New Zealand Militarily during World War II

[digger2]

I've tried to find information on New Zealand's military contribution during World War II with little success so, at the time war was declared how strong was New Zealand militarily and with a population of les then 2 million, how many people served in the New Zealand armed forces at their peak?

James

[ErrolC]

Try nzhistory.net.nz

Sent via Proboards Android App

[Dave Homewood]

In September 1939 our military was a mere shadow of what it became in the war years. i believe New Zealand's population back then was 1.3 million.

The Army only had a small force in peacetime, I am not sure of the numbers, and the Territorial Army (weekend warriors like your National Guard) was really struggling for recruits. The army had been run right down with funding and there were no real incentives for young men to join - just like now!!

The Army eventually built up to a peak of well over 100,000. The 2nd New Zealand Division which served in the North African Campaign, the Middle East and in Italy, had a standing force of 36,000 men and was the biggest Division in the British Empire Forces I believe. We had the 3rd New Zealand Division serving in the Pacific over various countries (Fiji, New Caledonia, Green Island, Guadalcanal, etc) which was a much smaller Division and saw a lot less combat than 2 Division. I understand that there were three other NZ Divisions within New Zealand protecting our shores and training men to join the overseas divisions as replacements, etc.

The RNZAF strength on the 3rd of September 1939 was:
Regular RNZAF: 91 Officers
Civil Reserve of Pilots: 349 Officers, 665 Airmen
Territorial Air Force: 79 Officers, 325 men

I am not sure how many regular airmen there were, however money had been pouring itno the build up of the RNZAF since 1936/7 and they had recently had a few large intakes of airmen for training so I'd guess around 1000 but not all would have been skilled I suppose.

The Air Force built up to a peak strength of about 70,000 from memory, with 10,000 of them serving in Europe and the Middle East attached with the RAF, and over 20,000 in he Pacific campaign. NZ had for a small country a massive flying training programme running as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme (which the Canadians call the Commonwealth Air Training Plan but it's all the same thing). We also have defensive and offensive squadrons, with a peak of 13 fighter squadrons (reduced quickly back to 12 when someone realised 13 was unlucky!), and over the course of the war there were 13 bomber reconnaissance squadrons at home and in the Pacific, but at any given time the most of these were nine active at one time. We had two Catalina flying boat squadrons operational, and three operational transport squadrons - two plying the pacific routes and one internally in NZ. We had one Dauntless dive-bomber squadron operational and two others had formed before they were disbanded and Corsairs took over the role. We had two medium bomber squadron flying Avengers which also did dive bombing and level bombing, and never used torpedoes. In the UK the RNZAF supplied men to equip special new Zealand squadrons, these being two Bomber Command squadrons, three fighter squadrons and a Coastal Command squadron, plus a second Coastal Command squadron was manned by RNZAF on the African coast. Kiwis were also attached to every other squadron in the RAF at various times through the war.

The Royal New Zealand Navy didn't exist in 1939, instead we had the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy which consisted of two cruisers and a few smaller craft. In October 1941 the RNZN formed and by now the Navy was building up significantly. However it was never a major force like the Army and RNZAF, only around 10,000 kiwis served in the RNZN in wartime from memory. Around 1800 also joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm, and about 2/3 of them completed training as aircrew and went operational in every theatre round the world. The RNZN had ships attached to both Royal Navy fleets and US Navy fleets.

At home in NZ there was another Army, the Home guard, which was made up of civilians by day but they paraded weekly and trained in case of an invasion. They were officially a branch of the New Zealand Army and were over 100,000 strong at their peak. This started in August 1940 when fears abounded of a German invasion. It was disbanded in late 1943 when the Allies had pushed back the Japanese and had control of the South Pacific.

[suthg]

*This started in August 1940 when fears abounded of a German invasion.*

Dave, was this not a *Japanese* invasion? Might be a slight slip...?

*It was disbanded in late 1943 when the Allies had pushed back the Japanese and had control of the South Pacific.*

[Dave Homewood]

Certainly not an error, the Japanese did not enter the war till December 1941, although New Zealand was well aware they were planning war long before then and their entry was no surprise at all to most countries.

The fear was of a German invasion. The Germans were at that time almost about to invade Britain and had already conquered all of Europe. Their Navy was also active in NZ waters and had begun to sink our shipping that month. We were at war with Germany after all,

[Dave Homewood]

After the Japanese entry in the war, the German offensive in the Pacific was largely withdrawn to let their friends the Japanese carry on with the job. Although there were still German submarines visiting the Pacific and one came to New Zealand as late as 1944.

