160-707: The New Zealand Division was an infantry division of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force raised for service in the First World War . It was formed in Egypt in early 1916 when the New Zealand and Australian Division was renamed after the detachment of its Australian personnel left the New Zealand Infantry Brigade , together with reinforcements from New Zealand, as the basis of the division. It
320-468: A maréchal de camp wore two stars. During the French Revolution , the revolutionaries' drive to rationalise the state led to a change in the system of ranks. The rank of brigadier des armées was abolished and the normal brigade command rank, maréchal de camp , was replaced by brigade general. The rank of brigade general inherited the two stars of the rank of maréchal de camp , explaining
480-539: A General de Brigada wears a two-star insignia. Hence, it is equivalent to the major general rank of many countries. In the Brazilian Air Force , all of the senior ranks include 'Brigadeiro'; the two-star rank is Brigadeiro (Brigadier), the three-star rank is Major-Brigadeiro (Major-Brigadier), and the four-star rank is Tenente-Brigadeiro-do-Ar (Lieutenant-Air-Brigadier). In the Canadian Forces ,
640-744: A sidearm or ancillary weapons . Infantry with ranged or polearms often carried a sword or dagger for possible hand-to-hand combat. The pilum was a javelin the Roman legionaries threw just before drawing their primary weapon, the gladius (short sword), and closing with the enemy line. Modern infantrymen now treat the bayonet as a backup weapon, but may also have handguns as sidearms . They may also deploy anti-personnel mines, booby traps, incendiary, or explosive devices defensively before combat. Infantry have employed many different methods of protection from enemy attacks, including various kinds of armour and other gear, and tactical procedures. The most basic
800-601: A colonel. Prior to 2001, the Bangladesh Army rank was known as brigadier , in conformity with the rank structure of the Commonwealth Nations . In 2001 the Bangladesh Army introduced the rank of brigadier general , however "the grade stayed equivalent to brigadier", and although classified as a "one-star rank", a brigadier general is not considered to be a general officer – the lowest ranking general officer
960-610: A few exceptions like the Mongol Empire , infantry has been the largest component of most armies in history. In the Western world , from Classical Antiquity through the Middle Ages ( c. 8th century BC to 15th century AD), infantry are categorised as either heavy infantry or light infantry . Heavy infantry, such as Greek hoplites , Macedonian phalangites , and Roman legionaries , specialised in dense, solid formations driving into
1120-531: A five-mile front along Broodseinde Ridge from the village of Tiber to the Reutelbeek stream. The New Zealand Division took the right sector of this front which was overlooked by a spur topped by the ruined Polderhoek Chateau, occupied by the Germans. On 3 December, the 1st Canterbury and 1st Otago Battalions of the 2nd Brigade mounted an attack against the chateau. The attack, launched at midday in an attempt to surprise
1280-512: A full suit of attack-proof armour would be too heavy to wear in combat. As firearms improved, armour for ranged defence had to be made thicker and heavier, which hindered mobility. With the introduction of the heavy arquebus designed to pierce standard steel armour, it was proven easier to make heavier firearms than heavier armour; armour transitioned to be only for close combat purposes. Pikemen armour tended to be just steel helmets and breastplates, and gunners had very little or no armour at all. By
1440-533: A further attack by the brigade and the neighbouring 55th Division on two more trenchlines, designated Gird Trench and Gird Support. This time, the attack was not as straightforward and it took an extra day before the entire objective was in New Zealand hands. On 1 October, as a preliminary to the Battle of Le Transloy , 2nd Brigade's Otago and Canterbury battalions captured strongpoints near Eaucourt L'Abbaye , which fell to
1600-475: A gap formed between the Third and Fifth Armies through which the Germans penetrated. The New Zealand Division was out of the line, recuperating following its tour of duty in the trenches over the winter months, and was deployed to cover a gap which had developed between IV and V Corps at the old Somme battlefield. After moving rapidly to the front, it was positioned at Hamel by 26 March and from there linked up with
1760-417: A hundred meters wide and a dozen rows deep. Maintaining the advantages of heavy infantry meant maintaining formation; this became even more important when two forces with heavy infantry met in battle; the solidity of the formation became the deciding factor. Intense discipline and training became paramount. Empires formed around their military. The organization of military forces into regular military units
