New Zealand Forces in North Africa: The Second Battle of El Alamein

New Zealand Forces in North Africa
With Glyn Harper
Part of a series of shows to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the battle of El Alamein on WW2TV
• El Alamein - 80th Anni...
More Australian and New Zealand content
• Australia and New Zeal...
Text from nzhistory.govt.nz/war/the-nor...
The New Zealand Division played a key role in the second Battle of El Alamein, which began on 23 October 1942. Its task, along with South African, Australian and British divisions, was to 'break in' through the enemy defences, which were now covered by deep minefields. At 9.40 p.m. the skies around El Alamein lit up as around 900 guns opened fire on known Axis positions. Twenty minutes later the infantry began their assault, advancing forward under a First World War-style creeping barrage. While the New Zealanders seized their objectives, the overall battle did not develop as Montgomery expected. Congestion, poor coordination and cautious leadership prevented Allied armoured units from taking advantage of gains made by the infantry.
Montgomery planned a new attack - Operation Supercharge - further to the south, which would essentially repeat the process of the initial attack. He looked to the New Zealand Division's experienced headquarters to plan the ‘break in’ component of Supercharge, although the division itself was too weak to provide the necessary punch. Two British brigades, with New Zealand support, would carry out the attack while New Zealand infantry battalions protected their flanks.
Glyn Harper QSM is a New Zealand historian who specialises in the military history of the 20th century. He has published several books on New Zealand's participation in the First and Second World Wars. Before becoming a writer, he served for eight years in the Australian Army before transferring to the New Zealand Army. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy in 2001 from the University of New England with a thesis on Howard Kippenberger, a New Zealand general of the Second World War. He then served as the official historian for New Zealand's military deployment to East Timor from 1999 to 2001. He retired from the New Zealand Army in 2001 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He became a lecturer at Massey University in Palmerston North, and was made an associate professor in military studies the following year. In 2003 he was appointed director of the Centre for Defence Studies. He is currently Professor of War Studies at Massey University, and supervises doctoral students.
The Battle for North Africa: El Alamein and the Turning Point for World War II by Glyn Harper
USA www.amazon.com/Battle-North-A...
UK www.amazon.co.uk/Battle-North...
NZ www.masseypress.ac.nz/books/t...
Glyn's previous WW2TV appearance
Kiwis in Crete 1941 • Kiwis in Crete 1941
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[@honahwikeepa2115]

My father and his brother and 14 cousins were 28th Maori Battalion. One KIA at Casino. One captured on Crete evacuation. My father was there before his brother who arrives after the Crete disaster. Two uncles who were teenagers went to Korea when that war started. We are Te Patuwai from Whakatane and Motiti island.

[@matthewgregg31]

My great uncle Clarence (uncle Clarry to us kids) was a private with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces and fought in El Alamein. He was a rabbiter in the Lowburn area before joining the military. One of his legs was blown to pieces by a German grenade and had to be amputated. He use to limp around with his tin leg. I still have his brass buttons and military issue knife. He was the nicest fella and I’m glad I got to know him as a kid. He did have his battles with PTSD.. Thankyou for making this!! So interesting to get a glimpse into the battle he fought.

[@gfreeman9843]

My father and 2 uncles were veterans of Alamein.Frontline troops in 4 and 5 brigades...A factor in the pursuit was heavy rain that began soon after turning the churned up earth to sludge, encounter with a large dummy minefield that had to be taken seriously,the potential of running up against rearguards, especially the 88 mm guns,and the fact that when ever the weather allowed the retreating afrika corp was being hammered by the airforce. Must have saved a few nz lives, maybe my dear old Dad's.He was with the 7 field company royal nz engineers. 1940 to 46. Great man.

