Confidence, Initiative Shown By N.Z. Troops

Northern Advocate, 28 August 1947, Page 3

Confidence, Initiative Shown By N.Z. Troops

CHARACTERISTIC of the New Zealand soldier throughout the history of the New Zealand Army has been the confidence and initiative shown not only by leaders but also by the average man in the ranks. * This confidence of the New Zealander in his own ability to overcome any obstacle where humanly possible has helped him to overcome fear in battle and to adopt new and untried methods of attack.

In the last 100 years New Zealand soldiers have fought in many parts of, the globe and adapted themselves to every type of warfare. | They have fought in the bush of New Zealand, the deserts of Egypt and Pal- ! estine, the civilised built-up towns of j France and Italy, and the primitive jungles of the Pacific islands. j They have changed from infantry to , mounted troops, and back again to in- ■ fantry, then to armoured cars and FAST AND SLOW In the recent war there was an extreme change from the fast-moving war of the open desert in Africa to the slow-moving battles of Italy where the fight was up a mountain side, through mud, across rivers, or from house-to-house in the towns. In World War 11. New Zealand troops were dispersed in so many different lands that some requests for special forces had to be refused. Even the German High Command admitted that ’ the New Zealanders made “a particularly good assault division.” The New Zealand Division formed the spearhead of the battles of El Alamein, Metereiya Ridge and at El Agheila where they got right in behind Rommel’s Afrika Korps. In fact, as Lord Montgomery has said, New Zealanders were the spearhead of any • battle and he added, “I have never known New Zealand soldiers to let you down.” ! INITIATIVE, CONFIDENCE j It is typical of New Zealand soldiers that they seize any opportunities to use their personal initiative and do something spectacular beyond the nor-’ mal course of duty. i The recent war showed that the spirit of adventure is still active. In the Maori wars New Zealanders leaped at the chance to become Forest Rangers and scout behind the enemy : lines. In the Boer War a Composite Bushmen’s Regiment was rushed by volunteers, and subsequent treks took these soldiers into the wild, dangerous country of South Africa, over moun- ] tains, and through jungles on the boundaries of Zululand and Swaziland where skirmishes with fierce Zulu tribes occurred. | In the Great War New Zealanders ; were noted for their aggressive patrol- ' ling behind the lines of both the Ger- , mans and the Turks, and in World War 11. they patrolled behind the enemy lines in armoured cars in North Africa, and on foot in the jungles of the Solomon Islands. New Zealand commandos with Fijians penetrated Japanese positions ahead of the main Allied force. BAYONET CHARGES These special tasks performed by New Zealand soldiers needed confi-1 dence as well as initiative —it is one j thing to think up ways to outwit the enemy and quite another to put the ideas into effect when there are no friendly troops nearby for support. But the confidence of the New Zealand soldier io best illustrated by his numerous successful bayonet charges. The bayonet charge has long been I recognised as a psychological battle of ! confidence, where one side or the other turns and runs before the “cold , steel” actually makes contact. j No doubt the pakeha learned some- ■ thing of this mass psychology from the Maori in the early days. j

Boers were routed with bayonet ' charges in South Africa, and in the : Great War New Zealanders terrified | Germans when they went “over the , top” with bayonets fixed. 1 ALLENBY’S COMMENT i At Rishon le Zion New Zealand sol- ; diers defeated a strong and determined ! force of Turks with a brilliant bayol net charge, and General Allenby ' said of them, “Nothing daunted these intrepid fighters; to them nothing was impossible.” In the early part of World War 11. the bayonet was widely considered to be obsolete and English bayonets were reduced in size. The New Zealanders, however, would not give up their long bayonets because they considered the psychological impression on the enemy to be proportional to the size of the weapon. They more than proved its value in Greece, Crete and North Africa. The Maoris, of course, surpassed all with the bayonet, and the use of this weapon will be associated with the name of New Zealand for a long time to come. CHARACTER INFLUENCES Many factors have influenced the New Zealand soldier to give him the special characteristics consistently at- ' tributed to him by military authorities overseas. - New Zealanders have not had the monopoly of courage, but they have shown confidence, initiative and self- ' reliance to an extremely high degree. ' One important factor is that New Zealanders are among the best-fed people in the world and a strong physique gives confidence in any sitI uation. Sir lan Hamilton commented ' on the “superb physique” of the New Zealanders who went to the First World War. It is often suggested that initiative and self-reliance are partly derived : from pioneering and farming, which have forced New Zealanders in isolated places to think and do things for them- : selves. It has to be remembered too, l that industry in New Zealand is not ; yet highly specialised, so that many New Zealanders are accustomed to more than one type of work, being to some extent “Jacks of all trades.” ! PLENTY OF LEADERS \ All these factors foster adaptability and confidence, and the New Zealand Army has never been at a loss to find leaders from the men in the ranks. How much the pakeha owes to the Maori in developing his traditional fighting spirit it is impossible to determine, but a significant illustration can be taken from Gallipoli. During one of its bloodiest battles, when the Turks were screaming “Allah,” there could be heard above the terrifying din of shells, grenades and machine- | gun fire, the deep-throated roar of the j New Zealanders’ war chant: “Ka mate ! Ka mate ! Ka ora ! Ka ora ! ” The New Zealand military forces as a whole have now built up such a proud tradition as soldiers of first quality that the uniform with its shoulder flashes is a passport in many parts of the world. ] The comments of overseas military , authorities, from General French to Field-Marshal Montgomery show that , New Zealanders have added something I to British fighting traditions, particuI larly through their special reputation for initiative, confidence and adapta- ! bility.