381:
401:
a request for assistance, and fearing most of his command overrun after a failed counterattack by his small reserve, he withdrew his remaining units. As it happened, most of his forward companies remained intact and were subsequently able to withdraw after finding they had been abandoned. Andrew was criticised for his withdrawal, which led to the loss of Maleme airfield. This was a significant factor in allowing the German forces to become established on Crete. He and the surviving elements of his battalion were later evacuated from the island.
413:, where a batch of 365 reinforcements arrived from New Zealand to bring it back up to full strength. After a period of training to ease the new arrivals into the battalion, they moved to Kabrit where the rest of the 5th Brigade began more complex collective training. After this, they were sent to the Kaponga Box for a period to undertake garrison duties and construction tasks, before undertaking manoeuvres with the rest of the 2nd New Zealand Division around Baggush in October in preparation for their deployment to Libya as part of
54:
1093:
377:, where the 5th Brigade established blocking positions. The subsequent fighting was short and the battalion saw little action as the Allied force was quickly pushed back and evacuated by sea around the end of April. Despite the confusion of the evacuation, the battalion managed to keep most of its stores and equipment, although several vitally important radio set were abandoned due to conflicting orders.
476:. In late April, the 22nd Battalion became the 5th Brigade's main effort, leading the advance towards the Piave River, where they found that all bridges had been destroyed. Improvising, the battalion pressed a local ferry into operation and after establishing a bridgehead on the other side of the river, continued the advance towards
437:, the battalion was tasked with constructing defences and garrisoning the area in order to deter an attack through Turkey into Syria. They remained there until June 1942, when the New Zealanders were moved back to Egypt following German successes in the Western Desert. They subsequently took part in the fighting in the
400:
airfield and the overlooking hill, Point 107. Forced to disperse the companies of his battalion widely to cover his positions, Andrew lost contact with most of his units after German paratroopers began landing in the area on 20 May. Failing to receive any support from his brigade commander following
445:
where, after their anti-tank guns had been knocked out, over 350 members of the battalion were taken prisoner after being surrounded by German armour. Following these heavy losses, the battalion was reconstituted at Maadi, before returning to the line, rejoining the rest of the 2nd New
Zealand
483:
The battalion's casualties during the war amounted to 282 men killed in action or died of wounds, 799 wounded and 511 captured as prisoners of war. In the aftermath, the battalion remained in
Trieste to counter the presence of Yugoslav partisans until June 1945 before being withdrawn to
472:, before advancing towards Florence and then up the Adriatic coast. In the final months of the war, the division advanced steadily, pushing over the Senio and then the Santerno Rivers towards the Alps, before being placed into reserve in April 1945 as the Allies pushed towards the
508:
in Japan. Arriving on 22 March 1946, the battalion was assigned to the
Yamaguchi province in southern Honshu. While deployed to Japan, the battalion was redesignated as the "2nd Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment" on 7 August 1947. The battalion was disbanded in 1948.
392:, the 22nd Battalion was pressed into the defence of the strategically important island which sat on a vital sea lane of communication across the Mediterranean. On 20 May 1941, the Germans launched an airborne invasion of the island, and during the subsequent
421:
417:, which began in mid-November. After taking part in the fighting in the Western Desert, the 22nd Battalion was withdrawn to Kabrit where it received a batch of 200 reinforcements to replace its losses in Libya, and undertook further training.
446:
Division around
Ruweisat in late August 1942; during this time the battalion was briefly detached to the British 132nd Brigade, before returning to the 5th New Zealand Brigade at the start of September. It subsequently took part in the
521:
was the 22nd
Battalion's sole Victoria Cross recipient during the Second World War, receiving the award for actions around Ruweisat, Egypt, on 15 July 1942. Other decorations bestowed upon members of the 22nd Battalion included two
480:, fighting its final actions of the war against the Germans around Miramare. The battalion lost its final casualties when one of its companies was fired upon by Yugoslav partisans near Opicina after the end of hostilities.
461:. It was also reorganised at this time, with the four rifle companies being replaced by three numerically designated motor companies, although ultimately, the Italian terrain negated much of the battalion's mobility.