[@OldWolflad]

The New Zealand lads were top notch soldiers

[@NigelAnderson-iu2bs]

my grand father was in the 27th Machine gun Battalion thru Greece, missed Crete then on arrival in Egypt became an ambulance driver and was involved in all of the North African campaign and into Italy before he sent home, thankfully survived the war but all the sand he had ingested during his time in Africa gave him huge stomach ulcers which finally got him in 1966

[@neilshaw]

My father fought in Greece and North Africa. He was captured and was held in a prisoner of war camp called Bardia. There was no real shelter, and the prisoners cooked during the day, and froze at night. He was released after about eight weeks. My father was present when Rommel inspected the prisoners. Seems strange that my father was within a few feet of that person.

[@guygardiner1920]

My late father in law was a doctor with the NZ DIV and evidently the field hospital treated Casualties from both sides. During one of the see saw battles they were over run and Rommel inspected the medical station and said carry on. Sounds like part of the Crusader battle

[@fxdci]

Great presentation. Love to hear about New Zealand's contributions to WW2. Thanks Glyn and Paul!!

[@scottgrimwood8868]

An excellent presentation on the New Zealand contribution to the battle. I am grateful to WW2TV for highlighting the actions of the British Dominion & Colonial forces in World War 2.

[@prof_kaos9341]

On Montgomery, most forget he saved the day at Dunkirk (again under Alexander). He had practiced with his division withdrawals from contact under fire and did exactly this to plug the hole in the line around Dunkirk created when Belgium surrendered without warning. On Rommel, as noted the Generals in Russia thought him, an infantry commander promoted by Hitler from his bodyguard to command the 7th Armoured Div in France, a gifted amateur. Rommel's success stopped when he stopped intercepting Col Fellows reports to Washington concurrent with the German spy ring in Cairo getting busted. While the British started getting the ULTRA decrypts. All during 1st Alamein.

[@prof_kaos9341]

Kia Ora from NZ, a comment on the Kiwi losses prior to 2nd Alamein. Freyberg had considered raising a 2nd Div in 1942 but the losses required these men to be replacements. From Greece to 1st Alamein 2NZDIV had lost over 5k mostly front line infantry ("bayonets"). A WW2 Commonwealth division had about 12k men, but only half, 6k were front line infantry. The rest being arty, AA, AT, engineers, signals, medical, supply, cooks... etc.

[@jimwatts914]

Howdy folks. Great look at the kiwi’s contributions on the ground in North Africa. A bunch of tough hombres and hell on the Axis. Outstanding presentation. Well done

[@1089maul]

Woody/Glyn - WOW, a very slick presentation. I am really enjoying Alamein presentations and this one has continued my enjoyment. Many thanks, regards Bob

[@TheVigilant109]

Wonderful presentation by Glyn. Great detail and illustrations. Look forward to Glyn's next presentation. Many thanks

[@GraemeSharp-fj9xk]

As a kiwi, I loved this episode. Learnt a lot about how resilient the 2 Division (amongst others) were in the North Africa campaign. My uncle flew in the battle of britain, and then in Singapore, and then behind the Japenese lines in Burma. There, he was affectionately called "the officer in charge of droppings"....war humour at its best! My dad has just been mentioned a number of times in the recently released book ("Those who have the courage") written by Matthew Wright, a kiwi historian. It lays out the history of the NZ Armoured Corps. Dad didn't fight in the war (he wanted to, but was too young). I love the indomitable NZ courage.....you know you are in for a stoush when they turn up! Hopefully, we have no reason for war on such a grand scale in the future......

[@sparkey6746]

Great presentation.

[@philbosworth3789]

Another great presentation by Glyn, one that adds more info about the Kiwi's contribution to the Allied war effort in the Mediterranean theatre. Brave guys, and am glad they were with us then.

[@guyh9992]

The context for the 9th division's period of rest and recovery in Syria was of course the conditions that the Australian government had in 1940 put on the commitment of three or four AIF divisions to North Africa rather than their preferred task of garrisoning the Empire in Malaya and the islands north of Australia:

[@williamyalegoodman36]

that was charles upham with kippenberger-only combat soldier to win 2 vitoria crosses.

[@AnthonyBrown12324]

Another great guest you do so well with limited resources