28th battalion commonly known infantry battalion served second world war formed following pressure labour government members parliament mps organisations country wanted unit raised service overseas followed footsteps served world war success wanted raise profile serve alongside subjects british_empire gave generation people noted military ancestry chance test warrior skills raised second new zealand expeditionary force 28th battalion attached 2nd extra battalion moved division infantry brigades battalion fought greek north african italian campaigns earned formidable reputation fighting force subsequently acknowledged allied german commanders decorated new_zealand battalion war following end hostilities battalion contributed contingent personnel serve japan disbanded january history formation 28th battalion origins start second world war war europe began seen inevitable sir started discuss proposals formation military unit volunteers similar served world war proposal support community idea began grow seen opportunity participate citizens british_empire test warrior skills new_zealand government hesitant october decision announced proposal accepted battalion raised addition battalions support units formed brigades 2nd decided battalion key positions including officers non commissioned officers initially filled largely new european descent decision met assurances time suitable candidates positions regard decided battalion commanding officer regular officer major later promoted lieutenant colonel january second command reserve officer lieutenant colonel position rank major men veterans world war considerable experience immediately effort focused selecting identifying officers end volunteers called units formed 2nd new recruits end november reported serving officers required prove positions new battalion concurrently recruiting men fill ranks positions began early october weeks nearly men enlisted process carried recruiting officers worked closely tribal authorities recruits restricted single men aged later married men allowed join children similar ages january battalion came time marking official raising north grounds formation decided battalion organised tribal lines unit consisted headquarters company rifle companies designated company recruited company company east_coast company wellington chatham february saw issuing equipment commencement training punctuated medical dental treatment ceremonial duties surrounding commemoration treaty lack previous experience technical trades hampered training battalion unit short men able serve roles drivers majority personnel drawn mainly rural backgrounds consequently men roles trained scratch organisation battalion finally completed march men allocated respective companies march 28th battalion declared active service days leave battalion conducted week concentration period embarking battalion strength time officers ranks united_kingdom sailing cape_town battalion arrived scotland weeks sea initially destined join rest 2nd middle_east concerns possible invasion united_kingdom decision divert division second brigade sized force included 28th battalion britain help bolster island defences late june early july 28th battalion attached mixed brigade brigadier time manned defences south england undertook training battalion suffered lack equipment largely priority given equip british units following losses suffered france consequently training largely focused anti gas procedures route marching july inspected king said impressed close order arms drill fine physique determined men shortly began quick deployment defensive manoeuvres earnest fears invasion grew exercises training undertaken battalion worked improve fixed defences july august september exercises varied size company battalion level involved differing scenarios enemy forces september divisional review undertaken amidst massive german air raids london new declared ready line service event german landing warning orders deployment egypt cancelled new placed command taking defensive positions dover region october attached command squadron tanks squadron cavalry medium machine gun company following month invasion considered unlikely battalion returned winter remaining months time limited training undertaken invitation battalion fielded rugby team welsh park losing later month battalion received order begin preparing egypt advance party dispatched mid december january rest battalion left middle_east embarking liverpool castle middle_east sailing cape town castle sailed east coast africa entered suez_canal arriving harbour march afternoon battalion days later arrived desert met motor transport carried camp miles cairo point met reinforcements replace men laid bring battalion higher establishment shortly moved alexandria embarked bound greece greece april german invasion greece yugoslavia began order help defend greece composite force divisions australian british new_zealand troops deployed grouped title force time invasion began divisions arrived new consequently spread thin holding position north tasked defend strategic pass south time 28th battalion attached later grouped australian new_zealand units form vastly outnumbered days situation allies good germans broken defences bulgarian border yugoslav resistance collapsed situation worsened orders came brigade headquarters passes held man round april fall precipitated order battalion withdraw positions south events battalion remained position digging constructing defences april ordered withdraw gorge western aspect time 5th orders changed holding action delay withdrawal pass alongside 28th battalion fought engagement war preparation coming attack built position running barbed wire digging german bombers overhead night carried patrols contact following morning divisional cavalry carrying rearguard action conducted withdrawal battalion position making forward allied unit german forces halted battalion position doubt ordered withdraw decided stand miles south end remained position april previous days battalion worked hard repel repeated attempts elements infiltrate lines finally received order fall isolated contact germans amidst high winds heavy rain new difficulty withdrawing difficult terrain pass manoeuvre continued night germans continued harass rearguard units carried considerable urgency