Overview
The Libyan campaign was of particular significance to New Zealanders as New Zealand played a major role in Libya. New Zealanders played both combat and noncombat roles during the Libyan Campaign. An example of the combat role is The New Zealand 2nd Division which famously fought in Operation Crusader from 18 November–30 December 1941. The division suffered a loss of 879 men and 1,700 wounded during the operation. However New Zealand also had various non combat personnel serving in Libya. These included engineers which helped with the construction of railroads across North Africa. Medical units were also sent to Libya assisting both Allies and Axis troops. A radio broadcasting unit was sent in order to provide both entertainment and information to soldiers. It is also important to note that the homefront made considerable contributions to the Libyan Campaign. The efforts of the various New Zealand forces in Libya and at home proved to be indispensable. New Zealand’s role in Libya is the reason it is of significance to New Zealanders. The Libyan Campaign and New Zealand's contribution to the campaign also had a major impact on New Zealand both at the time and since.
Contribution
Combat Contribution
The 2nd New Zealand division which was primarily controlled by the General Bernard Freyberg was present in Libya and Tunisia from December 1942 – May 1943. The division also played a major role in Operation Crusader. The failure of the German Blitzkrieg during Operation Crusader proved that the German tactics could be beat. This provided a significant morale boost for the New Zealand soldiers. New Zealand troops played a major role in this operation and had success in many areas. The first of these was Sollum this area was captured by New Zealanders of the 5th Infantry Brigade which at this point included members of the 28th Maori Battalion. One member of the Maori Battalion made a comparison between the desert and New Zealand. “The desert strangely enough looked this morning rather like the area between the Bluff and Invercargill as we drove over it.” New Zealanders also had success at Fort Capuzzo which was seized by the New Zealand Division on 22 November. Another point of success was Tobruk. New Zealand was able to successfully achieve their objective of relieving Tobruk but at a heavy cost. Overall Operation Crusader had large casualties 879 were killed and 1700 wounded. The New Zealand Division had been very successful but incurred significant losses. The achievements of this Campaign boosted morale as it was the first battle New Zealand had achieved significant victory in since Crete in May 1941. The victory also impacted the morale on the New Zealand homefront with newspaper headlines reading “New Zealand Drive Succeeds”. Publications such as this let all of New Zealand know of the success in Libya. However Sir Geoffrey Cox an intelligence officer during the campaign, believes that Operation Crusader did not receive enough acclaim. He described it as ‘the forgotten battle of the Desert War’. The Operation was well recognised at home at the time however since then battle such as: Crete or Monte Cassino have been more recognized despite Operation Crusader incurring more significant casualties.
Another vital New Zealand combatant force was the Long Range Desert Group. The Long Range Desert group was a reconnaissance unit which consisted primarily of New Zealand volunteers in its early stages. The unit was essential to desert operations as knowledge of terrain is essential to victory in the desert. . This group played a vital role across various offensives during the Libyan campaign. The New Zealanders which were part of this force faced a range of different situations and thus became very adaptable.
New Zealanders also contributed in the form of Engineering and Railway building. These areas were essential to the Allied Libyan Campaign and despite not being a combat unit on many occasions they risked life and limb in order to carry out their operations. The railway men served under The 16th and 17th Railway Operating Companies along with a Survey, Construction and Maintenance Company. The supply routes that these men created were effective, cheap and proved indispensable during the Libyan Campaign. The importance of supply is highlighted by the quote from T F Cody in the official History of New Zealand in World War II. “Planning a battle is not solely a matter of deploying brigades, regiments and divisions—they have to be fed, watered and munitioned, and in a desert neither food nor water are easily obtained,” British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery also recognised New Zealands
contribution “Now it’s the railway versus Rommel”
New Zealand Engineers had many different tasks across the Libyan Campaign. During Operation Crusader they worked on on water points and reservoirs. This was vital as water was so difficult to obtain in the desert but was obviously a necessity. Many New Zealand Engineers also worked on clearing and deactivating mines often in order to allow tanks to pass. These detonation operations were dangerous as they involved detonating a cordtex which fired all mines simultaneously. The engineering units suffered casualties all over North Africa during the period June-December 1941 alone the collective units(5,6,7,8) Field Companies and Postal Unit suffered 1 death, 43 wounded and 27 prisoners of war were taken. The contributions of the New Zealand engineers were crucial to operations in Libya and their efforts should be recognised.
