N Force was a small New Zealand Army unit of infantry and artillery that garrisoned the Australian territory of Norfolk Island between October 1942 and February 1944, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. The island was considered strategically important due to the cable station there that linked Australia and New Zealand. N Force was formed by detaching units from the

3rd New Zealand Division The 3rd New Zealand Division was a division of the New Zealand Military Forces. Formed in 1942, it saw action against the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean Areas during the Second World War. The division saw action in the Solomon Islands campaign durin ...

. An airfield was also constructed that was manned by Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) personnel. At its peak in October 1942, N Force consisted of 1,488 New Zealanders under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Barry. At this time N-Force consisted of: * 36th Battalion (

Infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

) * 152nd Heavy Battery (four 155mm guns) * Independent Field Artillery Troop (four

25 pounder The Ordnance QF 25-pounder, or more simply 25-pounder or 25-pdr, was the major British field gun and howitzer during the Second World War. Its calibre is 3.45-inch (87.6 mm). It was introduced into service just before the war started, comb ...

guns) * 215th Composite Anti-Aircraft Battery (four 3.7-inch anti-aircraft and eight 40-millimetre guns) * Engineer, Army Service Corps and Ordnance detachments The 36th Battalion left Norfolk Island to rejoin the

on New Caledonia at the end of March 1943. The battalion was replaced by the 2nd Battalion, Wellington-West Coast Regiment. Meanwhile, the strength of N Force was subsequently reduced, and in February 1944 responsibility for Norfolk Island was taken over by the RNZAF. The last New Zealand forces were withdrawn from Norfolk Island in July 1946.

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References

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External links

NZ Artillery of World War 2 in the Pacific – Royal New Zealand Artillery Old Comrades' Association
Military units and formations of New Zealand in World War II Military history of New Zealand during World War II Military history of Australia during World War II History of Norfolk Island Australia–New Zealand military relations {{NewZealand-stub