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Kiwis in Italy

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Italia
Mariano del Friuli
Kiwis in Italy

Pagina dedicata allo studio e alla rievocazione delle truppe neozelandesi durante la ww2

Our group's main purpose is the study and the reenactment of the new zealand's troops during the war in the italian theatre of operation

18/06/2026

ENG:
Born in Britain but raised in New Zealand from the tender age of two, Lieutenant General Sir Bernard Freyberg (1889–1963) was a charismatic and popular military leader who later served as Governor-General.
Appointed commander of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), he led his unit through campaigns in Greece and Crete, North Africa, and Italy.

Although criticized for his role in the fall of Crete in May 1941 and the destruction of the Benedictine monastery above Cassino in 1944, Freyberg was admired at home and abroad, revered by his men for his concern for their well-being and his readiness to be on the front lines of any action (in fact, he was awarded the Victoria Cross in World War I).

He was also a key figure in the race for Trieste in spring 1945, where he clashed with Josip Broz Tito's Yugoslav partisans.
After the war he was appointed Governor-General of New Zealand from 1946 to 1952.

IT:
Nato in Gran Bretagna ma cresciuto in Nuova Zelanda dalla tenera età di due anni, il tenente generale Sir Bernard Freyberg (1889-1963) fu un leader militare carismatico e popolare che in seguito ricoprì la carica di governatore generale.
Nominato comandante della 2ª Forza di Spedizione Neozelandese (2NZEF), guidò la sua unità combattente attraverso le campagne in Grecia e Creta , Nord Africa e Italia.

Pur criticato per il suo ruolo nella caduta di Creta nel maggio 1941 e nella distruzione del monastero benedettino sopra Cassino nel 1944, Freyberg era ammirato in patria e all'estero, venerato dai suoi uomini per la sua attenzione al loro benessere e la sua prontezza a essere in prima linea in qualsiasi azione (infatti nella ww1 gli fu conferita la Victoria Cross).

Fu anche protagonista della corsa per Trieste nella primavera 1945, rapportandosi con i partigiani jugoslavi di Josip Broz Tito nella fase finale del raggiungimento della città
Dopo la guerra venne nominato Governatore generale della Nuova Zelanda dal 1946 al 1952.

sources:
- second photo Freyberg at Cassino, Italy, 3 January 1944
- https://nzhistory.govt.nz/bernard-freyberg-assumes-command-of-the-nz-expeditionary-force
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Freyberg,_1st_Baron_Freyberg

16/06/2026

ENG:

Kiwis are portrayed as courageous and tireless elite troops, and by liberated civilians as friendly and cordial figures.
For this reason, one of the enemy's goals was to demoralize Allied troops.

This document, for example, is a WWII German propaganda leaflet intended for New Zealand soldiers.

The text emphasizes the heavy losses suffered by New Zealand troops in several battles, including Greece, Crete, El Alamein, and Tobruk. The leaflet specifically mentions the Battle of Cassino on March 15, 1944, as an event in which an significant number of New Zealanders lost their lives.

IT:

I Kiwi vengono presentati come truppe d'élite coraggiose e instancabili, e dai civili liberati come figure amichevoli e cordiali.
Anche per questo motivo uno degli scopi nemici era quello di demoralizzare le truppe alleate.

Questo documento, ad esempio, è un volantino di propaganda tedesca della Seconda Guerra Mondiale destinato ai soldati neozelandesi.

Il testo sottolinea le pesanti perdite subite dalle truppe neozelandesi in diverse battaglie, tra cui Grecia, Creta, El Alamein e Tobruk. Il volantino cita specificamente la battaglia di Cassino del 15 marzo 1944 come un evento in cui un numero cospicuo di neozelandesi ha perso la vita.

source:
- https://resistenzamappe.it/faenza/faenza-seconda-guerra-mondiale/celle-10-15-dicembre-1944 -10-15-dicembre-1944-8

grazie a Enrico Pedrini per la foto!

11/06/2026

WWII also posed a problem in the sporting world, especially for rugby-loving nations like South Africa and New Zealand but it wouldn't take long for the military leaders to realize the benefits rugby offered in terms of camaraderie, teamwork, goodwill, and national identity, and to resolve the whole issue with more formalized rugby matches.

Against this backdrop, "The Book" is the name of a comical rugby trophy (the Book in question is the Rules of Rugby Union and was won by the losing team) created between these two teams.
Obviously, the South Africans argued that the New Zealanders were incompetent and needed to learn the rules, while the New Zealanders claimed they had written them, so there was no need to learn them (or vice versa).

So, who won, and who takes home "The Book" to learn the rules of rugby? For the second time (19 November 1945, first 10 November 1945), the 6th Armoured Division convincingly scored 25 points, while the New Zealand 2nd Division Expeditionary Forces only managed 3, thus becoming the undisputed winners of "The Book".

