80 Years Ago Tonight -The Second WorldWar Began

[Dave Homewood]

Eighty years ago tonight New Zealand's acting Prime Minister Peter Fraser declared war on Germany, alongside Britain, France and Australia, following Germany's refusal to withdraw their troops from Poland. Thus began the Second World War.

World War Two touched the lives of every New Zealander. New Zealand's population in September 1939 stood at around 1.6 million people.

Around 104,000 Kiwis served in the New Zealand Army.
Around 42,000 Kiwis served in the RNZAF and other Air Forces
Around 10,000 Kiwis served in the RNZN and RNZNVR

All the RNZAF and RNZN/RN members were volunteers, as were a large proportion of the Army.

11,928 New Zealanders died in the conflict in total.

3,687 of those who died were RNZAF personnel, most attached to the RAF

561 New Zealanders died during World War II while in naval service, mainly with the Royal Navy

This may seem a small number considering the war's total death toll, between 50 and 60 million. But that was actually 1 in every 150 New Zealanders died in WWII.

Many more were wounded physically and mentally.

May we never forget their sacrifices, and also the sacrifices of those who were at home in New Zealand, in their hundreds of thousands, working for the war effort on farms, in factories, and in the Home Guard, EPS and other organisations.

Lest We Forget.

[errolmartyn]

From my trilogy For Your Tomorrow - A record of New Zealanders who have died while serving with the RNZAF and Allied Air Services since 1915 (Volume Three: Biographies & Appendices):

All deaths by service

RNZAF (including 8 WAAFs) 3683 (86.5%)
RAF (including 1 WAAF) 334 (8.0%)
Fleet Air Arm 153 (3.5%)
RAAF 72 (1.5%)
Others 14 (0.5%)

Total 4256 (100%)

All deaths by theatre

Europe 1799 (42.0%)
United Kingdom 983 (23.0%)
New Zealand 415 (10.0%)
Middle East, Mediterranean &
Africa 415 (10.0%)
Pacific 327 (7.5%)
Far East 157 (3.5%)
North America & Caribbean 94 (2.5%)
Atlantic 46 (1.0%)
New Guinea, Borneo & Australia 18 (0.5%)

Total 4256 (100%)

These figures reflect research up to publication in 2008. About 25 more non-RNZAF personnel deaths have come to light since.

Aircrew only deaths by age
(excluding those who died as a result of a non-aircraft event.)

Age 18 10
Age 19 90
Age 20 308
Age 21 475
Age 22 493
Age 23 501
Age 24 436
Age 25 360
Age 26 315
Age 27 242
Age 28 197
Age 29 171
Age 30 119
Age 31 96
Age 32 72
Age 33 51
Age 34 40
Age 35 19
Ages 36-43 19

Total 4014

57.5% died before their 25th birthday.
All but 89.5% died before their 30th.
Average age = 24.5 years
(compared with 26 years for WWI deaths)

Of these:
born 1896 to prior to WWI 683 (17%)
born WWI (4.8.14-11.11.18) 1328 (33%)
born after WWI to 1925 2003 (50%)

Thus one third were born in one world war only to die in the next.

Errol

[johnnyfalcon]

That's very comprehensive, Errol