New Zealand committed 3 (NZ) Div to the South Pacific Command as part of the USMC 1 Marine Amphibious Corps, the RNZAF had over 20 Squadrons operating against the Japanese and the RNZN committed most of it’s ships (around 60) as part of the US led 7th Fleet Task Forces until 1944 when they formed part of the British Pacific Fleet. And our commitment to the war in the Pacific was very much a secondary effort to the European/Mediterranean theatres.
Did i see the first hummer truck design 😮 wow , true fact my grandfather said they had pinecones for hand grenades in training,and in taking a pillbox in training,one the boys got hit in the head with pinecone and the company's had a big scrap lol 😂28th Maori battalion ,big respect and thank you to all services past and present ❤❤😊
In December,1941 we had 20 or 30 Valentine tanks. 30 Lockheed Hudson bombers, and about half were still in their crates. No fighter planes. First P-40 Kittyhawks arrived in June 1942.
@@mattyallen3396 Following the fall of Singapore ( Feb. 1942), New Zealand was in real threat of invasion until the US naval victory at the Coral Sea, May 1942 . Name me one credible threat to the military security of New Zealand today. The only country with the capability of invading New Zealand is the USA.
Wow !!!....they had uniforms...boots...shoes...undies....hats...guns...lunch box and drink bottles...rainoats ready to go....one size fits all.....who knew years before they would need all this....cause it wasnt done onite !
Toward the end of the war, RNZAF had a formidable air force for the size of NZ. Good pilots were New Zealand's best export during the war, especially during the Battle of Britain. But in the days of potential invasion by the Japanese the various assortment of war planes on New Zealand soil would've been torn up by the Japanese Mitsubishi Zeroes. And the proceeding invasion would've been swift had it occurred. However I would've liked to see what would've happened in some strange parallel universe. But thank god for the US Marines. Bless them all.
The world is a rapidly changing place, the west has gone to sleep including NZ . Putin has made a move and China is constantly probing the pacific nations and looking to expand . We need to start spending serious money on defence and modernise our armed forces. Australia are going through the same thing and Britain is starting to gear up and wake up. I hate war as much as anyone but I hate the idea we can't defend ourselfs and support our mates over the ditch and our other allies.
