Background - The North African Campaign

Background

Lasting from 1940 to 1943, North Africa was the longest and most important land campaign fought by New Zealanders in the Second World War. Forces from the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth and the British Empire, together with contingents from enemy-occupied European states, and in the later stages the United States, battled against those of Italy and Germany.

New Zealanders were involved in this struggle for three main reasons. First, they were in the area when the campaign opened. This was the First Echelon of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), the force New Zealand had raised after its declaration of war on Germany on 3 September 1939. Second, Germany's blitzkrieg that led to its occupation of France and the Low Countries in May-June 1940 removed the possibility of 2NZEF reaching its intended destination, the Western Front. Finally, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's decision in June 1940 to throw in his lot with Hitler seriously jeopardised the British position in Egypt. Immense concentrations of Italian forces in Libya and Abyssinia dwarfed the 36,000 British troops in the region. This threat became real when Italian forces crossed the Libyan border into Egypt in September 1940.

For the bulk of the New Zealanders, the main focus was 'the Div'-the 16,000-strong 2 New Zealand Division commanded by First World War Victoria Cross winner Bernard ('Tiny') Freyberg, who also commanded 2NZEF. Composed initially of volunteers, it formed the main fighting element of 2NZEF.

Setting

When the First Echelon arrived in Egypt on February 1940, they were in the curious situation of being stationed and engaging in hostilities in a country that was neutral, for Egypt did not declare war on Germany until 1945.

A camp was established on the outskirts of Maadi - twelve kilometres south of central Cairo. A subsidiary camp was established at Helwan, twelve kilometres further south. A railway line linked both these camps to Cairo.

Until late in 1942, the division saw action in the western part of Egypt, with several forays into Libya. The physical challenge of the desert was immense. Nights could be cold but daytime temperatures soared, especially in summer. In the forward positions during daytime soldiers lying in slit trenches endured agony in the searing heat; shade was makeshift and invariably inadequate. Sandstorms were a trial, and fine dust stirred up by vehicles and shellfire got in everywhere. The lack of water to drink, let alone to wash or shave in, is something everyone remembers.

So are the flies. Desperate for moisture, these settled on lips or sweaty shirts by the hundreds. During daylight hours men struggled to eat as flies swarmed on their food or dived into their drinks. One inevitable result was dysentery, a miserable experience. Mosquitoes were less prevalent but more lethal, for in some areas they carried malaria. Adding to the men's misery were desert sores-any scratch rapidly became a suppurating mess. Everyone, it seemed, sported bandages.

Initially the campaign was fought between Commonwealth forces and Italians. The 'Ities' were not a redoubtable foe. Some units were efficient and effective, and fought well, but in general the Italians were badly equipped and poorly led. Many of the troops were ambivalent about fighting on the German side, and unwilling to give their lives for a cause in which they did not believe.

In February 1941, the first elements of the German Africa Corps (Deutsches Afrika Korps) arrived to bolster the Italians, then reeling from a series of Allied blows. Commanded by General Erwin Rommel, an officer whose bold tactics were well suited to the conditions of desert warfare, this small force soon made its mark in the campaign.