Medical
The New Zealand Medical Units which served during the Libyan Campaign made large contributions to the effort and often were put in situations of great danger. The medical units treated New Zealand,British, South African and enemy soldiers. The Medical Units had to deal with large influxes of patients during larger battles. An example of this is during the Operation Crusader period. From 23 November to 5 December 1941 the New Zealand Mobile Surgical Unit had 190 patients admitted and operated on 112 Wounded. This was a limited mobile unit which had to cope with hordes of patients. The nature of the desert also made the sterilization of equipment very difficult. The combination of sand and the lack of water limited the utensils available to the Medical units in Libya. It is clear that the New Zealand units had to deal with difficult situations. However Medical Units were also put in great danger. An example of this is the 6 Field Ambulance which served with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The 6 Field Ambulance contained nurses, doctors and stretcher bearers who were all unarmed. However despite this they often had to go under heavy fire in order to retrieve injured soldiers. Members of the 6 Field Ambulance and other Medical units were also taken as prisoners of war. It is evident that the Medical Units made a large contributions and sacrifices for the Libyan Campaign as they risked their lives and faced tough conditions.
Radio
The New Zealand “Mobile Broadcasting Unit” provided both entertainment and war correspondence. The unit faced tough conditions in the desert. Initially they had planned to use large pieces of equipment however they found these to be “too large and sophisticated for field work”. They thus decided to create more mobile recording equipment which included a leather cover, a suitcase with thirty discs, cutters, two microphones, cords, a vibrtor converter, a small microphone stand, a 12-volt battery and sundry odds and ends. The unit recorded various experiences from the 2NZEF as they moved with the New Zealand Division across the Western Desert. These men faced the same conditions as soldiers and provided vital information to troops across the Middle East.
New Zealand Personnel Perspective in Libya
The soldiers who fought during the Libyan Campaign found the conditions of the desert to be very harsh. The presence of various insects and animals such as: bulldog ants, fleas, mice, black beetle and a few lizards often resulted in disturbing conditions. However more impacting was the low food quality and the lack of reliable water supplies. Water supply was often contaminated intentionally using dung thus making wells unreliable. Water was a major issue as the intense heat during the day meant that hydration was essential. The lack of water and vast areas in the desert means that if stranded the chance of survival is low. Many soldiers also mention the dullness of the desert particularly during travel. Throughout the Libyan Campaign many New Zealand personnel were taken as prisoners of War. The Italian prisoner of war camps were very dull and the Italians made the prisoners work. The working conditions were not as harsh as those of the Japanese. However the living conditions were rough. The camp meals were inadequate; however many Prisoners of War received food parcels prepared by the Red Cross in New Zealand. The New Zealand personnel which served in Libya faced difficult conditions in many different situations
HomeFront
The New Zealand home front also played a major role during the Libyan Campaign. Economically the home front produced various goods which were to be sent overseas. An example of this is the company Watties approximately 1,740,000 cans of vegetable stew in 1941-42 using fresh ingredients grown locally on the Heretaunga Plains. The home front also sent care packages and other items to soldiers fighting in the war. In 1942 600 food parcels were sent each and 4000 clothing parcels were sent during 1942. These were sent to active soldiers as well as prisoners of war. This is shown by the quote from the red cross ““almost all pows captured in north africa received food parcels.”These parcels would have been a blessing for prisoners of war as conditions were very harsh. Woman also knitted greatcoats, jerseys, balaclavas and gloves for soldiers which proved useful during the cold Desert nights. The contribution of the home front was vital to the campaign as it provided supplies which were essential to the Campaign.
