A History of the New Zealand (NZ) Army 1840/1990

A Short History of the NZ Army (1840s to 1990s)

FOREWORD

The New Zealand Army was founded when European settlement first took place in this country.

Its spirit was manifest by the banding together of those first settlers to protect their hearths and homes, a spirit which is still the underlying foundation of all defence forces.

From those small bands the Army has progressed to become an organisation small in number but large in professionalism.

Throughout its history it has maintained and developed its links with the community which has ensured its continued support.

It has also ensured that its citizens can quickly become soldiers when called upon to defend their homes and freedom.

Researching and writing the history of New Zealand's Army has been an ongoing task since its genesis in the 1830's.

Not surprisingly, the body of available published material grows every year.

This work is not intended to challenge the findings of works already painstakingly researched.

It is designed to provide, in a single volume, a short history of the more important events and times that have had a direct bearing on the New Zealand Army.

Major General B. Meldrum, OBE,
Chief of General Staff, Wellington 1990

This is a work in progress. If you have any thing to add please

Are Kiwis really Diggers?

There is a growing misconception in Australia that the term "Digger" applies only to Australians and that New Zealand soldiers are "Kiwis".

That might be true in the slang of the Vietnam War because in that war for the first time ever troops from both countries were intermingled in small units.

(RNZIR Companies in RAR Battalions to create 2 RAR/NZ (ANZAC), for one example)

Before that in WW1 and WW2 although we served side by side we did not have small unit integration.

This book, dated 1940, shows that New Zealanders (NZ'ers, Enzeders, Kiwis) considered themselves to be Diggers.