.S. "Achilles" in Battle of River Plate. 1940 Jan. 6: First Contingent 2nd N.Z.E.F. leaves New Zealand for Middle East. June 4: The evacuation of Dunkirk. June 10: Italy enters the war. June 19: "Niagara" sunk by a mine in Hauraki Gulf. June 25: Armistice between Germany and France becomes effective. Aug: 2: "Turakina" attacked in the Tasman _ Sea. Sept. 13: First New Zealand soldier killed in action — Pte. G. R. Osborn, killed by a thermos bomb in the Western Desert. Oct. 28: Eighth Brigade men leave New Zealand for Fiji. Nov. 27: "Rangitane" sunk by raider in the Pacific. Dec. 9: General Wavell launches his campaign in the Western Desert. New Zealanders take part. Dec. 27: Nauru Island attacked by German raider. 1941 Jan. 16: Women’s Auxiliary Air Force is formed in New Zealand. Feb. 13: Air Training Corps is formed. Feb. 27: H.M.N.Z.S. "Leander" sinks Italian armed cruiser "Ramb I." in the Indian Ocean. March 24: Rommel launches second Axis offensive in Libya. April 6: Germany declares war on Greece and Yugoslavia. April 28: Bulk of British forces, including New Zealanders, evecuated from
Greece to Crete or Egypt. Sgt. J. D. Hinton wins V.C. for valour in Greece, May 20: Germans launch their airborne attack on Crete. May 29: Crete in German hands; evacuation begins. 2nd Lieut. C. H. Upham and Sgt. A. C. Hulme are awarded the V.C. June 20: First issue of N.Z.E.F. Times is printed in Cairo. June 22: U.S.S.R. enters the war. July 5: First party of wounded from Middle East arrives in New Zealand by hospital. ship. July 7: V.C. awarded to Sgt. J. A. Ward, R.A.F. Nov. 18: New Zealanders cross Libyan frontier to take part in Eighth Army offensive in Cyrenaica. Nov. 26: New Zealanders complete occupation of Sidi Rezegh after very fierce fighting. Nov. 27: New Zealanders make contact with beleagured Tobruk garrison. Dec. 1: New Zealanders outside Tobruk are over-run by German tanks and withdrawn from Libya. Dec. 7: Japan attacks Pearl Harbour. Dec. 10: H.M.S. "Prince of Wales" and "Repulse" are sunk off Malaya. 1942 Jan. 2: South Africans and New Zealanders capture Bardia and release many New Zealand prisoners-of-war. Jan. 3: General Wavell appointed Commander of . the -United Nations Forces in the South-West Pacific. Feb. 9: Pacific Council formed in London. Feb. 15: Singapore falls to the Japanese. Feb. 23: New Zealanders begin to move to Syria from Egypt. Feb. 27: Battle of the Java Sea begins. : March 17: General MacArthur assumes command of United Nations Forces in Australia and South-West Pacific. April 18: Tokyo bombed by U.S.A.A.F, April 25: U.S. occupation of New Caledonia is announced. May 4-8: Naval battle of the Coral Sea. May 26: Rommel opens fresh Axis offensive in Cyrenaica. June 16: New Zealanders begin to move from Syria to the Western Desert. June 22: Tobruk falls, and the Axis Forces approach the Egyptian frontier. June 27-28: New Zealanders hold Axis Forces in Battle of Mingar Qaim, and break out to withdraw to El Alamein. July 14-15: New Zealanders attack El Ruweisat Ridge at El Alamein and suffer very heavy casualties. Sgt. K, Elliott wins the V.C. July 20-21: New Zealanders attack El Mreir Depression at El Alamein. Aug. 13: Lieut.-General Montgomery is appointed to command Eighth Army. Aug. 15: General Alexander becomes C.-in-C. Middle East Forces. Aug. 30: Rommel launches his final assault on the El Alamein Line. Oct. 23: Eighth Army opens the Battle of El Alamein. Noy. 7: British and American forces land in French North Africa.
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 307, 11 May 1945, Page 24
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656NEW ZEALAND'S PART A War Chronology New Zealand Listener, Volume 12, Issue 307, 11 May 1945, Page 24
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