Story: Second World War

New Zealand soldiers after the evacuation from Greece

New Zealand soldiers after the evacuation from Greece

New Zealand forces were sent to Greece from Egypt in early March 1941 as part of a British force which was designed to shore up the country against possible German attack. However, when the Germans invaded on 6 April, they quickly outflanked the British, and the New Zealanders were forced to retreat rapidly. Within three weeks they were being evacuated. Here men from the 25th Battalion, which had been recruited from Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and Wellington, relax on board ship after the evacuation.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, War History Collection (DA-01514)
Reference: DA-08168-F
Photograph by H. G. Witters

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Ian McGibbon, 'Second World War - Greece and Crete, 1941', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/34564/new-zealand-soldiers-after-the-evacuation-from-greece (accessed 27 April 2024)

Story by Ian McGibbon, published 20 Jun 2012, updated 1 May 2016