|
A chronology of events
affecting the New Zealand Army
|
| 1827-Jan: |
A detachment of the 57th Regiment drilled by prisoners at Kororareka, |
| 1834-Sep: |
Expedition of 50th Regiment and Royal Marines rescue Guard Family in Taranaki. |
| 1840-Feb: |
Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. |
| 1843-Jun: |
Wairau "Massacre". |
| 1844-Jul: |
Sacking of Kororareka by Hone Heke. |
| 1845-Mar: |
Attack on Kororareka. |
|
Passing of first Militia Ordinance. |
| May: |
Unsuccessful British attack on Puketutu Pa. |
| Jun: |
Unsuccessful British attack on Ohaeawai Pa. |
| 1846-Jan: |
Successful attack on Ruapekapeka Pa. |
| 1858-Jun: |
Passing of the Militia Act. |
| 1860-Apr: |
Start of Taranaki and Waikato Anglo-Maori Wars. |
| 1863-May: |
Colonial Defence Act 1862 comes into effect. |
| Aug: |
Raising of Taranaki Bush Rangers. |
| 1864-Apr: |
Battle of Gate Pa. |
| 1867-Oct: |
Disbandment of Special Forces. Passing of Armed Constabulary Act. |
| 1870-Feb: |
Last British regiment (the
18th) leaves New Zealand. |
| 1872-Feb: |
Official end of Anglo-Maori Wars. |
| 1878 |
First "Russian Scare". |
| 1886-Sep: |
Armed Constabulary divided into the Police and Field Force. |
| 1899-Sep: |
New Zealand offers contingent for Anglo-Boer War. |
| 1900-Feb: |
Relief of Kimberley. |
| 1902-May: |
Boers surrender. |
| 1909-Feb: |
Passing of the Defence Act. |
| 1914-Aug: |
War declared against Germany. |
|
German Samoa occupied. |
| Dec: |
Main Body arrives in Egypt. |
| 1915--Feb: |
First combat action on the Suez Canal. |
| Apr: |
Landing on Gallipoli
peninsula. |
| Aug: |
Battle for Chunuk Bair. |
| Dec: |
Withdrawal from Anzac Cove. |
| 1916-Apr: |
NZ Mounted Rifle Brigade deployed to Sinai peninsula. |
|
NZ Division arrives in France. |
| Sep: |
The Somme. |
| 1917-Mar: |
First Battle of Gaza. |
| Apr: |
Second Battle of Gaza. |
| Jun: |
Messines. |
| Jul-Nov: |
Ypres |
| Sep: |
Polygon Wood. |
| Oct: |
Passchendaele. |
|
Capture of Beersheba |
| Nov: |
Occupation of Jaffa. |
| 1918-Mar: |
German advance on Western Front. |
| Feb: |
Capture of Jericho. |
| Mar: |
Battle of Amman. |
| Jul: |
Allied advance on Western Front. |
| Sep: |
Surrender of Turkish Army. |
| Oct: |
Le Cateau and Selle River. |
| Nov: |
Le Quesnoy and surrender of German Armies. |
| 1921-Aug: |
Official end of World War I. |
| Dec: |
Disbandment of NZEF. |
| 1931-jun: |
Suspension of compulsory clause of the 1909 Defence Act. |
| 1937-jul: |
Council of Defence formed. |
| 1939-Sep: |
War declared on Germany. |
|
Raising
of 6,600 strong all-volunteer "Special Force". |
| Oct: |
Raising of 28 (Maori) Battalion. |
| Dec: |
"2nd
New Zealand Exped itionary Force" adopted as official title. |
| 1940- |
Deployment of 2nd NZ Division to Egypt and the U.K. |
| Nov: |
8 Brigade established in Suva, Fiji. |
| Dec: |
First Libyan Campaign. |
| 1941-Apr: |
Battle for Greece. |
| May: |
Battle of Crete. |
| Nov: |
2nd NZ Division in Egypt is together for the
1st time as a complete entity (20,000 men). |
| Dec: |
War declared on Japan. |
| 1942-Jan: |
14 Brigade established in Fiji and B-Force assumes divisional status. |
| Feb: |
2nd NZ Division deploys to Syria. |
| May: |
"3rd NZ Division" title adopted by B-Force. |
| Jun: |
2nd NZ Division returns from Syria for the start of the five-month Battle for Egypt. |
|
2nd
NZ Division withdraws from Minquar Qaim. |
| Jul: |
Rout of the Italian "Ariete Division". |
|
Battles for Ruweisat Ridge and El Mreir Depression |
| Sep: |
Battle of Alam el Halfa. |
| Oct: |
N and T-Forces deploy to Norfolk Island and Tonga. |
|
Battle of El Alamein. |
|
Advance Party of 3rd NZ Division deploys to New Caledonia. |
| Nov: |
Pursuit starts of retreating Axis forces from Alamein Line. |
| Dec: |
2nd NZ Division executes the "left hook" around Axis forces at El Agheila. |
| 1943-Jan: |
Capture of Tripoli. |
| Mar: |
The NZ Corps (2nd NZ Division, 8th Armoured Brigade and L-Force (Free French) outflank the Mareth Line breaking through the Axis forces at the Tebaga Gap. |
| Apr: |
Battle for Takrouna. |
| May: |
Axis Forces in Tunisia surrender. |
|
2nd NZ Division returns 1900 miles to Egypt. |
| Aug: |
3rd NZ Division arrives in Guadalcanal. |
| Sep: |
Italian armistice signed. |
|
Landing on Vella Lavella. |
|
NZ Squadron of the Long Range Desert Group deploys to the Aegean Islands. |
| Oct: |
