26th Battalion (New Zealand)
| 26th Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1940–1945 |
| Country |
 New Zealand
|
| Branch |
 New Zealand Military Forces
|
| Type | Infantry (1940 to 1945) |
| Size | ~780 personnel |
| Part of | 6th Brigade, 2nd Division |
| Engagements |
Second World War |
| Disbanded | December 1945 |
Second World War
The 26th Battalion was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Military Forces, which served during the Second World War as part of the New Zealand 2nd Division. Raised in May 1940, it fought in the Battle of Greece, the North African Campaign and the Italian Campaign. It finished the war in Trieste and was disbanded in December 1945.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War, the New Zealand government authorised the formation of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), for service at home and abroad. Following consultation with the British government, it was decided that the main New Zealand contribution to the war effort would be in the form of an infantry division, the 2nd New Zealand Division, which would require nine battalions of infantry. Consequently, several infantry battalions were formed from 1939 to 1940 with New Zealand volunteers and these would eventually be sent to the Middle East, the expected deployment area of the 2nd New Zealand Division.
The 26th Battalion was formed at Burnham Camp in Christchurch in May 1940, with volunteers drawn from the Southern Military District, which took in the entirety of the South Island. The battalion, under the overall command of Lieutenant Colonel James Page, was the third and last of three infantry battalions making up the 6th Infantry Brigade. The battalion was organised into four rifle companies, designated as A, B, C and D companies. The first three of these companies had personnel drawn from the Canterbury, Southland and Otago provinces respectively, while D Company was staffed with personnel from the Nelson, Tasman and West Coast provinces. There was also a headquarters company with specialised personnel, such as signals, as well as a battalion headquarters.
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