SECTION 10
#17328545496651920-405: A much higher rate than they were being lost from the division due to casualties and attrition. By early 1917, there was a reserve of around 10,000 men available with which to draw upon for the new brigade without adversely affecting the ability to replace existing troops in the field, in the short term at least. The brigade's core units were four infantry battalions designated as the 3rd Battalions of
2080-662: A period of refit and training, in September 1916 the New Zealand Division was assigned to XV Corps which, at the time, was participating in the Somme Offensive . On 15 September, the 2nd Brigade and the Rifle Brigade, with the 1st Brigade in reserve, participated in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette . The attack, as planned, was to capture a number of German-held trench systems in successive advances by alternating battalions;
2240-399: A problem. This can be avoided by having shield-armed soldiers stand close together, side-by-side, each protecting both themselves and their immediate comrades, presenting a solid shield wall to the enemy. The opponents for these first formations, the close-combat infantry of more tribal societies , or any military without regular infantry (so called " barbarians ") used arms that focused on
2400-741: A raid mounted on 23 July, Sergeant Richard Travis performed actions that led to a posthumous award of the VC; he was killed the next day. A prominent soldier and renowned for his scouting skills, his death was mourned across the division. Infantry Infantry is a specialization of military personnel who engage in warfare combat . Infantry generally consists of light infantry , irregular infantry , heavy infantry , mountain infantry , motorized infantry , mechanized infantry , airborne infantry , air assault infantry , and naval infantry . Other types of infantry, such as line infantry and mounted infantry , were once commonplace but fell out of favor in
2560-440: A return to body armour for infantry, though the extra weight is a notable burden. In modern times, infantrymen must also often carry protective measures against chemical and biological attack, including military gas masks , counter-agents, and protective suits. All of these protective measures add to the weight an infantryman must carry, and may decrease combat efficiency. Early crew-served weapons were siege weapons , like
2720-409: A single silver maple leaf beneath crossed sabre and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown , worn on the shoulder straps of the service dress jacket, and on slip-ons on other uniforms. The rank insignia on army uniforms is a gold maple leaf beneath crossed sword and baton, all surmounted by St. Edward's Crown, on the shoulder straps. On the visor of the service cap are two rows of gold oak leaves;
2880-521: Is Major General . Brigadier general is equivalent to commodore of the Bangladesh Navy and air commodore of the Bangladesh Air Force . It is still more popularly called brigadier . The Belgian Army uses the rank of général de brigade ( French ) and brigadegeneraal ( Dutch , 'brigade general'). However, in this small military there are no permanent promotions to this rank, and it
3040-463: Is personal armour . This includes shields , helmets and many types of armour – padded linen , leather, lamellar , mail , plate , and kevlar . Initially, armour was used to defend both from ranged and close combat; even a fairly light shield could help defend against most slings and javelins, though high-strength bows and crossbows might penetrate common armour at very close range. Infantry armour had to compromise between protection and coverage, as
3200-409: Is a military rank used in many countries. The rank is usually above a colonel , and below a major general or divisional general . When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (two regiments or four battalions ). Brigadier general ( Brig. Gen. ) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank originates from
3360-594: Is an infantry brigade. The two brigade group structure envisages distinct operational areas of responsibility for each of the brigades and is supported in its responsibilities by the Naval Service and Air Corps. Each of the brigade formations and the Air Corps is commanded by a brigadier general, while the Naval Service is commanded by a commodore. In the Italian Armed Forces the rank has different denominations. In
SECTION 20
#17328545496653520-901: Is associated with the lowest level within the government top management. Within the Mexican Armed Forces , there exists two grades of brigadier general. The lowest general officer is General brigadier , with the second lowest being General de brigada . The general officer rank higher than the two brigadier generals is Divisional general . In the Philippines, Brigadier General ( Philippine Army Philippine Air Force and Philippine Marines )/ Commodore ( Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard )/ Chief Superintendent ( Bureau of Fire Protection and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology ) / Police Brigadier General (Chief Superintendent before) ( Philippine National Police ) / Gial De Brigada (1890–1902) ( Philippine Revolutionary Army )
