24th Battalion (New Zealand)
| 24th Battalion | |
|---|---|
24th Battalion soldier Jim Dempsey with a Vickers machine gun at Helwan
|
|
| Active | 1940–45 |
| Country |
 New Zealand
|
| Branch |
 New Zealand Military Forces
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | ~800 personnel |
| Part of | 6th Infantry Brigade |
| Engagements | |
The 24th Auckland Battalion was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army during the Second World War. The 24th Battalion was formed on 1 February 1940 and embarked for Egypt on 28 October 1940. It was part of the 6th Infantry Brigade, part of the 2nd New Zealand Division. The battalion fought in Greece, North Africa and Italy. After the conclusion of hostilities, the battalion was disbanded in December 1945.
The 24th Battalion was formed on 1 February 1940 at Narrow Neck Military Camp with personnel drawn largely from the Auckland region. It was the first of three infantry battalions that formed part what was initially known as the Third Echelon of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF) and which would later be designated the 6th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd New Zealand Division. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Clayden Shuttleworth, of the New Zealand Staff Corps, a cadre of 150 officers and non-commissioned officers underwent training aimed to prepare them for the task of preparing the volunteers that would make up the bulk of the battalion's personnel. After an initial period at Narrow Neck, the men moved to Papakura Military Camp where the main draft of the battalion arrived on 15 May 1940 for training.
With an establishment of around 780 men, the battalion was organised into four rifle companies, designated A through to D, a headquarters company consisting of specialised personnel such as signals and a battalion headquarters. The rifle companies were organised along provincial lines; men from the Auckland region were generally placed in A Company, while those from the Hauraki, North Auckland and Waikato were assigned to B, C, and D Companies respectively.
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