In a true spirit of camaraderie, after the match, the Kiwis offered a free dinner to both teams at the New Zealand Forces Club at the Hotel Baglioni (Florence).

sources:
- https://samilhistory.com/tag/new-zealand-2nd-division/ with its bibliography
- other info. here https://airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/on-the-wing-rugby-in-the-royal-new-zealand-air-force/
- The kiwi artist illustrating the cartoons was Captain Peter McIntyre (second photo)

09/06/2026

Besides the moral support provided by tuis and sports like rugby, wood carving and spinning, music and dancing were also an excellent antidotes to nostalgia and sadness.

The 2NZEF Entertainment Unit (officially established in March 1941) was a legendary troupe, better known as The Kiwi Concert Party. Operating uniquely as both combat troops and front-line performers, they entertained Allied soldiers in the Middle East and North Africa (1941–43), Italy (1944–1945), and the Pacific (1943-45).

The director was Terry Vaughan, after Kirk-Burnnand was forced to return home with a serious ear injury. Private Wally Prictor, meanwhile, often played the lead female comic role in the sketches, impersonating everything from Carmen Miranda to nightclub singers.

sources:
- https://www.audioculture.co.nz/articles/musicians-at-war-the-kiwi-concert-party-in-world-war-ii
- https://wargaming.com/en/news/entertaining_allied_troops/
- https://youtu.be/4PA7dE1Fk3g?si=sd2wES5DRiXOY5Rm (video with others photos and music)

all the photos are from the National Library of New Zealand

04/06/2026

New Zealand's wartime rationing was primarily to create a food surplus for its British and American allies, but its own army was also fed, in ways that varied depending on its location.
In a mirror image, we see a comparison between the food shortages and rationing imposed on the British and the apparent abundance and ease of life in New Zealand.
In Britain, rationing was used to address food shortages; in New Zealand, the goal was to create surpluses. Rationing lasted from 1942 to 1950 inclusive.

It is estimated that, during the war years, New Zealand's total meat production was divided as follows:
2% – New Zealand Armed Forces
9% – US Armed Forces
32% – Domestic consumption
57% – Exports, primarily to the United Kingdom

sources:
1 https://www.cooksinfo.com/new-zealand-wartime-food/
2 https://youtu.be/804tAmSrxiw?si=H0Qd3xPI5ClME_sh
3 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19430123.2.65

02/06/2026

During WWII, Kiwis relied primarily on British Army rations and special rations developed for tropical climates. Approval varied depending on the theater of operations (North Africa, Italy, or the Pacific).

The most famous New Zealand combat ration was the New Zealand Battle Ration, a highly innovative and compact kit designed for the harsh jungle conditions of the Pacific.

During the Italian Campaign, however, New Zealand troops were supplied via the British Home Service ration scale system.

1 Soldiers eating a meal outdoors, Egypt. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch: Ref: DA-00816-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

2 New Zealand soldiers opening boxes of supplies. New Zealand. Department of Internal Affairs. War History Branch: Ref: 1/2-041657-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand.

28/05/2026

a little rest near the Ordnance QF 25

The Ordnance QF 25-pounder was the British Army's primary field gun and howitzer during World War II.

The Mark I was the first stopgap variant between 1938 and 1939. The Mark II was the definitive solution.

It supported Commonwealth troops in almost every theater of war, from North Africa (where it proved crucial against German Panzers) to the Italian Campaign and the Normandy landings.

Grazie a Roberto Medri per la foto!
La Linea del Tempo

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26/05/2026

Kiwi estivi presso Monterenzio BO il 23/24 maggio

Grazie a Monia Boscolo e Onorio Tagliaferri per i bellissimi scatti a
Ringraziamo La Linea del Tempo e CRCS onlus - Cingoli e ruote per conoscere la storia per l'ospitalità e l'organizzazione.
Speriamo di rivederci presto!

21/05/2026

Peter McIntyre (1910 – 1995) was a New Zealand painter and author.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, he enlisted in the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) and was posted to the 34th Anti-tank Battery. By 1940, he was serving in the Middle East with the 2nd New Zealand Division, where his artwork caught the attention of Major General Bernard Freyberg, the commander of the 2NZEF. Freyberg appointed him the official war artist of the 2NZEF, and McIntyre went on to produce many notable works depicting the efforts of the 2nd New Zealand Division during the war, including major engagements in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Italy.

After the war, McIntyre returned to New Zealand and worked as a professional painter up to 85 years.

1 Self-Portrait - 1945
2 Photo of Peter Mcintyre - 1958
3 McIntyre (right) with Prime Minister Walter Nash - 1958

https://www.petermcintyre.co.nz/

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19/05/2026

Our Tuis 💙❤️🤍

The Tuis were highly respected by both officers and enlisted men for their dedication. Today, their legacy is preserved through historical accounts, with their stories offering a unique glimpse into the humanitarian side of the war.

Indirizzo

Mariano Del Friuli

Sito Web

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