3680-621: Is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral (lower half) in the other uniformed services . In the Uruguayan Air Force , a brigadier general is the second highest rank in its hierarchy, behind the air general, and the first of the general officers to be achieved. It is equivalent to the rank of general in the Army and counter admiral in the Navy . Each brigadier general is appointed by the Executive with
3840-687: Is first noted in Egyptian records of the Battle of Kadesh ( c. 1274 BC ). Soldiers were grouped into units of 50, which were in turn grouped into larger units of 250, then 1,000, and finally into units of up to 5,000 – the largest independent command. Several of these Egyptian "divisions" made up an army, but operated independently, both on the march and tactically, demonstrating sufficient military command and control organisation for basic battlefield manoeuvres. Similar hierarchical organizations have been noted in other ancient armies, typically with approximately 10 to 100 to 1,000 ratios (even where base 10
4000-459: Is only awarded as a temporary promotion to a full colonel who assumes a post requiring the rank, notably in an international context (e.g. as military attaché in a major embassy). General de brigada (Brigade general) is the lowest rank amongst general officers of the Brazilian Army ; i.e. like in most British Commonwealth countries, the lowest general officer rank is a two-star rank , and
4160-400: Is still used notwithstanding that brigades in the army are now commanded by colonels. Until the late 1990s brigades were commanded by brigadier-generals. In the air force context, brigadier-generals used to command air force groups until these bodies were abolished in the late 1990s. The rank insignia for a brigadier-general on air force uniforms is a single wide braid on the cuff, as well as
4320-539: Is the immediately superior two-star rank . While the Chilean Air Force uses Comodoro for its one-star rank, two-star Air Force officers hold the rank of General de Brigada Aérea – literally 'air brigade general'. The rank of brigadier general was established in 1953 by decree 1325 on the 21st of May. With this decree, the ranks of lieutenant general and general were replaced by brigadier general and lieutenant general establishing brigadier as
4480-515: Is the lowest general officer before Divisional General ( Spanish : General de Division ) and Lieutenant General ( Spanish : Teniente General ). In the Australian Imperial Force during World War I , the rank of brigadier general was always temporary and held only while the officer was posted to a particular task, typically the command of a brigade. (Until 1915, Australian brigades were commanded by colonels.) When posted elsewhere,
4640-655: Is the lowest rank of generals but already eligible in the promotion to become Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or PNP Chief of the Philippine National Police surpassing the Major General and Lieutenant General ranks. Generał brygady (literally, "general of a brigade", abbreviated gen. bryg. ) is the lowest-ranking general in the Polish Land Forces and Air Force . In
4800-559: Is titled "general" without any implication that he is an army general ; for instance General Charles de Gaulle never rose higher than brigade general. Until 1793, the rank of brigadier des armées ("brigadier of the armies") existed in the French Army , which could be described as a senior colonel or junior brigade commander. The normal brigade command rank was maréchal de camp (literally "camp marshal"). When rank insignia were introduced, brigadier des armées wore one star and
4960-612: Is used for the designated rank of the general officers that the country stipulates as brigade commanders' class by law. The rank of brigadier general (with some local variations) is used in the Argentine Air Force . Unlike other armed forces of the World, the rank of brigadier general is actually the highest rank in the Air Force. This is due to the use of the rank of brigadier and its derivatives to designate all general officers in
New Zealand Division - Misplaced Pages Continue
5120-514: The 40th (Saxon) and 3rd (Bavarian) Divisions , were soon dealt with and the outskirts of Messines village were within sight. The Rifle Brigade's 3rd Battalion was attacking the village when it was slowed by two machine gun posts. Corporal Samuel Frickleton led his section on a successful foray to deal with them for which he was later awarded the VC. As planned, the 1st Brigade reached the Black Line shortly after 5:00 am and began preparing for
