Organisation of 2 NZ Division
These organisations are primarily based on Phillips (1957, p. 27), Doherty (1999), and Plowman, J. and Thomas, M. (2000, 2002). I have ignored HQ (unless it included armoured vehicles), transport, support, administration, and band elements.
El Alamein, 23 Oct 1942
Divisional Artillery
4 NZ Field Regiment
25 Field Battery: 2 x Troops: 4 x 25-pounder guns
26 Field Battery
46 Field Battery5 NZ Field Regiment
27 Field Battery
28 Field Battery
47 Field Battery6 NZ Field Regiment
29 Field Battery
30 Field Battery
48 Field Battery7 NZ Anti-Tank Regiment
14 NZ Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
41 LAA Battery
42 LAA Battery
43 LAA Battery
2 NZ Div Engineers
6 Field Company
7 Field Company
8 Field Company
2 NZ Div Cavalry
27 NZ (MG) Battalion
4 NZ Infantry Brigade18 NZ Battalion (Auckland)
19 NZ Battalion (Wellington)
20 NZ Battalion (Canterbury-Otago)
5 NZ Infantry Brigade
21 NZ Battalion (Auckland)
22 NZ Battalion (Wellington)
23 NZ Battalion (Canterbury-Otago)
28 NZ (Maori) Battalion
6 NZ Infantry Brigade
24 NZ Battalion
25 NZ Battalion
26 NZ Battalion
9 Armoured Brigade (attached)
3 Hussars
Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry
Warwickshire Yeomanry
2 NZ Div Cavalry
Greece
2 NZ Div Cavalry
RHQ
4 x Marmon Herrington Mk II
2 x Universal CarrierHeadquarters Squadron
SHQ: Office Truck
Motorcycle Troop: 41 Motorcycles3 x Squadron (A, B, C)
SHQ:
2 x Marmon Herrington Mk II
2 x Universal Carrier2 x Troop: 3 x Marmon Herrington Mk II
4 x Troop: 3 x Universal and/or Bren Carrier
Italy
2 NZ Div Cavalry
RHQ
5 x Staghound Mk I
1 x Lynx Scout Car
1 x White Scout CarHeadquarters Squadron
3 x Squadron (A, B, C)
SHQ:
2 x Staghound Mk I
1 x Lynx Scout Car
2 x White Scout Car5 x Troop:
1 x Staghound Mk II
2 x Staghound Mk I1 x Troop: 3 x Lynx Scout Car
The Staghound Mk I had a 37mm Gun. The Staghound Mk II was a Kiwi adaptation with a 3" Howitzer in place of the 37mm.
Italy, 1943
Major change is the conversion of 4 NZ Infantry Brigade to armour (and the loss of the attached British Armoured Brigade). 22 NZ Battalion joined 4 NZ Armoured Brigade as the Motorised Battalion.
Divisional Artillery (as above)
2 NZ Div Engineers (as above)
2 NZ Div Cavalry
27 NZ (MG) Battalion
4 NZ Armoured Brigade
18 NZ Armoured Regiment
19 NZ Armoured Regiment
20 NZ Armoured Regiment
22 NZ Motorised Battalion
5 NZ Infantry Brigade
21 NZ Battalion
23 NZ Battalion
28 NZ (Maori) Battalion
6 NZ Infantry Brigade (as above)
'Armcav', Italy, 25 Jul - ??, 1944
'Armcav' was an adhoc force comprising (Plowman & Thomas, 2002):
C Squadron, 2 NZ Div Cavalry
Tanks from 19 NZ Armoured Regiment
Infantry from 22 NZ Battalion
M10s from 31 Anti-tank Battery
Engineers
Signallers
Italy, 1945
Major change is the creation of 9 NZ Infantry Brigade comprising 22 NZ Battalion, transferred from 4 NZ Armoured Brigade, plus 27 NZ (MG) Battalion and 2 NZ Div Cavalry, both converted to infantry.
Divisional Artillery (as above)
2 NZ Div Engineers (as above)
4 NZ Armoured Brigade
18 NZ Armoured Regiment
19 NZ Armoured Regiment
20 NZ Armoured Regiment
5 NZ Infantry Brigade (as above)
6 NZ Infantry Brigade (as above)
9 NZ Infantry Brigade
22 NZ Battalion
2 NZ Divisional Cavalry Battalion
27 NZ (MG) Battalion
Unit names
Units went by a variety of names, both official and unofficial (Ross, 1959). As an example the name 23rd (Canterbury-Otago) Battalion
- 23rd (Canterbury-Otago) Battalion - official name throughout the war.
- ‘23 Canto’ - official abbreviation authorised 8 Apr 1940.
- ‘Cant-Otago’ - a more popular official abbreviation authorised on 30 Apr 1940.
- 23rd New Zealand Battalion - as a result of the order of 29 Aug 1941 which mandated the words ‘New Zealand’ or the abbreviation ‘NZ’ to form part of the designation of all units in the NZEF.
- ‘23 Battalion’ - unofficial name adopted because not all the South Island men were from Canterbury-Otago.
- ‘The Twenty-third’ - unofficial name adopted for the same reason.
- 23rd Rifle Battalion’ - unofficial name adopted in routine orders once the unit left NZ.
Sources
Doherty, R. (1999). A Noble Crusade: The history of the Eighth Army 1941-45. Spellmount.
Phillips, N. C. (1957). Italy (Vol. 1): The Sangro to Cassino. War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs. New Zealand.
Plowman, J. and Thomas, M. (2002). 2nd New Zealand Divisional Cavalry Regiment in the Mediterranean. Kiwi Armour 3.
Plowman, J. and Thomas, M. (2000). 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade in Italy. Kiwi Armour 1.
Ross, A. (1959). 23 Battalion. On-line http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-23Ba.html. War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs. New Zealand.