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Story: Second World War

Mediterranean campaigns, 1940–45

  • February-March 1940

  • March-April 1941

  • May 1941

  • June-December 1941

  • February-June 1942

  • June-November 1942

  • December 1942-March 1943

  • March-May 1943

  • October 1943-April 1945

This step-through map shows where the bulk of the 2nd New Zealand Division fought during the Second World War. After training in Egypt it fought unsuccessful campaigns in Greece and Crete from March to May 1941, and then became involved in the long campaign to drive the Italians and Germans out of North Africa. When victory in that region came in 1943, the division was then moved to Italy and finished the war in combat with the Germans in a difficult advance up the Italian peninsula to Trieste.

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How to cite this page

Ian McGibbon, Second World War – North African campaign, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/34567/mediterranean-campaigns-1940-45 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ian McGibbon, published 17 April 2012, updated 1 May 2016.