5280-436: The 49th Division . The attack was a success with the brigades taking all their objectives on schedule. The 4th Brigade captured 700 prisoners of war, for the loss of 130 men killed, and over 600 wounded. In the 1st Brigade, 192 were killed along with 700 wounded. From its starting positions, the division made gains of around 1,000 metres. Both Godley and Russell were pleased with the outcome and pushed for further involvement by
5440-505: The 4th Armoured Division ( 4 division cuirassée ). However his initial authority as head of the Free French really came from being the only cabinet member (Under-Secretary of State for National Defence and War ) outside occupied France , not from his military rank. As a reminder of his war position, he refused any further promotion. The country is divided into two areas for administrative and operational reasons, and in each area there
5600-472: The 5th Australian Division at Sailly. It remained here, patrolling the sector and mounting raids, into February 1917. The men of the division had become fatigued through their service on the Western Front. While the 2nd and Rifle Brigades soon recovered, the 1st Brigade, having many Gallipoli veterans, continued to struggle as did Johnston, its commander. Consequently, Russell sent him on leave and reorganised
5760-574: The Armentières sector where they would undergo intensive training in trench warfare on the Western Front. The Armentières front line was regarded by the Allies as a nursery sector where new units could undergo familiarisation without being called upon for intensive offensive operations. Nevertheless, it was not an easy introduction to the front for the New Zealanders. On arriving in their sector, they found
5920-436: The Army , the rank for combat arms officers is generale di brigata whilst for the logistics and technical corps is called brigadier generale . In 1926, the brigadiere generale and maggior generale in comando di brigata were merged and renamed with their current rank designation.The rank is also present in the other armed forces, police corps and other services of Italy , with different denominations, and it
6080-467: The Canadian Corps . The division suffered heavy losses on 12 October: about 845 men were killed and a further 1,900 wounded in the worst defeat in New Zealand military history. Although Russell blamed himself for the outcome of the attack and wrote to politicians in New Zealand stating so, in his private correspondence he made it clear that planning and preparation by Godley and his staff at II ANZAC Corps
6240-684: The New Zealand Infantry Brigade and the New Zealand Mounted Brigade . These two formations formed the main body of the NZEF and, together with the Australian 4th Infantry Brigade and the 1st Light Horse Brigade , were the basis of the New Zealand and Australian Division , which fought in the Gallipoli campaign against the Turks . In December 1915, the much depleted New Zealand and Australian Division
6400-487: The Old European System . It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general . When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions ). In some countries, this rank is given the name of brigadier , which is usually equivalent to brigadier general in
6560-536: The Portuguese Army and Air Force , brigadeiro-general is a temporary general rank for the colonels that have to exercise a special command. It is the equivalent of the commodore rank in the Portuguese Navy . The rank was reintroduced in 1999. Before that, simply as brigadeiro , it existed from 1707 to 1864 and again from 1929 to 1947, not being considered a general rank. From 1947 to 1999, brigadeiro become
New Zealand Division - Misplaced Pages Continue
6720-659: The Royal Canadian Air Force , Canadian Army , and the Royal Canadian Navy , rank structure and insignia followed the British pattern. This system of rank insignia was reinstated in 2014. In army usage, the term "brigadier" was used to denote what is now known as a brigadier-general while the air force used the rank of air commodore . In the Chilean Army , Brigadier is a one-star rank and General de Brigada
6880-1133: The Royal Dragoon Guards , Royal Lancers , and King's Royal Hussars . Similarly, motorised infantry have trucks and other unarmed vehicles for non-combat movement, but are still infantry since they leave their vehicles for any combat. Most modern infantry have vehicle transport, to the point where infantry being motorised is generally assumed, and the few exceptions might be identified as modern light infantry . Mechanised infantry go beyond motorised, having transport vehicles with combat abilities, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), providing at least some options for combat without leaving their vehicles. In modern infantry, some APCs have evolved to be infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are transport vehicles with more substantial combat abilities, approaching those of light tanks . Some well-equipped mechanised infantry can be designated as armoured infantry . Given that infantry forces typically also have some tanks, and given that most armoured forces have more mechanised infantry units than tank units in their organisation,
