20th infantry battalion served second world war 2nd war converted armoured regiment formed new_zealand command lieutenant colonel period training embarked middle_east greece 2nd participated battles greece later crete evacuated crete fought suffered heavy losses effectively destroyed 15th division brought strength battalion played key role breakout 2nd june encircled following month battalion suffered heavy casualties october battalion converted armoured unit designated 20th armoured regiment replace men lost personnel drawn tank brigade formed new_zealand regiment spent year egypt training tanks embarking italy october join participated fighting actions later regiment finished war remained weeks large numbers yugoslav partisans present city withdrew required service pacific theatre operations regiment late history formation following outbreak second world war new_zealand government authorised formation 2nd service home abroad following consultation decided main new_zealand contribution war effort form infantry division 2nd require battalions infantry consequently infantry battalions formed new_zealand volunteers formed early october command lieutenant colonel period training departed middle_east january 2nd battalion arrived base egypt february involved training garrison duty months greece crete anticipated invasion greece germans decided send troops support greeks engaged italians albania 2nd number allied units dispatched greece early march tasked defence northern greece 20th battalion preparing manning defences western end line april germans invaded greece advance rapid quickly threatened gap withdrawn pass manned defences superior previous positions april german forces reached pass brigade defended positions days withdrawn battalion rearguard brigade withdrawal evacuated crete april crete 20th battalion detached form new hoc command battalion second command lieutenant colonel command opening day invasion crete battalion positioned east town counterattack airfield allowed occupied germans previous day delayed arrival relief meant battalion late starting position attack unsuccessful resulted heavy casualties high germans losses fell germans danger cut successfully assisted recapture town battalion withdrew marked beginning retreat southwest coast crete rejoined battalion previous command 10th brigade capture arrival evacuation beaches found insufficient room australian destroyers designated transport battalion personnel bulk battalion evacuated forced select men stay form rearguard command manning defensive positions prevent germans evacuation beaches rearguard evacuated following day north_africa 20th battalion evacuated egypt having lost half original complement personnel greece crete campaigns short period rest set bringing battalion strength nearly replacements joined battalion separated battalion reasons previous months greece crete continued arrive weeks way mediterranean means including small mid june battalion strength weeks spent battalion previous positions engaged intensive desert training november battalion participated engaged offensive operations area night november 18th battalion tasked night time capture hill adjacent units moved positions navigational error resulted headquarters company separated companies battalion took daylight contact remainder battalion located expected position having taken hill losses shortly arrival wounded machine gun fire evacuated battalion held hill days destroyed elements 15th division counterattack man managed escape capture rebuilding number 20th battalion personnel involved battle unfit recovering injuries leave attending training courses men numbering formed nucleus reformed battalion early december personnel temporarily deployed returned battalion december end month battalion command promoted brigadier given command brought strength reinforcements months oversaw training new command based later february battalion rest 2nd syria defend possible attack turkey middle_east germans syria battalion prepared defences assigned sector digging weapons pits undergoing training following attack line army africa 2nd recalled libya june battalion left kilometres journey took days complete period division best moved 20th battalion remaining days act security engineers laying minefields joining division division hold delay advance long remaining intact middle afternoon june division encircled units approached number 2nd positions including 20th battalion sector northern successfully beaten new broke evening 4th brigade german lines northern flank chosen withdrawal route action subsequent breakout battalion casualties light thirteen men killed reached line june july battalion engaged known held enemy centre line dominating surrounding area western end ridge tasked capture centre ridge 5th allocated deal eastern end british tanks form armoured brigades protect flanks support deal expected counterattack little thought given communication liaison infantry armoured brigades clear chain command established implications outcome battle night time advance 20th battalion positioned ridge reserve 18th 19th battalions discovered advance bypassed numerous strong points leaving german line ridge largely intact supporting british armour seen supporting artillery anti tank units unable break leaving new_zealand brigades position exposed ridge difficulty radio communications dash enemy lines contact british armour reaching british brigades commanding officer resisted advance passing british general authorised british mounted time armoured support arrived flanking battalion 5th