Интересные фото 1-й Мировой войны Опции

[Ульянов]

Поддельные орудия



прокладка кабеля





А вот это имеет легенду "Русско-японская война"

Что за народ вооруженный?

[Sibbear]

Maori Pioneer Battalion from New Zealand in France in 1918.

A Maori Battalion was raised and sailed from New Zealand on the 14 February 1915. They were known as Te Hokowhitu a Tu. Some doubts were held about the men's fighting ability and they had fewer numbers than a full infantry battalion, so they were designated as a pioneer battalion when they arrived in Egypt.

They landed at Anzac Cove on 3 July 1915 and soon proved their worth both as hard working and cunning engineers, as well as doughty fighters. They were soon committed to the fighting as a contingent and from a strength of 476 officers and men were reduced to 60 by August when they were rested on the Greek island of Lemnos.

On 20 February 1916, the remnants of the original Maori Contingent was combined with with Maori reinforcements and men of the Otago Mounted Rifles, plus 125 Niue Islanders and 45 Rarotongan, to form The New Zealand Pioneer Battalion.

The Pioneer Battalion reached France on 9 April 1916 and served on the Western Front for the rest of the war. They were an engineering force consisting of two Maori companies and two pakeha companies. The purpose of the battalion was to build roads, erect barbed wire entanglements and dig trenches, from which derived the name 'Diggers'. They also took part in raids and battles.

They were the only New Zealand battalion to return home as a complete unit, and when they reached New Zealand in March 1919 they received a rapturous welcome at cities, towns and maraes.

2,227 Maori and 458 Pacific Islanders served with the Pioneer Battalion.
336 died on active duty and 734 were wounded.





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Сообщение отредактировал Sibbear - 7.11.2012, 20:01