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The Wellington Regiment (NZEF) 1914 - 1919

Preface

page v

Preface.

With this book a history of the Battalions of the Wellington Regiment that played their part in the N.Z.E.F. in the War against Germany and Turkey appears.

For reasons with which we are not concerned the preparation of the book has been left for some eight years after the Armistice. We have, therefore, with such a long space of time since the events we record, been careful not to rely on memory, but on the more reliable, if less coloured, Official War Records.

The work of writing and compiling this volume has been so divided that Mr. Cunningham has contributed the first eight chapters, while for the rest of the book Messrs. Treadwell and Hanna are responsible. Every Army, Army Corps, Divisional, Brigade, Battalion and Company Order affecting the operations of the Regiment from the outbreak of the War until the march to Germany has been carefully noted, and the diaries of each Battalion have been examined. That the length of time that has elapsed may have resulted in some degree in robbing this book of vividness, or even interest, is recognised. What, however, cannot be affected is its being a record of the doings of the Regiment in the Great War, of which each and every member from Colonel to Private may well be proud. It is a record, too, of some of the brave acts of members of the Regiment. One difficulty that has impressed itself upon us has been that arising from the mention of the various acts of bravery by the different soldiers. We felt that these mentioned acts could have been said of most of the members of the Regiment. We have included in this book the official reports of the various acts of gallantry that have earned for members of the Regiment recognition and decorations from His Majesty the King.

Of its fighting qualities the Wellington Regiment had nothing to be afraid of in comparison with any other in the page viField of France. The happy combination of a reasonable discipline—not enough to prejudice initiative, but sufficient to get a maximum team result, was one of the outstanding features in the Battalions.

We have added to this Regimental History a Graph prepared by the Defence Department, from which much useful information can be gleaned. The photographs have been selected from a large number available and were taken both by official and unofficial photographers. The maps in this book are specially prepared with a view to giving as much data and as little surplusage as possible.

Finally, we trust that those whose husbands, sons or brothers of our great Regiment whose lives were given for the Great Cause will find in this record a reminder of lives freely and gallantly given for justice and liberty. To those of the Regiment who are living we commend this book hoping it may remind them of those "bad old days" which sometimes were not so bad, while at other times were too bad to talk about. That this book may be treasured by our fellow comrades as a true record of a grand Regiment of soldiers, of which each member is proud to have helped to form part, is our earnest wish. If it achieves that object the many hours spent by us in its preparation will have been well spent.

We desire to acknowledge our indebtedness to Lieut.-Col. C. H. Weston, D.S.O., for allowing us free use of his book, "Three Years with the New Zealanders," to Captain W. Jervis, M.C., N.Z.S.C., for the great time and trouble he cheerfully took to find and lend War Diaries and Orders and for numerous other acts of great assistance; and to Mr. C. H. Clemens, of N.Z.E.F. Base Records, for compiling a host of useful information.