brigade overrun leaving battalions exposed receiving fire enemy counterattack elements 15th division launched afternoon july limited number anti tank guns present exposed quickly forced withdraw left infantry surrounded large numbers forced surrender soldiers positions surrounded nightfall brigade overrun 18th battalion managed escape largely intact 20th battalion nearly men taken prisoner conversion armour half 20th battalion wounded killed captured withdrawn brought strength previously decided form armoured brigade provide tank support 2nd result 1st formed brigade undergoing training new_zealand september decided convert 4th brigade armour instead personnel transferred tank brigade new_zealand bring strength constituent units brigade officially designated 20th armoured regiment october regiment squadrons tanks spend year training learning use signalling equipment guns tanks expected use squadron equipped squadrons operating unreliable later replaced initially oversaw transition armour returned new_zealand replaced lieutenant colonel close north african campaign attention turned european theater operations despite preference sections new_zealand government 2nd pacific theater decided division having served desert campaign remain europe accordingly october division moved join italy italy 20th armoured regiment disembarked taranto october gradually travelled italy duly crossed december following weeks regiment involved supporting role 5th 6th brigades attack infantry gains german defences strong attack soon faded stalemate number forth actions regiment lost number tanks fighting generally acquitted withdrawn line following month wounded lieutenant colonel took command regiment following withdrawal area 2nd number divisions transferred engaged western overall strategy breach break italian supporting british american artillery division formed command new_zealand divisional commander major general corps moved defenders resisted american forces weeks 20th armoured regiment play supporting role forthcoming attack infantry 5th 6th brigades bearing battle attack began march regiment initially held reserve ready exploit breakthrough infantry infantry struggled progress face determined resistance week squadrons regiment involved small scale raid actions march regiment moved area controlled new_zealand infantry essentially mobile tanks vulnerable artillery german patrols troops squadrons regiment rotated town day shifts new_zealand infantry relieved early april 20th armoured regiment stayed line end month disbanded period rest training followed 20th armoured regiment returned action temporarily split squadrons detached support separate operations conducted 5th 6th brigades advances following normandy landings italian campaign reduced considerable value tying german forces regiment rejoined supported infantry brigades advanced florence entered city august 2nd transferred advanced squadron regiment supported attack greek mountain brigade september october involved action brigade attack 20th armoured regiment left flank primarily tank action contrast previous battles armour supported infantry having advanced seven miles complete objectives regiment supported 2nd making attack river evening october regiment fired hour long barrage high explosive shells create diversion cover canadians landings far bank late 20th armoured regiment crossed squadrons supported infantry battalions 6th brigade attacks town december regiment involved supporting infantry lines early february regimental chaplain appointed member order british empire efforts organising evacuating wounded infantry phase war disbandment period rest 20th armoured regiment returned lines early april series advances retreating german rearguard regiment company leading element 2nd entered german garrison quickly surrendered necessary deal elements refused surrender new yugoslav partisans present city fact partisans reluctant allow germans surrender new regiment rest 2nd remained weeks counter presence partisans laid claim city mid june partisans withdrew city weeks determined new_zealand government division required service pacific theatre operations longest serving men regiment steadily returning new_zealand early required come active service end august elements regiment withdrawn positions near florence mid september decided send latest reinforcement drafts assembling new_zealand japan serve occupation force men 20th armoured regiment required accelerated process accordingly regiment officially disbanded december war successor 20th armoured regiment lost officers men killed action later died wounds including men died prisoners war nearly personnel prisoners war honours personnel 20th battalion highly decorated including members awarded victoria_cross awarded actions captain awarded actions later won bar actions july members battalion including commanders awarded members appointed member order british empire awards gallantry successor 20th armoured regiment awarded following battle honours pass greece crete 42nd street withdrawal middle_east defence line north_africa advance florence pocket salute crossing italy commanding officers following officers served commanding officer 20th battalion lieutenant colonel september april lieutenant colonel april december july august june major july lieutenant colonel july august lieutenant colonel september november june december lieutenant colonel december january december january march lieutenant colonel january major december january lieutenant colonel march october major october december
20th Battalion (New Zealand)