The Official History Of The New Zealand Rifle Brigade Illustrated Edition

Over 40 Illustrations of the officers, men and battles they engaged in. The Rifle Brigade has a long and distinguished history in the British Army as a corps of elite troops with a fighting pedigree stretching back to the times of Wellington, the Peninsular War and Waterloo. During the First World War the huge number of volunteers from New Zealand overstripped the ability of the administration to provide more than one brigade of infantry in 1915. However in 1916 a second brigade was formed and was designated as the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, marrying the traditions of the British Rifle Brigade for the highest standards of soldiery and the New Zealand traditions of courage, native skill and toughness. The New Zealand Rifle Brigade fought with distinction across the British zones of the battlefields of France and Flanders. As their official historian recounts with his vivid narrative from the bloody but successful debut at the battle of Flers-Courcelette, the battle of Messines, Passchendaele and the dark days of the German offensives in 1918, the “Dinks” as they were known covered themselves in glory. They would produce two Victoria cross winners from their ranks and many of their men would return to their native islands with other high honours for gallantry and bravery. However, the losses of these brave men were prodigious and the names of the fallen are inscribed in full detail in an appendix at the end of the book.

Contains over 100 maps, photos and illustrations “Formed in Egypt in March 1916 the division arrived in France a month later. It acquired an elite status, fought on the Somme, at Messines and Third Ypres. 49,000 casualties, ten VCs. A very fine and comprehensive history. ...As may be expected this is a remarkably comprehensive account of one of the finest divisions of the BEF of which Earl Haig wrote: “No Division in France built up for itself a finer reputation, whether for the gallantry of its conduct in battle or for the excellence of its behaviour out of the line. Its record does honour to the land from which it came and to the Empire for which it fought.” A German assessment of the division was seen in an Intelligence document captured at Hebuterne in July 1918:- “A particularly good assault Division. Its characteristics are a very strongly developed individual self-confidence or enterprise, characteristic of the colonial British, and a specially pronounced hatred of the Germans.”... The NZ Division of this history was formed in Egypt in March 1916...The infantry consisted of two battalions each of the Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and Wellington Regiments and four battalions of the NZ Rifle Brigade, all the divisional troops-artillery, engineers, medical etc .were NZ units. The GOC was Major-General Sir A.H. Russell, promoted from command of a brigade of the composite NZ and Australian Division; he was to be the only commander of the division. The NZ Division arrived in France in April 1916 and it remained on the Western front throughout the war....The author commanded the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment and in preparing this official account he has drawn on all available material - War Diaries, Operation Orders, Intelligence summaries, Narratives of operations prepared at Corps level and below, Honours and Awards recommendations, Divisional reports and correspondence, personal diaries and papers and Haig’s Despatches. ...”—N&M Print Ed

Illustrated with over 40 photos and 10 maps “Official history of a NZ Regiment which saw service in the Middle East in the Great War. The Regiment was established in 1911, but this book deals solely with its WWI services - Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine (Gaza, Beersheba, Jerusalem, Jordan). The narrative is clear and informative, with plenty of detail and with many individuals mentioned by name (especially casualties). Apps: Roll of Honour (KIA and WIA, Gallipoli and Palestine), H & A, List of COs.—N&M Print Version

Contains over 55 photos and 10 maps. “The record of a New Zealand infantry regiment in Egypt, at Gallipoli and on the Western Front, from formation to disbandment....When the force sailed on 14 October 1914, the embarkation strength of the Otago Battalion was 34 officers and 1,076 other ranks....In April 1915 the division sailed for Gallipoli via Mudros, and on the 25th of that month the Otago Battalion landed with the brigade near Anzac Cove. The battalion was eight months at Gallipoli, fighting in several actions, particularly the second battle of Krithia and the battle of Sari Bair. It was evacuated in December 1915 and returned to Egypt where a 2nd Battalion was formed for each of the four original battalions and the combined New Zealand and Australian Division was reorganized as an all New Zealand Division which crossed to France in April 1916...On the Western Front the New Zealand Division was an elite formation and the regiment was involved in most of the major operations - the Somme, Messines, Third Ypres and the battles of 1918. Two VCs were won including one of the most famous, that awarded to Sgt Travis (real name Savage) of the 2nd Battalion, known as the king of No Man’s Land, who was killed in Rossignol Wood in July 1918 and is buried in Couin New British Cemetery; the divisional commander attended his funeral. He gets a chapter to himself in the book. This is a good, authoritative history as the title suggests, in which personalities are identified in the narrative, casualty figures and reinforcements noted; minor actions are described as well as the bigger picture."—N&M Print ed.

Contains over 55 photos and 10 maps. “Someone once remarked that the ‘NZ’ in ANZAC is silent, and perhaps people associate ANZAC especially with Australia with its ANZAC Day parade and commemorative services. This book, part of the Official History of New Zealand’s effort in the Great War, clearly shows the extent of New Zealand’s part in that ill-fated Gallipoli campaign. The NZEF sailed from Wellington on 16th October 1914, in all 351 officers and 7410 other ranks making four infantry battalions, four mounted rifles regiments, an artillery brigade, sappers, signals, medical and other divisional troops. They disembarked in Alexandria on 3rd December and the infantry battalions were attached to the Canal defence force where, in February 1915 they had their first brush with the Turks, repelling an attack on the Canal. In Egypt they combined with Australian troops to form the New Zealand and Australian Division, landing on Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. By the end of the campaign they had suffered 7,197 battle casualties (Medical History of the War ) or almost one hundred per cent of the original expeditionary force. [It] gives a clear picture of the terrain over which the battles were fought, the climate, the conditions, the intensity of the fighting and a realistic account of the horrors of the battlefield. The easy-to-read text is supported by a wealth of contemporary photos and clear maps. There is a list of honours ... (one VC) including Mention in Despatches .... The appendices also contain tables showing ships transporting the NZEF and which units each carried; the ships carrying the division to Gallipoli; the detailed strengths, by units, of the original expeditionary force and subsequent units raised during the Gallipoli campaign. There is a very useful glossary of all the place names mentioned in the text with translation of some of the Turkish features e.g., Tepe, a hill; Kale, a fort; and there is a Gallipoli Diary.” —N&M Print Ed.