428:
In April 1942, the battalion was deployed to Syria along with the rest of the 2nd New
Zealand Division, where they formed part of the Allied garrison that had been established there at the conclusion of the
1216:
1206:
1211:
333:, in Scotland, in June. Following this, the battalion spent the remainder of the year on garrison duties in the south of England where they were positioned to respond in case of a
225:
where it suffered heavy casualties and lost a large number of men who were taken as prisoners of war. After being rebuilt, the battalion fought in North Africa, fighting in
302:. He trained his new command hard and quickly earned the nickname of "February" due to his habit of issuing 28-day detentions for any breaches in discipline.
424:
Keith
Elliott, who received the Victoria Cross for his actions commanding a platoon from the 22nd Battalion during the disastrous Ruweisat Ridge action
531:
1150:
453:
At Maadi, the battalion was converted to a motor role – the only motorised battalion in the 2nd New
Zealand Division – receiving extra
349:
In March 1941, as the threat of invasion passed, the battalion was transferred to Egypt and then, after just three weeks, onto Greece, which was
928:
505:
267:
306:
97:
1076:
1050:
1020:
1085:
458:
380:
241:. In late 1943, the battalion was transferred to Italy where it fought for the remainder of the war, fighting battles around
164:
217:. After undertaking defensive duties in the United Kingdom from mid-1940 until early 1941, the battalion then fought in the
1065:
The
Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume III: British Fortunes Reach their Lowest Ebb (September 1941 to September 1942)
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1130:
1120:
1115:
1110:
1105:
527:
523:
447:
238:
210:
144:
430:
249:
in the final days of the war. After the war, it performed occupation duties in Japan until it was disbanded in 1948.
1036:. The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945. Wellington: Historical Publications Branch.
438:
230:
139:
101:
370:
1060:
310:
469:
271:
242:
154:
547:
464:
Embarking in mid-October 1943, the battalion subsequently fought in a number of battles as it crossed the
409:
After the battalion's experience on Crete, in June 1941 it was reconstituted at Garawi, a camp outside
305:
After completing rudimentary training, the battalion embarked for
England in May 1940 as part of the
936:
149:
414:
334:
274: – 'A' through to 'D' – were formed. The majority of its personnel were drawn from the
226:
134:
1155:
384:
Lieutenant Colonel Les Andrew and the battalion at Helwan, July 1941, after returning from Crete
1072:
1046:
1031:
1016:
454:
350:
218:
214:
124:
119:
69:
393:
299:
266:
in November 1939, as one of several battalions raised for service overseas as part of the
222:
129:
543:
535:
442:
338:
295:
279:
234:
1200:
579:
563:
518:
374:
291:
263:
187:
183:
17:
1092:
465:
959:
270:. The first parade was held in mid-January 1940, when the battalion's four rifle
159:
59:
410:
275:
539:
420:
322:
283:
206:
558:
The following officers served as commanding officer of the 22nd Battalion:
1068:
501:
489:
473:
366:
326:
287:
203:
79:
585:
Lieutenant Colonel A. W. F. O'Reilly (November 1944 – March 1945);
569:
Lieutenant Colonel J. T. Russell (February 1942 – September 1942);
485:
477:
354:
330:
246:
594:
Lieutenant Colonel G. M. McCaskill (November 1946 – August 1947).
229:, before undertaking garrison duties in Syria. It later fought in the
572:
Lieutenant Colonel T. C. Campbell (September 1942 – April 1944);
434:
397:
358:
591:
Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Thomas (October 1945 – November 1946);
1067:. History of the Second World War United Kingdom Military Series.
419:
389:
379:
318:
1089:
1096:
Infantry Battalions of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
278:
region, with recruits coming from Wellington; the west coast,
290:. The battalion's first commander was Lieutenant Colonel
634:
632:
450:
before being withdrawn back to Maadi in November 1942.