7040-624: The Turkish Air Force , the equivalent rank is tuğgeneral (the Turkish Navy equivalent is tuğamiral ). The name is derived from tugay , the Turkish word for a brigade. Both tugay and tuğ - as military terms may owe their origins to the older Turkish word tuğ , meaning horsetail, which was used as a symbol of authority and rank in Ottoman and pre-Ottoman times. Brigadier-general
7200-442: The ballista , trebuchet , and battering ram . Modern versions include machine guns , anti-tank missiles , and infantry mortars . Beginning with the development the first regular military forces, close-combat regular infantry fought less as unorganised groups of individuals and more in coordinated units, maintaining a defined tactical formation during combat, for increased battlefield effectiveness; such infantry formations and
7360-469: The 1800s with the invention of more accurate and powerful weapons. In English, use of the term infantry began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French infanterie , from older Italian (also Spanish) infanteria (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin īnfāns (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets infant . The individual-soldier term infantryman
7520-439: The 47th Division two days later. By the time of its withdrawal from the front lines on 4 October, the New Zealand Division had suffered 7,000 casualties (killed in action, wounded and missing), 1,500 of them fatal, since 15 September. On the opening day of the battle alone, there were 2,050 casualties from the 6,000 men who joined the fighting. The division, now reattached to II ANZAC Corps, moved north in mid-October and replaced
7680-536: The 4th Australian Division, supported by the New Zealand artillery. The 1st Brigade in the meantime consolidated its positions. That evening, aware that the Germans were likely to lay down a retaliatory artillery barrage, Russell ordered that only a minimum number of troops were to remain in Messines and most personnel moved back to their original positions. The next day, the expected barrage began. The New Zealanders remained in position until 9 June, when they were relieved by
7840-416: The 4th Australian Division. It was a successful operation for the division; all objectives were achieved on schedule, with over 400 Germans, several field guns, and numerous machine guns and trench mortars being captured. Losses in the division amounted to 3,700 casualties, most of which were actually incurred while holding the captured ground. These casualties were inflicted despite Russell's attempts to keep
8000-487: The 4th Australian Division. For the next several days, the New Zealanders dug in while fending off multiple advances by the Germans. They were initially without artillery support; the infantry had been able to move much more quickly to the front. The artillery began arriving by the evening of 27 March. Supplies took longer to arrive and as rain began to fall on 28 March, many soldiers were without wet weather gear. The New Zealanders' defensive positions had been improved despite
8160-656: The Air Force: brigadier (lowest general officer); brigadier-major (middle); and brigadier-general (highest). The rank of brigadier general is reserved for the Chief General Staff of the Air Force, as well as the Chief of the Joint General Staff if he should be an Air Force officer. The Argentine Army does not use the rank of brigadier-general, instead using brigade general ( Spanish : General de brigada ) which in turn
SECTION 50
#17328545496658320-522: The American all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment (ALICE). Infantrymen are defined by their primary arms – the personal weapons and body armour for their own individual use. The available technology, resources, history, and society can produce quite different weapons for each military and era, but common infantry weapons can be distinguished in a few basic categories. Infantrymen often carry secondary or back-up weapons, sometimes called
8480-613: The Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago Regiments. Newly promoted Brigadier General Herbert Ernest Hart was appointed by Godley as the brigade's commander, and after a rigorous training programme, curtailed by orders to report to France, it embarked for the front on 29 May 1917. With four infantry brigades, the New Zealand Division was now the strongest Dominion formation fighting in France with 20,000 personnel. However, Russell did not like his division's four-brigade structure (the remainder of
8640-537: The Battle of Poelcappelle, which was intended to set a good base for an attack on Passchendaele itself by capturing the Belluvue Spur. Its attack proved to be a failure, with no significant advancement of the front lines made by the two British divisions involved, the 49th and 66th Divisions . Several battalions were unable to reach their starting positions by the scheduled time and, once the attack began, they were held up by
