north african campaign

The North African Campaign

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  The second battle of El Alamein, which began 70 years ago this month, was the turning point of the war in North Africa. For New Zealand forces, this was longest and most important land campaign of WWII. But victory came at a heavy price: between 1941 and 1943, 14,000 Kiwis were killed, wounded or became prisoners of war.

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• Page 2 – Background

  Fighting in North Africa stemmed from the area’s strategic importance to the Commonwealth. Italy’s decision in June 1940 to enter the war on Germany’s side seriously

• Page 3 – Operation Crusader

  As British forces crushed the Italians in Abyssinia, elements of the Deutsches Afrika Korps (German Africa Corps) began arriving in Libya and the 2nd New Zealand Division

• Page 4 – El Alamein

  The New Zealand Division fell back to the Alamein Line, where it took part in the first Battle of El Alamein. They suffered heavy casualties at Ruweisat Ridge and El Mreir

• Page 5 – Tunisia and victory

  The New Zealand Division enters Tunisia fighting fierce battles at Tebaga Gap and Takrouna. In May 1943 Axis forces in North Africa surrender and the New Zealanders begin a

• Page 6 – The North African Campaign timeline

  Timeline showing key events of the Second World War, particularly New Zealand's involvement in North Africa.

• Page 7 – Kiwi stories

  Selected audio extracts of New Zealanders involved in the North African Campaign.

• Page 8 – Further information

  This web feature was written by Megan Hutching and Ian McGibbon and produced by the NZHistory.net.nz team. In 2011 it was revised by Gareth Phipps. Links

War oral history programme

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  Information about the now completed From Memory oral history project, including advice on how to interview war veterans

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• Page 7 - Notes and questions, North AfricaQuestions for oral history interviews with veterans of the North African