intention blow bridge battalion withdrawn order delay german advance end battalion engineers tasked carrying demolition received order complete task detonate battalion arrived shortly meeting motor transport battalion moved began prepare defend order help seal exit pass withdrawal continued april called conduct delaying action rest pulled miles south roads packed vehicles civilian traffic withdrew amidst considerable confusion arrival battalion time dig receiving order position order way 6th completed april taking positions army defended according legend took position marsh preparations defence april athens decision units forces withdrawn country course days battalion withdrew athens arrived early morning april continued beach destroying vehicles equipment went confusion orders counter orders battalion carrier mortar gotten separated rest unit april final beach commenced arrived operation went according plan april transports embarked groups detached battalion able way beaches number ultimately captured battalion casualties greece killed died wounds wounded captured wounded captured crete evacuated greece embarked landing ship infantry hms taken crete formed island hastily formed garrison allocated area surrounding airfield battalion positioned north coast brigade right flank germans launched opening stages campaign large scale parachute drops troops landings focused airfield troops landed area held small force troops found occupying house beach miles platoon dispatched attack brief fire fight new wounded germans killed remaining men house surrendered main german attack focused 22nd battalion defending airfield hard pressed late day 22nd requested reinforcements commander sent company 23rd 28th task given company company commander knew direct route night approach march miles cover march came contact platoon sized force germans briefly held company reinforcements arrive german force surrendered number threw grenade new wounding men response fixed carried bayonet charge new_zealand force war killing short later killed separate engagement continuing 22nd battalion number small pockets germans eventually linking 22nd battalion headquarters told return lines decision withdraw airfield hours later company reported 28th battalion lines course days battalion involved series engagements fought defend island notable probably bayonet charge undertook australian 7th battalion 42nd street germans killed accounting soon clear garrison crete need evacuated bulk began germans begin retreat took turns australian battalions carry rearguard action guard pass troops traverse order escape final order received shipping losses possible evacuate order maintain battalion allotted certain number men remain defend beaches allow away allocated men embark officers men stay large number men volunteered remain midnight remainder headed beach taken landing ship hours later battalion suffered casualties brief defence island including men killed men wounded captured wounded leadership battalion fighting crete received north_africa escape crete 28th battalion evacuated egypt issued summer uniforms began receive reinforcements june carried ceremonial parade queen commander 2nd lieutenant general july battalion undertook desert training sports moving concentrated rest 5th week combined operations exercise later august moved position miles west known september october undertook unfamiliar task road construction october brigade received orders link rest division preparation commitment battle frontier november concentrated near days later division assembled began advance libya task capture seaside town taken november italian garrison casualties follow artillery inflicted killed wounded including commanding officer lieutenant colonel company commanders seven italian prisoners taken following placed command 4th 28th battalion took positions near days later battalion attacked column tanks infantry column december later notable actions undertaken italians prisoners captured following battalion deployed syria returning egypt june officially command time lieutenant colonel love having taken took 2nd breakout undertaking successful bayonet charge time battalion skills bayonet earned reputation hunters german commanders including september october battalion took important actions offensive depression second battle november battalion supported final breakthrough allied forces decided outcome battle casualties high time commanding officers killed wounded july november battalion remained fighting march undertook defensive role switching offensive point gap responsible completely destroying german battalion action second lieutenant performed deeds led posthumously decorated victoria_cross battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel received leadership attack weeks later night april battalion took 5th attack village village situated atop steep slope attack stalled heavy concentrations indirect fire wounded number men including commanding officer sections command managed scale western gain pinnacle early dawn following heavy hand hand combat italian defenders forced pinnacle twice time led small force counterattack afternoon men captured number machine gun mortar positions italians forcing surrender actions recommended victoria_cross nomination approved received distinguished conduct medal instead italy battalion returned egypt 5th late underwent period refit bulk original unit given months leave returned new_zealand following evacuation hospital lieutenant colonel suitable senior officers available replaced commanding officer lieutenant colonel september having taken allied invasion sicily july august 2nd committed battle late battalion subsequently arrived italy october landing taranto undertook period training close country tactics remaining camp taranto november ordered north miles join 2nd moved line november order relieve 8th advance planned end month brigade subsequently occupied positions brigade reserve occupying series low hills formed river valley forward units reached early november general commander 15th planned lieutenant general strike river coastal plain november montgomery shifted 8th right secret narrow corps concentrate power bringing newly arrived gap heavy rain flooded river forcing offensive giving germans time reinforcements early hours