Book Description

Over 40 Illustrations of the officers, men and battles they engaged in. The Rifle Brigade has a long and distinguished history in the British Army as a corps of elite troops with a fighting pedigree stretching back to the times of Wellington, the Peninsular War and Waterloo. During the First World War the huge number of volunteers from New Zealand overstripped the ability of the administration to provide more than one brigade of infantry in 1915. However in 1916 a second brigade was formed and was designated as the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, marrying the traditions of the British Rifle Brigade for the highest standards of soldiery and the New Zealand traditions of courage, native skill and toughness. The New Zealand Rifle Brigade fought with distinction across the British zones of the battlefields of France and Flanders. As their official historian recounts with his vivid narrative from the bloody but successful debut at the battle of Flers-Courcelette, the battle of Messines, Passchendaele and the dark days of the German offensives in 1918, the “Dinks” as they were known covered themselves in glory. They would produce two Victoria cross winners from their ranks and many of their men would return to their native islands with other high honours for gallantry and bravery. However, the losses of these brave men were prodigious and the names of the fallen are inscribed in full detail in an appendix at the end of the book.