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New Zealand
Tag
(37)
1914
August
30
New Zealanders occupy Samoa
On 29–30 August 1914 New Zealand troops occupied German Samoa without a fight. Germany lost its second colony of the war after Togoland.
October
16
New Zealanders sail for war
On 16 October 1914 about 8,500 New Zealand soldiers sailed from Wellington. They were meant to fight in Europe but ended up in Egypt.
17
Australians sail for the war
In mid-October 1914 the first Australian units boarded ships and sailed for Albany. From there the convoy set out for Egypt on 1 November.
December
01
Australians and New Zealanders at Suez
On 1 December 1914 the first ships of the convoy from Australia and New Zealand anchored at Suez. The troops, bound for England, were to stay in Egypt.
1915
February
20
Australians and New Zealanders for the Dardanelles
On 20 February 1915 Kitchener ordered General Birdwood's 30,000 or so Australians and New Zealanders to prepare for operations at the Dardanelles.
April
14
Harcourt promises the dominions a voice on peace
On 14 April 1915 Colonial Secretary Lewis Harcourt told the House of Commons that the British government would consult the dominions when peace talks came.
May
08
End of the Second Battle of Krithia
On 8 May 1915 New Zealanders, Australians and French renewed the attack on Krithia. Thousands of killed and wounded bought gains measured in hundreds of metres.
August
06
Battle of Sari Bair begins
On 6 August 1915 Australians took the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine, and after dark columns from Anzac set off up the gullies towards the Sari Bair heights.
09
Decisive day of the Battle of Sari Bair
On 9 August 1915 Major Allanson's Gurkhas broke onto the Sari Bair ridge, but under fire from unknown guns they had to come down. The Anzac offensive failed.
10
End of the Battle of Sari Bair
At dawn on 10 August 1915 the Turks under Mustafa Kemal retook Chunuk Bair and drove the British off the Sari Bair ridge. The Anzac offensive was over.
November
23
British abandon Sollum
On 23 November 1915 the Egyptian garrison left Sollum and sailed to Mersa Matruh, where the Western Frontier Force was gathering to fight the Senussi order.
December
19
Key event
Start of the evacuation of Suvla and Anzac
On the night of 18/19 December 1915 half of the last garrisons left Suvla and Anzac. Next day the remaining troops staged an ordinary day for the Turks.
25
Clash at Wadi Majid
On Christmas Day 1915 the Western Frontier Force attacked the Senussi camp near Mersa Matruh and drove the order's forces out of Wadi Majid.
1916
June
10
Conscription in New Zealand
On 10 June 1916 the New Zealand House of Representatives passed the Military Service Bill by 44 votes to 4. Conscription was to cover men aged 20 to 46.
September
01
Conscription comes into force in New Zealand
On 1 September 1916 the Governor of New Zealand proclaimed enrolment for the Expeditionary Force Reserve. The Military Service Act began to work in practice.
15
Key event
Start of the Battle of Flers-Courcelette
On 15 September 1916 tanks went into battle for the first time, on the Somme. The British took Flers, Martinpuich and High Wood; the Canadians took Courcelette.
28
End of the Battle of Morval
On 28 September 1916 the Battle of Morval died down. The British held the villages taken and handed part of the front to the French, but could not go on.
October
01
Key event
Start of the Battle of the Transloy Ridges
On 1 October 1916 the British Fourth Army attacked on the Somme at Eaucourt l’Abbaye and the Flers Line, aided by tanks and New Zealanders. Next day it rained.
December
21
British occupy El Arish
At dawn on 21 December 1916 Anzac horsemen surrounded El Arish in Sinai. The Turks had left the day before and the town was taken unopposed.
23
Affair of Magdhaba
On 23 December 1916 Chauvel's mounted troops and the Camel Brigade took the Turkish redoubts at Magdhaba in Sinai and captured almost the entire garrison.
1917
January
09
Action at Rafah
On 9 January 1917 Chetwode's mounted troops took the Turkish redoubts at Rafah on the Sinai border, capturing over 1,600 men. No Turks remained in Sinai.
March
26
First Battle of Gaza begins
On 26 March 1917 mounted troops surrounded Gaza and Welsh infantry took Ali Muntar. At dusk, with the garrison close to surrender, the British broke off.
27
End of the First Battle of Gaza
On 27 March 1917 the Turks retook Ali Muntar hill and General Dobell withdrew his troops behind the Wadi Ghuzzee. The British lost nearly 4,000 men.
June
07
Key event
Battle of Messines (1917) begins
On 7 June 1917 at 3.10 a.m. 19 great mines blew up under German trenches on Messines Ridge. By evening Plumer's 2nd Army held the ridge and Oosttaverne Line.
October
04
Key event
Battle of Broodseinde
On 4 October 1917 the Anzacs took the Broodseinde ridge near Ypres, colliding in no man's land with attacking Germans. They took thousands of prisoners.
12
Key event
First Battle of Passchendaele
On 12 October 1917 Anzacs advanced in the rain on Passchendaele. By evening they were back on their old lines, and 845 New Zealanders were dead.
31
Key event
The charge at Beersheba
On 31 October 1917 the British took Beersheba. At dusk two regiments of the Australian Light Horse galloped into the town and saved its wells.
November
16
British take Jaffa
On 16 November 1917 New Zealand mounted riflemen entered Jaffa unopposed. The Turks fell back behind the Yarkon river, and only a handful of residents remained.
1918
February
21
British take Jericho
On 21 February 1918 Australian horsemen rode into Jericho, abandoned by the Turks. The Ottomans withdrew across the Jordan and the British reached the river.
March
21
Crossing of the Jordan
On the night of 21–22 March 1918 London swimmers took ropes across the swollen Jordan at Hajlah. By 23 March the British had built five bridges over the river.
27
Attack on Amman
From 27 to 30 March 1918 Australian and New Zealand horsemen, the Camel Brigade and London infantry assaulted Amman. In rain and mud they failed to take it.
August
29
New Zealanders retake Bapaume
On 29 August 1918 the Germans abandoned Bapaume by night after holding it against the Third Army for days. In the morning New Zealand patrols entered it.
31
Key event
Second Battle of Bapaume begins
On 31 August 1918 Australians attacked Mont Saint-Quentin above Péronne as the Third Army beat off counter-attacks beyond Bapaume. The battle began.
September
12
Key event
Battle of Havrincourt begins
On 12 September 1918 Byng's Third Army took Havrincourt and Trescault in front of the Hindenburg Line, while New Zealanders fought the elite Jäger Division.
23
Capture of Haifa and Acre
On 23 September 1918 lancers from Jodhpur and Mysore took Haifa by a charge, and Acre fell almost unopposed. Beyond the Jordan New Zealanders took Es Salt.
25
Capture of Amman
On 25 September 1918 New Zealand and Australian horsemen took Amman and cut the Hejaz Railway. That day the battles of Megiddo came to an end.
November
04
Key event
Battle of the Sambre begins
On 4 November 1918 the British crossed the Sambre–Oise Canal and Mormal Forest in fog, and the New Zealanders took Le Quesnoy. Wilfred Owen fell at Ors.