NZEF in parade at Tripoli..

4th February 1943,NZ Battalions marching past the podium,General Montgomery to the fore..effectively celebrating the end of the Libyan campaign and the door way to ultimately Middle Eastern Victory.

Tripoli was symbolic of the huge sacrifices made to this point by not only the Maori Battalion and 2NZEF but all Allied Armies that had equally endured.So naturally a celebration was in order,and this huge uplifting display was highly anticipated by all. The 2NZEF with all its guns,trailers and trucks in tow were second in line behind the Scots Grey Guards with their Sherman tanks, as the parade was set to reflect the entry into Tripoli.

 Brigadier Kippenberger stated with pride "How magnificent we all looked,the NZEF as an instrument of war that it was, seasoned, hardened and victorious there were many well-loved ghosts with those proud, gallant battalions.  I think we were all very proud and I know that when I marched past at the head of 5 Brigade (which includes the Maoris) I was fairly bursting with pride".(Infantry Brigadier written by Brigadier Howard Kippenberger, 1949) 

The trained and rehearsed march past involving most of the 8th Army force paraded in front of Sir Winston Churchill, Generals Leese, Alexander, Freyberg, Brooke and Montgomery. Knowing how the Maoris fought and died to this point, it must have been a source of huge excitement,pride and reflection for those involved. What a wonderfull memory for our Kiwi men to balance against the pain and horror.

Reference:

 NZEF official file - Denis Clough Archive

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