Effects on New Zealand
New Zealand was affected by the Third Battle of Monte Cassino in many ways, both individually and as a nation.
New Zealand soldiers also gained recognition as formidable soldiers, as they fought the elite German I Parachute Division in one of the best defendable places in Europe, and very nearly managed to take Cassino from them. The New Zealanders who fought in the Battle were recognized by many, such as Winston Churchill soon after the Battle. Churchill, despite being a politician, and probably trying to gain popularity through rhetoric, gave the New Zealanders praise, saying “I cannot leave without raising my glass to you… the gallant New Zealand Division whose name is honoured and cherished among the nations. Its career and record is one that will live not only in the history of New Zealand but in the history of the British Empire as an example of duty, valour and honour.” (Cassino, New Zealand Soldiers in the Battle for Italy, Tony Williams, 2002) New Zealand’s respected military name was developed after fighting at Monte Cassino. Due to New Zealand’s major contribution to the Monte Casino Battles, military commanders and leaders also gave praise, with General Anders of Poland saying of New Zealand soldiers after the campaign was done, that it gave the Poles satisfaction to be associated with the New Zealanders as comrades in arms. (Visit to Casino, Evening Post, 1944)
However despite the achievements of the New Zealand Corps, the New Zealanders also found cause for sadness. Throughout the Battle, 136 New Zealanders were killed with 730 wounded and 73 missing, with a total of 939 casualties. With these numbers New Zealand lost many fathers, brothers and sons. The Battle also had dire effects on the New Zealand Division, who had been marched around the Mediterranean since the start of the War, one of the longest marching divisions of the Allies, and some had been fighting for four years. Fighting in Greece, Crete and North Africa, the troops had not had a rest in earnest for an extended period of time. When they were fighting they were under incredibly stressful conditions, and the breaks in fighting led to much boredom, away from home and family. After the defeat at the Third Battle of Monte Cassino, the war weariness and stress was clearly shown by the New Zealand soldiers in the 2nd Division. Not only were they still recovering from their defeat and losses at Cassino, but they were ordered to continue marching up the Italian Peninsula towards Northern Italy. After the stress of Cassino however, General Freyberg noticed an increase in disobedience. Often the uniforms were untidy, with Freyberg commenting at one point that it was “hard to know when going along the roads whether a man is an Italian or a New Zealander”, orders were made and ignored, and the amount of drunkenness and crime rose. Concerned and empathetic for the men and aware of the difficult and prolonged career the men had been facing, Freyberg asked the New Zealand government if the soldiers could take a break from the War, and as a result of the battle, involved the New Zealand government. Despite a lot of the soldiers fighting for some of the longest amounts of time on the Allied side of the War, the government declined the request, and instead swapped longer serving men with fresh soldier; but the battle had left its mark on the soldiers.
The Third Battle of Monte Cassino was one of the costliest battles New Zealand faced in World War II, and as a result has stayed in the minds of New Zealanders in the years since. It has had such an impact that it has been compared and remembered with similar reverence to Passchendaele and the Somme in World War One. A sad irony, as General Freyberg engaged the Germans at Cassino with the intention of avoiding another Passchendaele, and his fear of too many casualties greatly influenced his decision making in advising the Allied retreat in the Third Battle (Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino, N.C. Phillips, 1957). This battle was unique to World War Two as New Zealanders rarely faced such difficult battles while playing such a large part. Soon after the battle, on the 27th of May 1944, the then Prime Minister of New Zealand Peter Fraser arrived in Italy and within 24 hours, travelled to Monte Cassino, to inspect and view the battlefield, showing the importance of the battle to New Zealand, to have a visit to Cassino as such a high priority. Since the battle took place, politicians have given praise to those who fought at the battle of Monte Cassino, including Judith Collins and Helen Clark years after the Battle took place. In 2014, as this is being written, 70 years after the Battles took place the Battles of Monte Cassino are being remembered with ceremony at Cassino in Italy, by many nations including Britain. The fact that the Battles are still being remembered with such reverence speaks much for the sacrifices that the men who died at Cassino made. The Third Battle of Monte Cassino stands as one of New Zealand’s most important battles in the Second World War, and possibly in New Zealand history, in terms of the contribution that New Zealand gave and the difficulties they faced.
