Description

Forming part of the excellent Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939-1945 series, this is the story of the 1st Ammunition Company, 2nd NZEF. The title derives from the hope that every soldier has to be 'home by Christmas'. As a published by authority history the narrative is of very high quality and it provides a vivid 'feel' for the soldiers' experience in many hard-fought actions in WW2. The text is complemented by nine good colour maps, numerous back-and-white illustrations and a Roll of Honour plus Honours and Awards.

The company was organised into specialist sections and they worked in almost every area of Europe and the Middle East. 2nd NZEF fought in Greece, Crete, the Western Desert and Italy. In the Western Desert Campaign, the division played a prominent role in the defeat of German and Italian forces in the Second Battle of El Alamein and the British Eighth Army's advance to Tunisia.

In late 1943, the division was moved to Italy, taking part in the Eighth Army's campaign on Italy's Adriatic coast, which ground to a halt at the end of the year. In early 1944, the division formed the nucleus of the New Zealand Corps, fighting two battles and attempting unsuccessfully to penetrate the Gustav Line at Monte Cassino. The division saw further action on the Gothic Line in Italy in 1944 and took part in the Allied 1945 Spring offensive, which led to the surrender of German forces in Italy in May.