357:, and where a German attack was expected. Arriving in
1217:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1948
1043:
The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History
457:
and machine guns for its final campaign of the war:
933:
Land Forces of Britain, The Empire and Commonwealth
202:, also known as the "Wellington Battalion", was an
177:
172:
115:
107:
93:
85:
75:
65:
47:
39:
34:
1207:Infantry battalions of New Zealand in World War II
396:the 22nd Battalion was tasked with the defence of
1212:Military units and formations established in 1939
929:"Index of the Regiments and Corps of New Zealand"
575:Lieutenant Colonel D. G. Steele (April–May 1944);
500:After the war, the 22nd Battalion formed part of
258:Formation and garrison duty in the United Kingdom
237:. Re-formed, the battalion later fought in the
233:during which they suffered heavy casualties at
245:and along the Adriatic coast, before entering
8:
616:Andrew later achieved the rank of brigadier.
1086:
995:
983:
914:
902:
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878:
866:
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842:
830:
818:
806:
782:
770:
758:
746:
698:
686:
674:
662:
650:
638:
588:Major R. H. Spicer (August–October 1945);
532:Member of the Order of the British Empire
365:, the 22nd Battalion deployed forward to
794:
734:
722:
628:
609:
582:(May–November 1944; March–August 1945);
433:. Occupying positions at Alfrine, near
31:
1045:. Auckland: Oxford University Press.
710:
506:British Commonwealth Occupation Force
7:
566:(January 1940 – February 1942);
504:, New Zealand's contribution to the
964:Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
441:, including a disastrous action at
268:2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force
488:and then wintering in a camp near
337:by the Germans in the wake of the
25:
262:The 22nd Battalion was formed at
1091:
52:
935:. Regiments.org. Archived from
1071:: Naval & Military Press.
369:initially, but just after the
165:Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
1:
405:North Africa, Syria and Italy
528:Distinguished Conduct Medals
524:Distinguished Service Orders
361:in early April on board the
111:Vrai et fort, Second to none
1041:McGibbon, Ian, ed. (2000).
448:Second Battle of El Alamein
313:. Sailing on the transport
239:Second Battle of El Alamein
211:New Zealand Military Forces
145:Second Battle of El Alamein
70:New Zealand Military Forces
1233:
496:Occupation duties in Japan
439:First Battle of El Alamein
373:it was pulled back to the
317:, they made port calls at
231:First Battle of El Alamein
213:, which served during the
140:First Battle of El Alamein
1101:
371:German invasion of Greece
27:WW2 New Zealand Army unit
353:against the Italians in
311:2nd New Zealand Division
1030:Henderson, Jim (1958).
155:Battle of Monte Cassino
431:Syria–Lebanon campaign
425:
385:
335:cross-Channel invasion
1011:Clark, Alan (2000) .
423:
383:
548:Greek Military Cross
307:5th Infantry Brigade
18:22nd Battalion, NZEF
1015:. London: Cassell.
869:, pp. 433–445.
857:, pp. 418–432.
833:, pp. 225–228.
821:, pp. 191–217.
809:, pp. 185–190.
785:, pp. 138–139.
725:, pp. 124–128.
578:Lieutenant Colonel
562:Lieutenant Colonel
554:Commanding officers
329:before arriving at
298:recipient from the
150:Moro River Campaign
1151:27th (Machine Gun)
468:and fought around
426:
415:Operation Crusader
386:
315:Empress of Britain
227:Operation Crusader
135:Operation Crusader
89:~700–900 personnel
1194:
1193:
1013:The Fall of Crete
939:on 1 January 2008
761:, pp. 91–99.
749:, pp. 88–90.
701:, pp. 11–31.
219:Battles of Greece
193:
192:
16:(Redirected from
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1095:
1087:
1082:
1056:
1037:
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999:
993:
987:
981:
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960:"Elliott, Keith"
958:Lineham, Peter.
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689:, pp. 9–10.
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536:Military Crosses
345:Greece and Crete
321:, in Australia,
215:Second World War
125:Battle of Greece
120:Second World War
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709:
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697:
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685:
681:
677:, pp. 8–9.
673:
669:
665:, pp. 1–2.
661:
657:
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637:
630:
621:
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615:
611:
601:
556:
544:Military Medals
515:
498:
407:
394:Battle of Crete
351:already engaged
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300:First World War
260:
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130:Battle of Crete
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1038:
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1021:
1006:
1003:
1001:
1000:
998:, p. 476.
