Article provided by B.J.Moyle
The 2 NZ Division arrived in Egypt (4 Bde arriving first) in early 1941. It was committed to the Greek campaign in April and May of that year. It returned to Egypt and was built up in time for the Crusader batles in November and December. Heavy losses were sustained by the Division when the 2 brigades in the Sidi Rezeg area were encircled by Rommel. The division escaped in the night.
The division was then sent to Syria and returned to the western desert in June 1942 after the British disasters in the Gazala region. In 27 June it was surrounded by the 21 Pz Division at Minqar Qaim. Orders to retreat to the Alamein line did not reach the division hence it was left well to the front of the retreating 8th Army. The division broke out at night through the 21 Pz Div- lead by the 4 Bde in a bayonet assault.
The division was involved in the Alamein battles. In July the division was part of an attack on Ruweisat Ridge. This was another night assault but in the following day, British armoured brigades failed to turn up in support. Heavy casualties were suffered and the 4 Bde was destroyed in the counterattack.
There was insufficient manpower to quickly rebuild the 4 Bde and did not rejoin the division until the Italian campaign. For the rest of the North African campaign, the NZ division generally had a brigade of tanks attached and fought as a 2 brigade division.
The OB of the division was as follows:
1 Divisional Cavalry Regiment- 30 light tanks (Stuarts in 1942). 4 Inf Bde 18, 19, 20 Battalions 5 Inf Bde 21, 22, 23 Bns 6 Inf Bde 24, 25, 26 Bns plus 27 MG battalion and 28 (Maori) Battalion.
Divisional Artillery:
4 Field Regt with 25, 26 and 46 Btys 5 Fd Regt with 27, 28 and 47 Btys 6 Fd Regt with 29, 30 and 48 Btys * each with 24 25pdrs by El Alamein 14 LAA Regt with 31,42 and 43 Btys * 48 Bofors at El Alamein 7 AT Regt with 31,32,33 and 34 Btys * 59 6 pdrs at El Alamein. NZ Engineers: 6,7 and 8 NZ Fd Coys, 5 NZ Fd Pk Coy
From 19/9/42 to 1/11/42 the 9th Armd Brigade was attached:
HQ- 1 sherman, 3 Crusaders 3 Hussars- 9 Grants, 12 Shermans, 16 Crusaders Royal Wilts Yeomanry- 14 Grants, 10 Shermans, 13 Crusaders Warwick Yeomanry- 14 Grants, 13 Shermans, 17 Crusaders 14 Foresters- Inf Battalion
From 14/3/43 to 5/4/43 the 8th Armoured Brigade was attached:
Notts Yeomanry Staffs Yeomanry 3 R Tks and 1 Buffs as infantry.
The 4th Armoured Brigade was attached in periods: 12/12/42 to 21/12/42 and 3/3/43 to 11/3/43.
Royals KDG 1 KRRC in first period 2 KRRC in second period 3 RHA Tp 42 LAA Bty
The 23 Armd Bde was attached 1/11/42 to 2/11/42 and consisted of:
40 R Tanks 46 R Tanks 50 R Tanks 121 Fd Regt (SP) 168 LAA Bty
The 28(Maori) Bn preferred to use a long bayonet and had an unofficial allotment of weapons. They tended to collect automatic weapons and refused to give them up. At one stage they had an Italian field gun (as it only had one wheel it had to be mounted on boxes). In its brief history the gun never hit anything. The Maori Bn had the highest casualty rate of the battalions in the war. One of its commanders did give a 'take no prisoners' order but when the Germans worked out what was happening, sent a complaint to Freyberg. Freyberg sacked the commander- who later died in prison while accused of the murder of his wife's lover.
The division was rarely at full strength and as the war progressed, replacements were harder to find.