8800-580: The Blue Line. The 1st Auckland and Wellington battalions of 1st Brigade, together with the 3rd Auckland and Canterbury battalions of 4th Brigade, were to advance to and secure the Red Line, running along the crest of the ridge. The other two battalions of the respective brigades would then leapfrog their predecessors through the Red Line to take the Blue Line, at the bottom of the Belluvue Spur. On 4 October, preceded by an artillery barrage beginning at 6:00 am,
8960-578: The British and Dominion infantry divisions had three brigades) as he continually had to fend off requests to use the extra brigade for labouring work in the corps rear area. In the meantime, the division had been moved to Flanders in February 1917. Initially based at Steenwerck , the following month it shifted north to the Messines area, which was south of Ypres , to relieve the 36th Division . By mid-1917, Haig
9120-533: The Brown Line by 7:50 am. The tanks followed on, and one was knocked out of action by artillery fire. The remaining tanks moved onto the Blue Line. The advance, now led by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Rifle Brigade, was beginning to slow. The preparatory bombardment had failed to clear barbed wire ahead of the Flers trench and the infantry had gone to ground to await the tanks. Arriving at 10:30 am, they crushed
9280-498: The Divisional Mounted Troops while the remaining two squadrons were integrated into a pioneer battalion alongside Māori personnel. There were also three brigades of field artillery and one of howitzers . In total, the division had some 15,000 men in its ranks. Along with the Australian 1st and 2nd Divisions , the New Zealand Division was to form part of I ANZAC Corps , under the command of Godley. In early March,
9440-473: The Divisional Mounted Troops, intended to be used as scouts, were redundant and, along with two Light Horse squadrons from the Australian infantry divisions, were soon transferred to a new formation designated 1st ANZAC Light Horse Regiment. In July, the New Zealand Division was transferred to the newly arrived II ANZAC Corps while I ANZAC moved south to the Somme . The New Zealanders would follow in due course but in
9600-450: The German positions. An attack had been planned for 18 September but was postponed due to the poor weather. On 25 September, the attack went ahead. It was intended to extend the front to high ground that was known as Factory Corner. The high ground was undefended, and the 1st Brigade easily captured it under the cover of a creeping barrage. Two days later, Factory Corner formed the launchpad for
9760-458: The Germans, already on the alert, bombarded the areas where the New Zealand infantry were assembling prior to commencing their advance. This, along with several rounds of New Zealander artillery that fell short, inflicted numerous casualties until the New Zealanders completed their barrage at 5:25 am and began moving forward. Their advance was slowed by ground conditions and machine gun fire from both their front and flanks. They stalled after reaching
SECTION 60
#17328545496659920-441: The Germans, proved a relative failure; although some ground was taken, the chateau remained in enemy hands. During this action, Private Henry James Nicholas dealt with a machine gun post that was holding up the advance of his company, and won the VC. Having advanced its front by 180 metres (200 yd), the brigade consolidated its positions until it was withdrawn two days later and replaced by units from IX Corps. At this stage of
10080-457: The Green Line, a mile from the crest of the ridge. Following a preparatory artillery barrage which began on 3 June, the battle commenced in the early hours of 7 June with the explosion of several mines which had been dug under the German lines. Over a million pounds (about 450 tonnes) of explosive were used, and the tremors were felt as far away as London. The New Zealanders were in the centre of
10240-629: The II ANZAC front, flanked by the British 25th Division and the 3rd Australian Division . This marked the first time the Australians and New Zealanders had fought alongside each other in a major engagement on the Western Front. The 2nd and Rifle Brigades quickly moved forward; the surviving German soldiers encountered initially were still dazed from the detonation of the mines and were quickly subdued and made prisoners of war . They continued to advance into stiffening resistance, but these opponents, soldiers of
10400-445: The NZEF to be killed in action. On 12 June, the division was back manning the front lines to the southeast of Messines, mounting raids and pushing outposts forward into German territory and generally consolidating their positions. It was finally withdrawn from the sector at the end of the month for rest and recuperation. The division returned to the area in mid-July, tasked with minor operations intended to keep German attention away from
