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Tales from the Trails
Reminiscences, anecdotes, ditties.

These articles are written by professional gunners about their experiences in New Zealand's artillery, and are presented in no particular order other than by the time in history to which they refer. All our Gunners are important to us, whether they serve in Antarctica, the desert, the Pacific, Europe or at home.
For technical articles, visit the History section. For information specific to artillery units, visit the Units section. See also songs and poetry.

This page is added to often. Bookmark it and visit here again.

On this page:

World War One, 1914 - 1918 New Zealand artillery of WW1 was concentrated in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.
For more information see the History section (WW1) and the Units section.
World War 2, 1939 - 1945 New Zealand artillery of WW2 was concentrated in North Africa and Europe; the Pacific; and the coastal defences of NZ.
For more information see the History section (WW2) and the Units section (chronological overview).
Korean War, 1950 - 1955 16 Field Regiment was raised as part of the NZ effort in Korea and remained there until 1955.
For more information see the History section (Korean War).
Borneo/Malaya/Hong Kong Although no New Zealand artillery battery was deployed, personnel served in these places in other capacities.
Vietnam War, 1965 - 1971 161 Battery served in Vietnam in support of Australian, US and other NZ units.
For more information visit the History section (Vietnam War) and the 161 Battery home page (see Units).
Peacekeeping, 1945 - present RNZA personnel serve all over the world as peacekeepers.
Peace During peacetime, NZ gunners train for both war and peacekeeping, and serve in NZ and overseas - in jungle, snow, desert, and administrative posts.
For more information see the Units section (chronological overview).

 

World War 1
Gunner HB Richardson is buried at Gallipoli, 1915
With the New Zealand Artillery at Gallipoli, 25 April 1915
Search and Capture of von Luckner, 1917
Diary of the Search for von Luckner, 1917 HL Dixon
Life aboard von Luckner's ship, 1917 Carl Singer
See also: NZ Artillery of WW1

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World War 2
2nd Field Regiment NZA Prepares for War, 1940 AH Paddison
Egyptian Shower, 1943 Chook Fowler
A Gunner in the Pacific, 1939-44 Forbes Greenfield
Life as a POW of the Japanese, 1942-45 Harry Carver
Freyberg, Puttick and Crete, 1941 RH Dyson
Under Fire at Sidi Rezegh, 1941 Robin Wait
Ngaire's War, 1942-44 Ngaire Subritzky
With 6 Fd Regt at Sidi Rezegh, 1941 RS Wait
A Week on the Alamein Line, 26 Bty 1942 Struan MacGibbon
New Year at Castelfrentano 4 Fd Regt 1944 Des O'Connor
2Lt Brock and the 6-in Gun 1944 Bruce Brock
A Gunner Subaltern's Recollections of the Italian Campaign April '44 - May '45 Les Wright
'A' Tp 27 Bty 5 Fd Regt at Cassino 1944 Owen Raskin
Dick's Story "Gracie" Field
The Birds at Ruweisat Ridge Robert Harris
On Operation CRUSADER, O-Pip Ack Report 1941 Frank Austin
Diary of Crete 1941 Alan Jackson
Diary of Greece 1941 Alan Jackson
Nebelwerfers at Cassino 1944 Owen Raskin
Letter from Tripoli 1941 Allan Boyd
A Gunner's Recollections of Sidi Aziez 1941 WP Brown
47 Battery at Bel Hamid 1941 Alan Jackson
Battle at Takrouna, North Africa 1941 Allan Boyd
End of the North African Campaign, Allan Boyd
46 Bty's premature, 4 Fd Regt 1944 Des O'Connor
Young Men who went off to War, Des O'Connor
Some ill considered action!, 4 Fd Regt, Des O'Connor
See also: NZ Artillery of WW2

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Korean War
1st Battalion, 11th Marines at the Hook, 1953, Robert D. Caulkins
C2 Gun, 162 Bty at Kapyong
Regimental Calibration, 1952
16 Fd Regt and the 'Utah' Battalion at Kapyong, 1951 Donald Scott
I was 162 Bty Captain's Driver/Operator, 1950-52 Jim Holtham
With the Durham Light Infantry, Nov 1952 - Jul 1953 Bruce Matthews
The Hook, Nov 1952 - Jul 1953 Bruce Matthews
Hill 355, 1953 Bruce Matthews
A Night near Hill 159, 1952 Colin Velvin
The Umbrella and Duck Saga, Bill Giles
See also: NZ Artillery of the Korean War

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Borneo, Malaya, Hong Kong
Good Times for a Gunner, Hong Kong 1949, Malaya 1950-51 Jim Ross
Immediate MC, The John Masters Story, 1965 Mike Subritzky
Target Adjustment using Two Legged Communications, 1965 John Rout
Night Ambush, 1965 John Masters
Giving Advice, 1965 John Masters

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Vietnam War
Journey to Vietnam, 1965 Harry Haitana
A 'Q'uandary, 1965 Bill Giles
RNZEME Light Aid Detachment at Bien Hoa, 1965 Peter 'Doggo' Downs
Establishing the gun position at Nui Dat, 1966 Mike Dakin
Jungle Daydream - Memories of Long Tan, Murray Broomhall
Good Deeds on R&C, A Cautionary Tale for Young Gunners, 1970 Rodney Simpson
R&R: Two ex-members of 161 Bty, RNZA re-visit Vietnam, 1999 Rod Baldwin, Ron Turner
Extract from a Forward Observer's War Diary in South Vietnam, 1969 Angus Rivers
See also: NZ Artillery of the Vietnam War
             Maps of the Vietnam War

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Peacekeeping and the post-war occupation of Japan
28th ANZUK Regiment Boat Race, Singapore 1972
With 25 Battery in Yamaguchi, 1945 Wally Ruffell
Kashmir - The Climbing Medal, 1970-71 Kerry Lee
Palestine - The Looking and Cooking Medals, 1974-76 Kerry Lee
Peacekeeping in Rhodesia, 1979 Mike Subritzky
With the NZ Monitoring Force in Rhodesia, 1979-80 John Nagle
Rhodesia - captured weapons, 1979-80 John Nagle
Operation Agila, Background to Rhodesian peacekeeping, 1979 Mike Subritzky
Rhodesia - The Ceasefire, 1979-80 Mike Subritzky
With the Multinational Force and Observers (Sinai), 1997-98 Steve Harvey

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Peace - preparing for war
10 Coast Regiment, 1947-1951 Brig LW Wright
Messing in the mess, 1950s Tony Tustin
A Gunner's White Christmas, Antarctica, 1973 Mike Subritzky
Fatigues, 1930s Les Kitney
Runaway Wagon, 1930s Les Kitney
Army Schools, Trentham, 1938 Wally Ruffell
The Officers' Barbeque, Tekapo, 1978
The Last Regimental Shoot with the 25-pr in NZ, 1977 Mike Subritzky
Improvising with the 4.2-inch mortar, Graeme Black
The day I joined 161 Battery, Mike Subritzky
Reflections of Anzac Day, Murray Broomhall
A Tale from Tony Tustin
From the OP, Graeme Black
Joe Hak, Mike Subritzky
Essentials of Fire Discipline, Graeme Black

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