N.Z.'S WAR HISTORIAN

Evening Star, Issue 25716, 13 February 1946, Page 7

N.Z.'S WAR HISTORIAN

GENERAL KIPPEHBERGER CHOSEN LEADING AUTHORITY ON WARFARE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 12. The appointment of Major-general H. K. Kippenberger, D.S.O. and bar, as editor-in-chief of the New Zealand war history was announced to-night by the Acting Prime Minister, Mr Nash. General Kippenberger,'who is at present in England, is expected to arrive in New Zealand early in April, and will commence his duties on J line 1. "Considerable importance attaches to this appointment, and the task is one which may occupy several years in completion," said Mr Nash. " When consideration is given to the overwhelming importance and unique nature of the task, there can be no doubt that no better choice of an historian could have been made. General Kippenberger has had a distinguished military and civil career, and, in addition, has long been recognised as one of New Zealand's leading authorities on matters of military history and strategy. The war history organisation will be under the direct control of the Prime Minister, and the official history, which will probably comprise a series of some 12 to 15 volumes, will be compiled from archives and material collected in every theatre of operations and in New Zealand during the war. These archives have recently been centralised and prepared for the use of the war historian by the chief war archivist, Mr E. H. McCormick."

Mr Nash added that it was proposed to prepare a series of war narratives designed to record the technical and administrative experience gained by the services and civil departments during the war, and that in addition it

was hoped to publish a prelude to the official history simply written and fully illustrated. This would be made available for sale to the public as soon as possible. The official history was intended to be an exhaustive and completely authoritative account of New Zealand's part in the war. Discussing General Kippenberger's qualifications for the post of editor-in-chief, Mr Nash said that it had been written of him: " He was an authority on all campaigns that have changed the world since Napoleon, and was more familiar with Alexander, Cjesar, Hannibal, and Scipio Africanus than most readers of war books are with Foch, Haig, and Joffre." " General Kippenberger served with the First N.Z.E.F. in France, and was severely' wounded," added Mr Nash. " Between the two wars he took a keen interest in Territorial training, and became known as an authority on the history of warfare. He enlisted immediately on the outbreak of the last war, and sailed from New Zealand with the first echelon in command of the 20th Battalion. While in command of the composite brigade in Crete he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for complete disregard of danger to himself, his energetic and aggressive spirit, and his considerable tactical skill. His gallant services also earned

him a bar to the D.S.O. He was wounded and captured near Sidi Rezegh in November, 1941, but later escaped with others in a truck from a field hospital. Everyone will remember the fortitude with which, lie bore his wounds when a mine exploded beneath his feet on the Cassino front in Italy. At that time General Kippenberger was in command of the Second New Zealand Division, and was carrying out an inspection in the forward area of the Fifth Army front. His disability did not mean that his military career was ended, and he repeatedly expressed his determination to return to service with the division in Italy. His services have since been used in control of the organisation established in England for the repatriation of New Zealand prisoners of war from the Continent. The efficiency with which this organisation functioned was a further tribute to General Kippenberger."