10560-493: The New Zealand Division assumed responsibility for the section of the Suez Canal guarded by the 2nd Division, which began to embark for France. After three weeks of sentry duty, the New Zealand Division returned to its Moascar base before it too was shipped to France in early April. The divisions of I ANZAC Corps, now commanded by Lieutenant General William Birdwood with Godley taking over II ANZAC Corps , were initially based in
10720-445: The New Zealand Division in the ongoing offensive. Buoyed by the success of 4 October, Haig brought forward the next phase of the offensive, the Battle of Poelcappelle , by a day, to 9 October. The British divisions of Godley's II ANZAC Corps were to be involved in the initial attack, which was to be followed by an advance on Passchendaele by the New Zealand Division on 12 October. Godley's II ANZAC Corps had limited time to prepare for
10880-537: The New Zealand Division was to launch an attack on Gravenstafel Spur, running off the Passchendaele Ridge, as part of what would become known as the Battle of Broodseinde . The attack was part of an overall strategy to capture the ridges running in front of Passchendaele, prior to an attack on the village itself. In the weeks leading up to the battle, the division repeatedly practiced the tactics it would employ in its attack on Gravenstafel Spur. When it moved into
11040-411: The New Zealand Division; abandoning any hope of getting to the Green Line, it was to push on to the Blue Line in an attack timed for 3:00 pm. However, by the early afternoon the flanking Scots had been pushed back while the Australians had failed to make further gains and were withdrawing due to enfilade gunfire on the flanks. Braithwaite, warned by his battalion commanders that capturing the Blue Line
11200-542: The New Zealand and Australian Division was so renamed. Russell, a well regarded senior officer of the Territorial Force who had performed well during the Gallipoli Campaign, was appointed the commander of the new formation. The former New Zealand Infantry Brigade was to be the first of three infantry brigades of the division. The 1st Brigade was commanded by Brigadier General Francis Earl Johnston , who had led
11360-480: The Poelcappelle attack. The Passchendaele attack, scheduled for 12 October, would likewise be hampered by limited preparation time and boggy terrain. The attack was to involve the New Zealand Division's 2nd and Rifle Brigades, with 4th Brigade in reserve, attacking along Belluvue Spur and onto Goudberg Spur while the 3rd Australian Division, on the right of the New Zealanders, attempted to take Passchendaele itself. On
11520-511: The Rifle Brigade began an attack on the final objective, Red Line, at 10:50 am and secured a portion of the Grove Alley trenches by midday despite heavy casualties. However, the 47th Division had still not been able to secure its first objective while the 41st Division had to withdraw from Flers village. This left the New Zealanders in a salient exposed to heavy machine gun fire on both flanks. At 2:00 pm Germans were spotted advancing from
11680-399: The Rifle Brigade had, for the previous few weeks, been carrying out engineering work for II ANZAC Corps and were fatigued. The ongoing rainfall affected both the roads by which the division had to move to its starting positions and the placement of the supporting artillery. The muddy ground did not provide a stable platform for the guns and howitzers. Furthermore, the artillery barrage targeting
11840-549: The Rifle Brigade. His replacement, Brigadier General Robert Young , was severely wounded by another sniper just two days later. In September, II ANZAC Corps was detailed for the ongoing offensive in Ypres, the Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres). Haig wanted Passchendaele Ridge in British hands by winter through a series of limited actions to be carried out across September and October. The initial role of
12000-438: The Somme and consolidated its defences, some of its artillery went to reinforce the British forces bearing the brunt of the renewed German attacks. Casualties for this period of the war were high; nearly 1,000 of the division's personnel were killed through March and April and almost 2,700 were wounded. The New Zealand Division continued to man its trenches along its section of the Somme front and regularly mounted trench raids. To
12160-503: The Swiss, English, Aragonese and German, to men-at-arms who went into battle as well-armoured as knights, the latter of which at times also fought on foot. The creation of standing armies —permanently assembled for war or defence—saw increase in training and experience. The increased use of firearms and the need for drill to handle them efficiently. The introduction of national and mass armies saw an establishment of minimum requirements and