The Libyan campaign was of particular significance to New Zealanders as New Zealand played a major role in Libya. New Zealanders played both combat and noncombat roles during the Libyan Campaign. An example of the combat role is The New Zealand 2nd Division which famously fought in Operation Crusader from 18 November–30 December 1941. The division suffered a loss of 879 men and 1,700 wounded during the operation. However New Zealand also had various non combat personnel serving in Libya. These included engineers which helped with the construction of railroads across North Africa. Medical units were also sent to Libya assisting both Allies and Axis troops. A radio broadcasting unit was sent in order to provide both entertainment and information to soldiers. It is also important to note that the homefront made considerable contributions to the Libyan Campaign. The efforts of the various New Zealand forces in Libya and at home proved to be indispensable. New Zealand’s role in Libya is the reason it is of significance to New Zealanders. The Libyan Campaign and New Zealand's contribution to the campaign also had a major impact on New Zealand both at the time and since.
Contribution
Combat Contribution
The 2nd New Zealand division which was primarily controlled by the General Bernard Freyberg was present in Libya and Tunisia from December 1942 – May 1943. The division also played a major role in Operation Crusader. The failure of the German Blitzkrieg during Operation Crusader proved that the German tactics could be beat. This provided a significant morale boost for the New Zealand soldiers. New Zealand troops played a major role in this operation and had success in many areas. The first of these was Sollum this area was captured by New Zealanders of the 5th Infantry Brigade which at this point included members of the 28th Maori Battalion. One member of the Maori Battalion made a comparison between the desert and New Zealand. “The desert strangely enough looked this morning rather like the area between the Bluff and Invercargill as we drove over it.” New Zealanders also had success at Fort Capuzzo which was seized by the New Zealand Division on 22 November. Another point of success was Tobruk. New Zealand was able to successfully achieve their objective of relieving Tobruk but at a heavy cost. Overall Operation Crusader had large casualties 879 were killed and 1700 wounded. The New Zealand Division had been very successful but incurred significant losses. The achievements of this Campaign boosted morale as it was the first battle New Zealand had achieved significant victory in since Crete in May 1941. The victory also impacted the morale on the New Zealand homefront with newspaper headlines reading “New Zealand Drive Succeeds”. Publications such as this let all of New Zealand know of the success in Libya. However Sir Geoffrey Cox an intelligence officer during the campaign, believes that Operation Crusader did not receive enough acclaim. He described it as ‘the forgotten battle of the Desert War’. The Operation was well recognised at home at the time however since then battle such as: Crete or Monte Cassino have been more recognized despite Operation Crusader incurring more significant casualties.
Another vital New Zealand combatant force was the Long Range Desert Group. The Long Range Desert group was a reconnaissance unit which consisted primarily of New Zealand volunteers in its early stages. The unit was essential to desert operations as knowledge of terrain is essential to victory in the desert. . This group played a vital role across various offensives during the Libyan campaign. The New Zealanders which were part of this force faced a range of different situations and thus became very adaptable.
New Zealanders also contributed in the form of Engineering and Railway building. These areas were essential to the Allied Libyan Campaign and despite not being a combat unit on many occasions they risked life and limb in order to carry out their operations. The railway men served under The 16th and 17th Railway Operating Companies along with a Survey, Construction and Maintenance Company. The supply routes that these men created were effective, cheap and proved indispensable during the Libyan Campaign. The importance of supply is highlighted by the quote from T F Cody in the official History of New Zealand in World War II. “Planning a battle is not solely a matter of deploying brigades, regiments and divisions—they have to be fed, watered and munitioned, and in a desert neither food nor water are easily obtained,” British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery also recognised New Zealands
contribution “Now it’s the railway versus Rommel”
New Zealand Engineers had many different tasks across the Libyan Campaign. During Operation Crusader they worked on on water points and reservoirs. This was vital as water was so difficult to obtain in the desert but was obviously a necessity. Many New Zealand Engineers also worked on clearing and deactivating mines often in order to allow tanks to pass. These detonation operations were dangerous as they involved detonating a cordtex which fired all mines simultaneously. The engineering units suffered casualties all over North Africa during the period June-December 1941 alone the collective units(5,6,7,8) Field Companies and Postal Unit suffered 1 death, 43 wounded and 27 prisoners of war were taken. The contributions of the New Zealand engineers were crucial to operations in Libya and their efforts should be recognised.