[Dave Homewood]

So don't let anyone tell you the Pacific War began on December 7th 1941, because the New Zealanders, Australians, Fijians, Royal Navy and other Allied forces had been fighting with the German navy in the Pacific since mid-1940, and the Germans were kicking butt. Have you heard of the New Zealand ships lost in these battles, Niagara, Holmwood, Rangitane, and others?

[digger2]

Jul 24, 2013 11:18:58 GMT 12 ErrolC said:

Try nzhistory.net.nz

Sent via Proboards Android App

Thanks for the link, I tried it several months ago and it didn't work.

James

[suthg]

Thanks Dave!

I'm prepared to ask dumb questions and be educated - thanks

[Dave Homewood]

Unfortunately the world has been brainwashed by Hollywood into thinking the Pacific War began when the Americans got into it, but that is nonsense. Numerous Kiwis and Aussies lost their lives in naval actions in 1940, including one chap from here in Cambridge who was on a New Zealand merchant ship sunk by two German raiders that had disguised themselves as (neutral) Japanese fishing boats off Nauru.

[alleng]

I am publishing a journal maintained by my uncle who served with the USAAF 42nd Bombardment Group in the South Pacific from February 1944 through April 1945. The publication is Wayne's Journal and can be found at www.waynes-journal.com. He speaks of B-25s landing at Green Island for fuel and repairs. I am curious if any of your members have any information regarding B-25s recovering at Green Island. I would also like to know if any of your members has any information regarding joint raids on Rabaul and other New Britain targets.

[Luther Moore]

Jul 24, 2013 11:43:56 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

So don't let anyone tell you the Pacific War began on December 7th 1941, because the New Zealanders, Australians, Fijians, Royal Navy and other Allied forces had been fighting with the German navy in the Pacific since mid-1940, and the Germans were kicking butt. Have you heard of the New Zealand ships lost in these battles, Niagara, Holmwood, Rangitane, and others?

One week ago I had a heated debate with a Canadian girl who tried to tell me WWII started when Pearl Harbor was bombed.

[kiwithrottlejockey]

Jul 24, 2013 12:52:33 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Unfortunately the world has been brainwashed by Hollywood into thinking the Pacific War began when the Americans got into it, but that is nonsense.

[alleng]

It is unfortunate that the media is dominated by the U.S. and public perception is informed by Hollywood. On the other hand, entities such as the BBC make it very difficult for those in the U.S. to access but a little of their programming. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the American cable and satellite networks allowed free, 24-hour access to the news and public broadcasting programs of other countries. I guess, though, everyone wants to project their pocketbooks.

[Dave Homewood]

All the world's daily news is out there for free and accessible anywhere from every country's angle through the internet. Except if you live in Communist China and North Korea of course

[obiwan27]

Jun 13, 2014 9:30:20 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

All the world's daily news is out there for free and accessible anywhere from every country's angle through the internet. Except if you live in Communist China and North Korea of course

Yes very true. Here in Christchurch, if you have a public library membership, you can access the digital online version of 2200 of the world's newspapers online for nowt.

christchurchcitylibraries.com/Databases/PressDisplay/About/

[alleng]

Yes, the newspapers are online, but it seems that in a world of declining newspaper readership it is television that is the greater informer and shaper of opinion.

[davidd]

According to some (American) republicans, President Obama is the free worlds' only source and deseminator of miltary intelligence, but he was fast asleep during the years leading up to the recent move of militants into northern Iraq, so the present situation is all his fault. I have always believed that this was actually the job of all the governement agencies set up since 2001, as well as those already in existence, but what would I know. The all-knowing newspapers (and bloggers) were never given a mention, nor apparently have any such responsibility - probably because of that very old and pernicious disease, Middle East war fatigue.
David D

[kiwithrottlejockey]

The thing about Iraq is that, in spite of being a despot dictator (one of many around the world over the past century or so, including many who have been supported by the Americans), at least Saddam kept the lid on the jihadist and other religious nutters in Iraq. George W Bush removed the lid and let the genie out of the bottle, and it was always only going to be a matter of time before there were consequences, as we have seen over the past few days. And what is going on in Iraq now will almost certainly push Iraq and Iran (both predominantly Shiite) closer together.

[errolmartyn]

Jun 14, 2014 4:22:22 GMT 12 alleng said:

Yes, the newspapers are online, but it seems that in a world of declining newspaper readership it is television that is the greater informer and shaper of opinion.

The terms 'inform' and 'television' - a contradiction?!

Errol