New Zealand soldiers also gained recognition as formidable soldiers, as they fought the elite German I Parachute Division in one of the best defendable places in Europe, and very nearly managed to take Cassino from them. The New Zealanders who fought in the Battle were recognized by many, such as Winston Churchill soon after the Battle. Churchill, despite being a politician, and probably trying to gain popularity through rhetoric, gave the New Zealanders praise, saying “I cannot leave without raising my glass to you… the gallant New Zealand Division whose name is honoured and cherished among the nations. Its career and record is one that will live not only in the history of New Zealand but in the history of the British Empire as an example of duty, valour and honour.” (Cassino, New Zealand Soldiers in the Battle for Italy, Tony Williams, 2002) New Zealand’s respected military name was developed after fighting at Monte Cassino. Due to New Zealand’s major contribution to the Monte Casino Battles, military commanders and leaders also gave praise, with General Anders of Poland saying of New Zealand soldiers after the campaign was done, that it gave the Poles satisfaction to be associated with the New Zealanders as comrades in arms. (Visit to Casino, Evening Post, 1944)
However despite the achievements of the New Zealand Corps, the New Zealanders also found cause for sadness. Throughout the Battle, 136 New Zealanders were killed with 730 wounded and 73 missing, with a total of 939 casualties. With these numbers New Zealand lost many fathers, brothers and sons. The Battle also had dire effects on the New Zealand Division, who had been marched around the Mediterranean since the start of the War, one of the longest marching divisions of the Allies, and some had been fighting for four years. Fighting in Greece, Crete and North Africa, the troops had not had a rest in earnest for an extended period of time. When they were fighting they were under incredibly stressful conditions, and the breaks in fighting led to much boredom, away from home and family. After the defeat at the Third Battle of Monte Cassino, the war weariness and stress was clearly shown by the New Zealand soldiers in the 2nd Division. Not only were they still recovering from their defeat and losses at Cassino, but they were ordered to continue marching up the Italian Peninsula towards Northern Italy. After the stress of Cassino however, General Freyberg noticed an increase in disobedience. Often the uniforms were untidy, with Freyberg commenting at one point that it was “hard to know when going along the roads whether a man is an Italian or a New Zealander”, orders were made and ignored, and the amount of drunkenness and crime rose. Concerned and empathetic for the men and aware of the difficult and prolonged career the men had been facing, Freyberg asked the New Zealand government if the soldiers could take a break from the War, and as a result of the battle, involved the New Zealand government. Despite a lot of the soldiers fighting for some of the longest amounts of time on the Allied side of the War, the government declined the request, and instead swapped longer serving men with fresh soldier; but the battle had left its mark on the soldiers.
The Third Battle of Monte Cassino was one of the costliest battles New Zealand faced in World War II, and as a result has stayed in the minds of New Zealanders in the years since. It has had such an impact that it has been compared and remembered with similar reverence to Passchendaele and the Somme in World War One. A sad irony, as General Freyberg engaged the Germans at Cassino with the intention of avoiding another Passchendaele, and his fear of too many casualties greatly influenced his decision making in advising the Allied retreat in the Third Battle (Italy Volume I: The Sangro to Cassino, N.C. Phillips, 1957). This battle was unique to World War Two as New Zealanders rarely faced such difficult battles while playing such a large part. Soon after the battle, on the 27th of May 1944, the then Prime Minister of New Zealand Peter Fraser arrived in Italy and within 24 hours, travelled to Monte Cassino, to inspect and view the battlefield, showing the importance of the battle to New Zealand, to have a visit to Cassino as such a high priority. Since the battle took place, politicians have given praise to those who fought at the battle of Monte Cassino, including Judith Collins and Helen Clark years after the Battle took place. In 2014, as this is being written, 70 years after the Battles took place the Battles of Monte Cassino are being remembered with ceremony at Cassino in Italy, by many nations including Britain. The fact that the Battles are still being remembered with such reverence speaks much for the sacrifices that the men who died at Cassino made. The Third Battle of Monte Cassino stands as one of New Zealand’s most important battles in the Second World War, and possibly in New Zealand history, in terms of the contribution that New Zealand gave and the difficulties they faced.