N.Z War Histories A NOTABLE SOUTH ISLAND BATTALION

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 3

N.Z War Histories A NOTABLE SOUTH ISLAND BATTALION

23 Battalion, an official war history. by Angus Ross. 586 pp. Illustrated and indexed.

"I am sure that they [soldiers] fight best of all when they are Part of a good unit, and feel it,” wrote Lord Wavell in “Soldiers and Soldiering.” The men of 23 Battalion knew they belonged to a good unit—one of the best in 2 N.Z.E.F.—and, in difficult times, this, no doubt, helped them to Play their part in building the unit’s record in a division that had few equals. As a fighting machine the 23rd Was a tough proposition for any enemy, for it was stimulated, alhiost continuously, by good leadership—that rare and elusive Quality that seemed to come naturally to many of the battalion’s commanding officers notably Lieutenant-Colonels A. S. Falconer, R. e. Romans. J. R. J. Connolly, and W. B. Thomas —and company commanders and platoon commanders like Majors F. S. ■K. Thomson and E. E. Richards. . Angus Ross, who has written the 23rd’s history, served with the battalion from its early days until January, 1944, and his association with the unit continued while he was brigade major of {he sth Brigade. Consequently, nis history of the 23rd breaks *nrough the impersonal strata of

war diaries —invariably inadequate sources of information, anyhow —and reaches to grasp the real spirit of the men who made the battalion’s proud record.

In the desert war the 23rd gained a reputation for efficiency and enthusiasm, and with its sister battalion, the 21st, was in action for a longer period during the North African campaigns than any other New Zealand infantry battalion. And, like the 21st, it always remained an effective fighting force. In Italy, the 23rd quickly learned the totally different technique of fighting in close country and in built-up areas, and it rapidly reached the standard of proficiency it achieved in the fluid campaigns in the desert.

Dr. Ross, naturally, is very proud of the 23rd—it was a fine unit by anyone’s yardstick—arid the men of the 23rd should be proud of him because he has written vividly and accurately of the battalion’s part in raising the reputation of New Zealanders in the Second World War.’ Unlike many official war histories, which are bald accounts without much to recommend them to anyone who did not serve with the unit concerned, the history of 23rd contains* much that will interest returned servicemen generally, and infantrymen in particular.