996:Henderson 1958
988:
986:, p. 475.
984:Henderson 1958
976:
950:
919:
917:, p. 460.
915:Henderson 1958
907:
905:, p. 450.
903:Henderson 1958
895:
893:, p. 449.
891:Henderson 1958
883:
881:, p. 474.
879:Henderson 1958
871:
867:Henderson 1958
859:
855:Henderson 1958
847:
843:Henderson 1958
835:
831:Henderson 1958
823:
819:Henderson 1958
811:
807:Henderson 1958
799:
797:, p. 349.
787:
783:Henderson 1958
775:
773:, p. 131.
771:Henderson 1958
763:
759:Henderson 1958
751:
747:Henderson 1958
739:
727:
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703:
699:Henderson 1958
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687:Henderson 1958
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443:Ruweisat Ridge
406:
403:
346:
343:
339:Fall of France
296:Victoria Cross
259:
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235:Ruweisat Ridge
200:22nd Battalion
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35:22nd Battalion
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1078:1-84574-067-X
1074:
1070:
1066:
1062:
1061:Playfair, Ian
1058:
1054:
1052:0-19-558376-0
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1044:
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1024:
1022:0-304-35226-8
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845:, p. xi.
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795:Playfair 2004
791:
788:
784:
779:
776:
772:
767:
764:
760:
755:
752:
748:
743:
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737:, p. 17.
736:
735:McGibbon 2000
731:
728:
724:
723:McGibbon 2000
719:
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713:, p. 18.
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519:Keith Elliott
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388:Evacuated to
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188:Haddon Donald
185:
184:Leslie Andrew
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19:
1156:28th (Maori)
1125:
1064:
1042:
1033:22 Battalion
1032:
1012:
991:
979:
967:. Retrieved
963:
953:
941:. Retrieved
937:the original
932:
927:Mills, T.F.
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898:
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874:
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802:
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778:
766:
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742:
730:
718:
706:
694:
682:
670:
658:
653:, p. 8.
646:
641:, p. 1.
612:
580:H. V. Donald
564:L. W. Andrew
557:
516:
499:
482:
466:Sangro River
463:
452:
427:
408:
387:
375:Olympus Pass
362:
348:
314:
304:
261:
199:
197:
102:2nd Division
94:Part of
29:
280:Hawke's Bay
160:Gothic Line
116:Engagements
98:5th Brigade
60:New Zealand
1201:Categories
1005:References
711:Clark 2000
411:Alexandria
276:Wellington
180:commanders
173:Commanders
1063:(2004) .
624:Citations
604:Footnotes
517:Sergeant
323:Cape Town
284:Wairarapa
272:companies
207:battalion
1069:Uckfield
546:and one
538:and one
526:, seven
502:Jayforce
490:Florence
474:Po River
367:Katerini
327:Freetown
288:Taranaki
204:infantry
108:Motto(s)
80:Infantry
969:11 June
943:11 June
513:Honours
486:Perugia
478:Trieste
470:Cassino
355:Albania
331:Gourock
253:History
247:Trieste
243:Cassino
209:of the
178:Notable
48:Country
43:1939–48
1075:
1049:
1019:
530:, one
435:Aleppo
398:Maleme
363:Hellas
359:Athens
325:, and
66:Branch
57:
40:Active
599:Notes
542:, 14
534:, 12
459:Italy
390:Crete
319:Perth
223:Crete
1186:37th
1181:36th
1176:35th
1171:34th
1166:30th
1161:29th
1146:26th
1141:25th
1136:24th
1131:23rd
1126:22nd
1121:21st
1116:20th
1111:19th
1106:18th
1073:ISBN
1047:ISBN
1017:ISBN
971:2011
945:2011
294:, a
286:and
221:and
198:The
86:Size
76:Type
540:bar
1203::
962:.
931:.
631:^
550:.
492:.
341:.
309:,
282:,
100:,
1081:.
1055:.
1025:.
973:.
947:.
20:)
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