New Zealanders of 8 Brigade, 3 New Zealand Division, helped their American allies clear Mono Island in the Solomons of its Japanese defenders. Forty lost their lives in weeks of fierce fighting.
Pacific War
Events In History
8 December 1941
The announcement by the Prime Minister’s Department that New Zealand was in a state of war with Japan followed the surprise attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Japan also attacked Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaya.
Articles
War oral history programme
Information about the now completed From Memory oral history project, including advice on how to interview war veterans Read the full article
Page 9 - Notes and questions, Pacific
Questions and background information for interviewing war veterans of the Pacific Theatre in the Second World
War in the Pacific
Thousands of New Zealanders fought in the Pacific War, which was sparked by the Japanese bombing of the American naval base at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. It was a conflict fought on a vast scale over huge distances. For the New Zealanders, this was a war fought close to home. Read the full article
Page 1 - New Zealanders in the Pacific War
Thousands of New Zealanders fought in the Pacific War, which was sparked by the Japanese bombing of the American naval base at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. It was a conflict
Page 2 - The war against Japan
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt described it as 'a date which will live in infamy' - 7 December 1941, the day the Japanese bombed the American naval base at Pearl
Page 3 - Changing fortunes
In 1942 the Battle of the Coral Sea (7-8 May) and Battle of Midway (3-6 June) between the Japanese and United States navies left the United States with superior numbers of
Page 4 - The final stages
Once the tide had turned in favour of the United States and its allies, American troops began 'island hopping' through the central Pacific, taking one island after another.
Page 5 - Soldier's stories
New Zealanders who served in the Pacific War had diverse experiences. They were involved in fighting in the jungle, some spent time in Japanese prisoner of war camps, others took
Page 6 - Pacific War Timeline
Key dates for New Zealand military involvement in the Pacific during the Second World
HMNZS Leander
When the Royal New Zealand Navy came into being on 1 October 1941, its main combat units were two Leander-class cruisers: Achilles and Leander. Although its early war was quieter than the Achilles, the Leander was to see dramtic action in the Pacific War. Read the full article
Page 5 - Recovery and repair
Leander was hit just abaft the ‘A’ boiler room. Almost 500 kg of high explosive killed everyone in the boiler room. The blast, venting up through the boiler room duct, blew eight
Biographies
Michael James Herrick was one of five brothers to serve during the Second World War. He flew with distinction during the Battle of Britain and in the Pacific before being killed on air operations over Denmark.
Hear Noel Rosoman talk about his experiences in the Pacific war