november attack began supported heavy artillery concentrations new advanced steadily capturing bulk objectives brigade reserve stood attack required december 2nd took time attacking battalions exploited forward moved forward truck december crossing heavy congestion road delayed battalion movements scheduled assault arrived find 23rd battalion completed task ordered reserve occupying positions mile east december 6th assaulted involved heavy fighting capturing losing following counter attack german armour subsequent attack planned new 5th attack scheduled december brigades advance battalion lead assault 5th section spur cut road east 6th objective planned assault companies forward depth reserve support armour anti tank guns provided difficult terrain prevented tracked vehicles moving attack began following half hour artillery bombardment marked battalion battle italian soil initially progress germans managed hold december amidst intense hand hand fighting finally withdrawn line night january relieved indian unit course battle lost men killed wounded new subsequently transferred advance west coast italy rome leaving bitter cold peninsula battalion undertook period training reorganisation near time replaced officer major promoted lieutenant colonel subsequently led battalion july advance valley major engagement came early took fighting position dominated historic monastery january allies continued advance checked german positions advance stalled night february attempt establish german lines tasked attacking railway station met stiff resistance managed reach railway station unable control defenders lacking armoured support failed arrive fought morning afternoon position assaulted german tanks forced withdraw assaulting companies suffered cent casualties losing men killed wounded march involved fighting position eventually captured time new withdrawn line transferred losses battalion return july subsequently took allied advance florence believed reach city august time major led battalion acting commanding officer young hospitalised returned late august subsequently led fighting september november took command december battalion launched attack commanding officer later received winter snow set allied temporarily focused offensive action died january february march battalion undertook defensive duties withdrawn line mid march april battalion returned line final stages war april battalion entered line near rest 5th month involved main battles rivers allies pursued germans war came end involvement final stages fighting italy cost killed wounded losses entire italian campaign men killed wounded disbandment news received german forces west surrendered officially end fighting italy days later night battalion received news germany surrendered allies war europe tensions remained high concerns intentions yugoslavia disputed province meant 28th battalion remained high alert continued early june agreement reached yugoslavia withdrew troops east following routine battalion settled time found men company spend fortnight hotel beach preparations began battalion return new_zealand war japan continued time believed operations pacific new_zealand policy time long serving men repatriated places taken men time service regard commencing late drafts men departed order arrival battalion included commanding officer lieutenant colonel replaced lieutenant colonel july battalion undertook garrison duties 2nd withdrawn august news received japan surrender ending plans battalion combat pacific september decided departure new_zealand troops theatre memorial services held locations division major battles program services held crete smaller parties sent batch long service men departed shortly battalion arrival lake decided battalion return new_zealand formed unit return delayed found winter quarters florence time decided men battalion included new_zealand contribution occupation japan vein strong contingent battalion sent japan designation squadron command major finally december battalion florence embarked dominion monarch taranto boxing day passing suez_canal sailed arriving wellington january met acting prime minister official welcome home ceremony men sent homes battalion disbanded course war men served battalion killed died wounds wounded died result service following discharge killed accident training new_zealand service germans north_africa earned distinguished reputation respect allied commanders frequently unit commented infantry distinguished record saw fighting heavy casualties battalion reputation acknowledged opponents sources state commander remarked conquer world sources attribute comment chief staff general met chaplain reverend reunion dinner germany decorations total received individual bravery decorations new_zealand battalion member battalion second lieutenant awarded victoria_cross war member recommended award fighting led section men sheer limestone capture number italian positions following day set capture italian outposts generals including recommended receive victoria_cross recommendation downgraded london distinguished conduct medal lodged claim award distinguished conduct medal upgraded victoria_cross december released findings supporting claim october new_zealand minister defence announced award king ruled awards second world war ought instead decided recognised presentation altar cloth personal letter queen elizabeth_ii acknowledging gallantry sword award presented son duke york march ceremony awards members 28th battalion included seven distinguished service orders member order british empire military crosses bars distinguished conduct medals military medals british battle honours following list battle honours received 28th battalion second world war pass crete north_africa italy greece 42nd street withdrawal middle_east defence line advance florence salute commanding officers following list 28th battalion commanding officers lieutenant colonel january february lieutenant colonel february lieutenant colonel july lieutenant colonel july november lieutenant colonel november april lieutenant colonel april september lieutenant colonel september december lieutenant colonel young december july lieutenant colonel july august lieutenant colonel young august november lieutenant colonel november june lieutenant colonel june january
Māori Battalion