The New Zealand 2nd Division was that country's major land formation during much of World War II. Commanded for much of its existence by Lieutenant General Sir Bernard Freyberg. It fought in most of the major campaigns of the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean theatres from 1940 to 1945. Combatants Allied Powers Axis Powers Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 17 million military deaths 8 million military deaths {{{notes}}} World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a military conflict that took place between 1939 and 1945. ... The Rt Hon. ... The Middle East Theatre of World War II is defined largely by reference to the British Middle East Command, which controlled Allied forces in both Southwest Asia and eastern North Africa. ... The Mediterranean region. ... Theater in military terms, is a geographic location used for military operations. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Its first major operation was the abortive attempt to defend Greece from attack. Along with the British and Australian forces that formed the bulk of the rest of the British Empire forces in the country, it was unceremoniously bundled out of the mainland by the Germans. Freyberg was judged to have performed extremely well during the evacuation, and he was given command of all Allied forces on the island of Crete. Consequently, the 2nd Division temporarily lost him as its commander. However, the attempt to defend Crete was as doomed as that to defend Greece had been. German paratroopers landed, and gradually gained the upper hand over the Allied forces in the battle for the island. Greece and Crete saw some of the heaviest casualties suffered by the New Zealanders in the whole war. Once more the division was withdrawn without much of it's equipment. The unit's ability to help itself to enemy - and allies - heavy weapons and transport lead to it being nicknamed "Freyberg's Forty Thousand Thieves". Crete (Greek Κρήτη / Kriti) is the largest of the Greek islands and the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea. ... Combatants Greece New Zealand Australia United Kingdom Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Freyberg Kurt Student Strength 43,000 45,000 Casualties 3,500 dead 1,900 wounded 17,500 captured 6,200–22,000 dead, wounded, or captured {{{notes}}} The Battle of Crete (German Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek Μάχη της Κρήτης) began on the...

Following the disasters in Europe, the division was then integrated into the regular order of battle of the Eighth Army. It fought in many of the critical battles in the North African Campaign over the next year and a half, including playing a prominent role in the Second Battle of El Alamein, breaking through the German positions and getting behind Rommel's flank. However due to failure of British armour to reinforce the Division following a successful night attack against the Germans at Ruweisat Ridge, a full brigade (3000 men) was lost during the fighting that resulted when German Panzars counter attacked the NZ infantry the follwing morning. The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy. ... During World War II the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from September 13, 1940 to May 13, 1943. ... Combatants Allies (mostly Commonwealth forces) Axis (mostly German and Italian) Commanders Bernard Montgomery Erwin Rommel Strength 200,000 men, 1,030 tanks, 900 guns, 530 aircraft 100,000 men, 500 tanks, 500 guns, 350 aircraft Casualties 13,500 dead and wounded, 710 tanks 12,000 dead and wounded, 25,000...

The division's return to Europe was made during the Italian Campaign. Having taken no part in the Allied invasion of Sicily, due to being in refit at the time, the division joined battle again in late 1943. It took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino, ultimately failing in its attempt to capture the monastery and town. The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. ... Husky was also the codename of Australian military support to Sierra Leone ending in February 2003. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... Combatants Allies (Free French, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, USA, UK, Canada) Nazi Germany Commanders Harold Alexander Albert Kesselring Frido von Senger Richard Heidrich Strength  ?  ? Casualties ~54,000 casualties ~20,000 casualties The strategic position of Monte Cassino has made it the repeated scene of battles and sieges from...

Several times during the campaign, a 'New Zealand Corps' was formed. This was not a true corps, with a full staff and set of corps troops. It was more a temporary extension of the division. New Zealand simply did not have the resources to fully man a corps level formation. The New Zealand 3rd Division, then fighting in the Pacific Ocean Areas against the Japanese, was demobilized with the bulk of its officers and men then transferred to the 2nd NZ Division in part to replace losses. With combat on the scale of WWII, a division was a small tactical unit in many situations, with the American's in particular leaving a Division in action until it was effectively destroyed before replacing it with a fresh Division. The New Zealand 3rd Division was the main New Zealand Army unit to see action in the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War. ... Pacific Ocean Areas was a major Allied military command during World War II. It was one of four major commands during the Pacific War, and one of two United States commands in the Pacific theatre of operations. ...

Following two assaults on Monte Casino, the NZ Division was employed as an Assault Division of the 8th Army during a series of difficult night crossings of major Italian rivers, along which the Germans had erected their defensive lines. The closing weeks of WW2 saw the NZ Division race to Trieste in northern Italy to confront Tito’s partisans, and prevent that city’s forced absorption into greater Yugoslavia. Location within Italy Quay along the Adriatic Trieste (Latin Tergeste, Italian Trieste, German and Friulian Triest, Slovenian and Croatian Trst) is a city and port in northeastern Italy right on the border to Slovenia. ... Josip Broz Tito (May 7, 1892 - May 4, 1980) was the ruler of Yugoslavia between the end of World War II and his death in 1980. ... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in all south Slavic languages, in Macedonian and Serbian Cyrillic Југославија) is a term used for three separate but successive political entities that existed during most of the 20th century on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe. ...

Captain Charles Upham, VC and bar, NZ 2nd Division was the only British or Commonwealth serviceman to be awarded the Victoria Cross twice during WW2. Charles Upham Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham, VC and bar (September 21, 1908 - November 22, 1994) was a New Zealand soldier who won the Victoria Cross twice during World War II. Earning the Victoria Cross and Bar for outstanding gallantry and leadership in Crete in May 1941, and at Ruweisat Ridge...

By the end of the war, the New Zealand division had a reputation as a tough unit with good troops, as described within 5th Panzar Division intelligence reports. It had earned that reputation by fighting in many of the fiercest battles of the war, and it was well deserved.

General Bernard Montgomery, who commanded the Eighth Army and who would later command the land forces in the Normandy Invasion, was so impressed with the New Zealanders that he recommended that the division should be used in the invasion of Normandy but it was fighting in the Battle of Monte Cassino at the time. Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy. ... The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading Allies. ... Combatants Allies (Free French, India, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, USA, UK, Canada) Nazi Germany Commanders Harold Alexander Albert Kesselring Frido von Senger Richard Heidrich Strength  ?  ? Casualties ~54,000 casualties ~20,000 casualties The strategic position of Monte Cassino has made it the repeated scene of battles and sieges from...