2nd NZ Division sails from Egypt bound for Italy. |
|
Vella Lavella declared secure. |
|
Italy declares war on Germany. |
|
Landing on Mono and Stirling Islands in the Treasury Islands. |
|
Organised Japanese resistance ceases in Treasury Islands. |
|
2nd NZ Division occupies a sector of 8th Army front near
the Adriatic coast and crosses the Sangro River. |
| Dec: |
N-Force withdrawn from Norfolk Island. |
|
Orsogna captured after three weeks of fighting. |
|
NZ Squadron of Long Range Desert group disbanded. |
| 1944-Feb: |
Start of Battle of Cassino for the New Zealanders. |
|
Landing on Nissan Island. |
| Apr: |
2nd NZ Division withdrawn from Cassino battle. |
| Jul: |
Last New Zealand troops withdrawn from the Solomons. |
|
2nd NZ Division advances towards Florence. |
| Sep: |
2nd NZ Division deployed to eastern Italian front. |
| Oct: |
3rd NZ Division disbanded in New Zealand. |
| 1945-Apr: |
Crossing of the
Senic, River. |
| May: |
Trieste occupied. |
|
Germany surrenders. |
| Aug: |
Japan surrenders. |
| Oct: |
J-Force formed in Italy. |
| 1946-jan: |
HQ 2nd NZ Division disbanded in Italy. |
| Mar: |
J-Force arrives in
Kure. |
| 1948-Oct: |
J-Force returns to New Zealand. |
| 1949-Aug: |
National referendum on conscription held. |
| 1950-May: |
First Intake of CMT.
(Compulsory Military Training) |
| Jun: |
South Korea invaded by the North Koreans. |
| Jul: |
NZ Army commitment to UN Force in Korea announced. |
| Dec: |
Kayforce arrives in Pusan, Korea. |
| 1951-Apr: |
Battle of
Kapyong. |
| 1953-Jun: |
Ceasefire announced in Korea. |
| 1954-Jul: |
Korean armistice signed. |
| 1955-Jun: |
1st NZSAS Squadron raised at
Waiouru. |
| Dec: |
1st NZSAS Squadron deploys to Malaya for the Emergency. |
| 1957-Aug: |
Last elements of Kayforce return to New Zealand. |
| Dec: |
1st Battalion, The NZ Regiment deploys to Malaya. |
|
End of CMT announced. |
| 1959-Nov: |
2nd Battalion, The NZ Regiment deploys to Malaya. |
| 1960-Jul: |
The end of the Malayan Emergency. |
| 1962-May: |
First Intake of National Emergency. |
| 1964-Jun: |
RNZE detachment deployed to South Vietnam. |
| Aug: |
Start of Confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia. |
| 1965-May: |
NZ Government announces combat assistance to
South Vietnam. |
| Jul: |
161 Battery deployed to Bien Hoa. |
| 1966-Jun: |
161 Battery redeployed in Nui Dat under command of HQ
1st Australian Task Force. |
| Aug: |
End of Confrontation. |
| 1967-May: |
Victor One rifle company deployed to Nui Dat. |
|
NZ Services Medical Team deployed to Bong Son. |
| Dec: |
Whisky One rifle company deployed to Nui Dat. |
| 1968-Nov: |
NZSAS troop deployed to Nui Dat. |
| 1970-Oct: |
1st NZ Army Training Team deployed to Chi Lang. |
| 1971-Dec: |
Withdrawal of last combat elements from South Vietnam. |
| 1972-Feb: |
2nd NZ Army Training Team deployed to Dong Ba Thin. |
| Apr: |
Defence Act 1971 comes into force. |
| Dec: |
Withdrawal of all NZ Army elements from
South Vietnam. |
|
End of National training announced. |
| 1978-Oct: |
Queen Elizabeth H Army Memorial Museum opened. |
| 1979-Apr: |
NZ Army Truce Monitoring Contingent deployed to Rhodesia. |
| 1980-Mar: |
NZATMC returns to New Zealand. |
| 1982-Apr: |
New Zealand Army personnel arrive in the Sinai as part of the Multi-National Force and observers (MFO) |
| 1984-Jan: |
Army restructured around a 1,200 man Regular Force Ready Reaction Force with an Integrated Expansion Force containing both Regular and Territorial Force soldiers in a
brigade group. Both the RRF and IEF are supported by a Force Maintenance Group. |
| 1985-jan: |
Officer Cadet School of New Zealand established at Waiouru, taking over functions previously carried out by the Officer Cadet Training Unit and the Officer Cadet
Training Company. |
| 1986-Apr: |
Six women soldiers made the first female military parachute descent in New Zealand into the Waitemata Harbour. |
| Jul: |
Defence and Security: what New Zealanders want (Comer Report) published. |
| 1989-Nov: |
Ministry of Defence restructured into two divisions, a policy Ministry of Defence and
an operational New Zealand Defence Force. |
| Dec: |
New Zealand Defence: Resource Management Review (Quigley Report) published. |
| 1990-Apr: |
Legislation passed to formalise Ministry of Defence restructure. |
| Dec: |
NZ Government announces Medical assistance to Gulf. |