Medical
The New Zealand Medical Units which served during the Libyan Campaign made large contributions to the effort and often were put in situations of great danger. The medical units treated New Zealand,British, South African and enemy soldiers. The Medical Units had to deal with large influxes of patients during larger battles. An example of this is during the Operation Crusader period. From 23 November to 5 December 1941 the New Zealand Mobile Surgical Unit had 190 patients admitted and operated on 112 Wounded. This was a limited mobile unit which had to cope with hordes of patients. The nature of the desert also made the sterilization of equipment very difficult. The combination of sand and the lack of water limited the utensils available to the Medical units in Libya. It is clear that the New Zealand units had to deal with difficult situations. However Medical Units were also put in great danger. An example of this is the 6 Field Ambulance which served with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The 6 Field Ambulance contained nurses, doctors and stretcher bearers who were all unarmed. However despite this they often had to go under heavy fire in order to retrieve injured soldiers. Members of the 6 Field Ambulance and other Medical units were also taken as prisoners of war. It is evident that the Medical Units made a large contributions and sacrifices for the Libyan Campaign as they risked their lives and faced tough conditions.
Radio
The New Zealand “Mobile Broadcasting Unit” provided both entertainment and war correspondence. The unit faced tough conditions in the desert. Initially they had planned to use large pieces of equipment however they found these to be “too large and sophisticated for field work”. They thus decided to create more mobile recording equipment which included a leather cover, a suitcase with thirty discs, cutters, two microphones, cords, a vibrtor converter, a small microphone stand, a 12-volt battery and sundry odds and ends. The unit recorded various experiences from the 2NZEF as they moved with the New Zealand Division across the Western Desert. These men faced the same conditions as soldiers and provided vital information to troops across the Middle East.
New Zealand Personnel Perspective in Libya
The soldiers who fought during the Libyan Campaign found the conditions of the desert to be very harsh. The presence of various insects and animals such as: bulldog ants, fleas, mice, black beetle and a few lizards often resulted in disturbing conditions. However more impacting was the low food quality and the lack of reliable water supplies. Water supply was often contaminated intentionally using dung thus making wells unreliable. Water was a major issue as the intense heat during the day meant that hydration was essential. The lack of water and vast areas in the desert means that if stranded the chance of survival is low. Many soldiers also mention the dullness of the desert particularly during travel. Throughout the Libyan Campaign many New Zealand personnel were taken as prisoners of War. The Italian prisoner of war camps were very dull and the Italians made the prisoners work. The working conditions were not as harsh as those of the Japanese. However the living conditions were rough. The camp meals were inadequate; however many Prisoners of War received food parcels prepared by the Red Cross in New Zealand. The New Zealand personnel which served in Libya faced difficult conditions in many different situations
HomeFront
The New Zealand home front also played a major role during the Libyan Campaign. Economically the home front produced various goods which were to be sent overseas. An example of this is the company Watties approximately 1,740,000 cans of vegetable stew in 1941-42 using fresh ingredients grown locally on the Heretaunga Plains. The home front also sent care packages and other items to soldiers fighting in the war. In 1942 600 food parcels were sent each and 4000 clothing parcels were sent during 1942. These were sent to active soldiers as well as prisoners of war. This is shown by the quote from the red cross ““almost all pows captured in north africa received food parcels.”These parcels would have been a blessing for prisoners of war as conditions were very harsh. Woman also knitted greatcoats, jerseys, balaclavas and gloves for soldiers which proved useful during the cold Desert nights. The contribution of the home front was vital to the campaign as it provided supplies which were essential to the Campaign.