Illustrations
The end of the Eighth Army advance which had begun at El Alamein in Egypt in October 1942: New Zealanders rest beside their gear in the Castello San Giusto of Trieste, in north-east Italy, in May 1945. The war against Germany had been won, but already the ‘cold war’ had started with the confrontation of the Powers of the West and the East on the frontier of Yugoslavia
The snow-clad Monte Cairo towers above the monastery and town of Cassino as they were before their destruction in February–March 1944
Looking north to the Apennines from the junction of the Liri and Rapido valleys
Acquafondata, the village from which convoys took supplies to the distributing points in the Apennine mountain sector
A hairpin bend on the Inferno Track
An aerial view of the road zigzagging up the southern slope of Colle Belvedere and over the shoulder of Colle Abate towards Terelle. On the other side of Colle Belvedere is the entrance of the pass through the mountains to Atina
Guns bombarding the Gustav Line
Hove Dump before it was shelled by the Germans
The ruins of the monastery
The devastation of Cassino
Tanks of 19 Armoured Regiment and British infantry enter Cassino, 18 May 1944
Italian refugees return to their homes while the New Zealand Division advances beyond the Gustav Line
In conference at Headquarters 5 Brigade: an American military attaché, Brigadier K. L. Stewart, Brigadier C. E. Weir, Colonel R. C. Queree, General Freyberg and Brigadier G. B. Parkinson
General Freyberg and the Prime Minister, Mr Peter Fraser, at Headquarters 5 Infantry Brigade near Sora
Looking towards Sora from Vicalvi. The upper Liri valley disappears in the distance on the right
In the upper Liri valley beyond Sora
New Zealand signalmen near Castiglione during 6 Infantry Brigade’s attack on Monte Lignano
New Zealand infantrymen return to their transport after driving the Germans off the high ground around Monte Lignano
The first Tiger tank knocked out by New Zealand tanks was claimed by 18 Armoured Regiment during 5 Brigade’s attacks on Villa Bonazza and Villa Strada in the Pesa valley
Headquarters 23 Battalion in temporary occupation of a palatial villa during the advance to Florence
A New Zealand 25-pounder gun crossing the Pesa River
A New Zealand ‘tank buster’ (M10) passing through San Casciano shortly after the enemy had withdrawn from this keypoint in his defences south of Florence
The Pian dei Cerri hills rise above the village of Cerbaia, on the bank of the Pesa River. Half-way up the ridge to the left is the village of San Michele
The front of the church in San Michele, where D Company of 24 Battalion withstood several counter-attacks
The Tiger tank captured intact by 22 Battalion at La Romola stands alongside one of 4 Armoured Brigade’s comparatively small Sherman tanks
A medium gun of the Royal Artillery in support of the New Zealand Division during the advance to Florence
Colonel B. Barrington is introduced to King George VI by General Leese during the King’s visit to the New Zealand sector south of Florence. Brigadier L. M. Inglis is on the other side of the car
Florence remained virtually in no-man’s land for some time after Eighth Army reached the south bank of the Arno River
One of 20 Armoured Regiment’s tanks which accompanied the first New Zealanders into Florence
Italian partisans greet the Allied troops as they enter a Florence suburb south of the Arno
General Freyberg with Mr Churchill and General Alexander shortly after the capture of Florence
‘It is now impossible to know when going along the roads whether a man is an Italian or a New Zealander,’ General Freyberg complained at the end of the Florence campaign
The Gothic Line in September 1944: a dug-in German tank
The coastal plain south-east of Rimini, where Eighth Army broke the Gothic Line
One of the first tanks to enter Rimini was this Sherman of 19 Armoured Regiment
A German gun emplacement on the Adriatic coast at Viserba, north of Rimini
Refugees making their way along the beach near Viserba
Artificial moonlight from searchlights to assist a night advance on the Adriatic front
The Bailey bridge over the Scolo Rigossa on the way into Gambettola
Every man lends a hand to extricate a vehicle from the mud near Gambettola
Crossing the Lamone River into Faenza
Germans from 90 Panzer Grenadier Division captured in the vicinity of Faenza
An Ark (a tank with ramps for bridging canals and ditches) on Route 9 between Forli and Faenza
Men of 28 (Maori) Battalion going into position near the Senio River
Evacuating civilians from the battlefront
A mortar crew in action close to the Senio stopbank
On the eastern stopbank of the Senio River
New Zealanders playing ‘two-up’
After the prolonged bombardment of the enemy’s defences and the flaming of the stopbanks, the infantry move forward for the assault crossing of the Senio
Dazed by the bombardment, the enemy surrenders to New Zealanders who have crossed the Senio River
German guns abandoned among the havoc caused by the Desert Air Force
Italians who had stayed in Barbiano throughout the bombardment greet the New Zealanders as they pass through the village
9 Infantry Brigade ready to go into action for the first time. Men of 27 Battalion wait in Kangaroos before crossing the Senio
Germans captured by the New Zealanders near Massa Lombarda
The enemy’s side of the stopbank of the Gaiana River, where the New Zealand Division fought its last set-piece battle
German transport bombed and abandoned south of the Po River
A ten-barrelled Nebelwerfer also abandoned by the enemy
Artillery crossing the New Zealand Engineers’ folding-boat equipment bridge on the Po River
The pontoon ferry on the Adige River
Partisans with a captured German truck
Germans who have surrendered to the partisans
Ninth Brigade enters the crowded streets of Monfalcone
General Freyberg confers at Monfalcone with the commander of 9 Corps of the Fourth Yugoslav Army
Beyond the castle on the Miramare peninsula lies the city of Trieste
The New Zealand Division enters Trieste
During the occupation of Trieste: General Freyberg, General McCreery and Brigadier Gentry at Headquarters 9 Brigade
New Zealand tank men fraternise with a Yugoslav tank crew
New Zealanders shoot off flares to celebrate the end of the war with Germany
Officers of 22 Battalion and their guests at a dance listen to an item by the battalion band
New Zealand skiers at the alpine leave centre in the Dolomites
On leave in Venice
In front of the cathedral in Florence
Passing the time at Advanced Base while awaiting repatriation
The Maori choir singing a hymn during the memorial service in Crete
Veterans of the battle in Crete are entertained by the people of Galatas during their visit to the island for the memorial service
About to depart from Advanced Base on the first stage of the voyage to New Zealand
Jayforce parade before leaving Italy for the Far East
The Home-Coming. The Dominion Monarch carrying the Maori Battalion arrives in Wellington
