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Originally Posted by mmarsh
About the Aussies -you know many of them were incarcerated criminals? They were promised pardons if they took up arms, they fought like thugs, which they did. I do think you are hard on the NZ regiments. The 2nd NZ was holding the critical airfield a Maldme, until they were mistakenly ordered to withdraw.
The other group not mentioned with the Moaris who just before entering the battle actually preformed a Haka war dance, scared the bejesus out of the Germans...  |
As much as I like a good dig at the Aussies I am not certain that in this case that you are correct, by the end of WW1 Australia had a large well trained professional army I seriously doubt they would have needed to empty the prisons at the start of WW2.
I would also point out once again that the average New Zealand soldier on the island and in fact every where else during WW2 fought as well as any other Allied soldier I am not in any way blaming them for the loss of Crete I am however blaming a small group of piss poor officers Freyberg included for the failure to hold Crete.
As for the Haka, it is not a war dance it is a challenge and had they performed it within eye shot of the Germans I am pretty sure they would have been ducking bullets long before it ended so I have grave doubts as to the authenticity of the claim and tend to think it more an urban legend than a fact.
The Maori were good soldiers, no better than any others there but as with most Kiwi's and Aussies we tend to be a very resilient and "make do" bunch so I have no doubt they performed well.