12320-446: The absence since 1793 of a French rank with only one star. For this reason, in France, the rank corresponding to brigade general was changed to brigadier general after NATO was established on April 4, 1949, and before that, it corresponded to major general. Nowadays, a French général de brigade generally commands a brigade. The rank can also be awarded in an honorary fashion to retiring colonels. The insignia are two stars, worn on
12480-429: The afternoon, the New Zealanders managed to hold their front line, including the village of Flers, although both flanks remained exposed due to the failure of 41st and 47th Divisions to reach or hold their frontage of the Blue Line. It was a successful day for the division; it had captured the most ground of all the divisions of XV Corps involved in the battle. It had also reached all four of its objectives although it ended
12640-658: The air force wedge cap features silver braid on the edges of the ear flaps. The cap insignia for a general officer is a modified version of the Canadian Forces insignia. Army brigadier-generals wear gorget patches on the collar of the service uniform tunic. Brigadier-generals are initially addressed verbally as "General" and name; thereafter by subordinates as "Sir" or "Ma'am" in English or mon général in French. They are normally entitled to staff cars . Until unification in 1968 of
12800-434: The amusement of the New Zealanders, the German soldiers manning the trenches opposite were warned to avoid being captured because they might be eaten. In June, the division was withdrawn to Authie . The New Zealanders returned to the Somme front in early July, and settled into a sector east of Hébuterne that included Rossignol Wood. As with the division's previous stint on the Somme, trench raids were often carried out. During
12960-414: The armies of nations that use the rank. The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a "brigadier general", or simply a "brigadier", would command a brigade in the field. In the first quarter of the 20th century, British and Commonwealth armies used the rank of brigadier general as a temporary appointment, or as an honorary appointment on retirement; in the 1920s this practice changed to
13120-443: The arms they used developed together, starting with the spear and the shield. A spear has decent attack abilities with the additional advantage keeping opponents at distance; this advantage can be increased by using longer spears, but this could allow the opponent to side-step the point of the spear and close for hand-to-hand combat where the longer spear is near useless. This can be avoided when each spearman stays side by side with
13280-411: The barbed wire emplacements protecting the strongpoints on the slopes of Belluvue Spur failed to destroy them, a fact determined by scouts on 11 October. Once this information reached the brigade commanders, Braithwaite and A. E. Stewart, the commander of the Rifle Brigade following Young's wounding, they pressed Russell for cancellation of the attack; this was refused. Early in the morning of 12 October,
13440-432: The brigade; if needed, it would be broken up to supply divisional replacements. Consequently, the brigade's personnel were redistributed amongst the remaining formations to bring them up to strength. The surplus troops formed the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Entrenching Battalions, one for each brigade, and this provided a pool of trained reinforcements for the division. In other organisational changes, a divisional machine gun battalion
13600-517: The brigades. The 1st Brigade swapped its two South Island battalions (1st Canterbury and 1st Otago) with the two North Island battalions (2nd Auckland and 2nd Wellington) of the 2nd Brigade. This placed all the North Island battalions in the 1st Brigade while all the South Island formations were in the 2nd Brigade. The four artillery brigades were reduced to three by distributing the batteries of
13760-411: The carrying burden is spread across several infantrymen. In all, this can reach 25–45 kg (60–100 lb) for each soldier on the march. Such heavy infantry burdens have changed little over centuries of warfare; in the late Roman Republic, legionaries were nicknamed " Marius' mules " as their main activity seemed to be carrying the weight of their legion around on their backs, a practice that predates
13920-470: The centre), cap badge (crossed sword and baton within a laurel wreath, surmounted by a crown in gold embroidery) and cap visor (two rows of gold oakleaf embroidery) as other generals. As in the United Kingdom, the rank was later replaced by colonel commandant in 1922 and brigadier in 1928. However, those holding the rank of brigadier general continued to do so throughout the inter-war period, until
14080-440: The day in possession of three plus Flers itself, which was actually in 41st Division's sector. To strengthen the division's positions, the 1st Brigade was brought forward into the front lines overnight. The next day, an attack was launched by the brigade's 1st Wellington Battalion. Supported by artillery, which suppressed an attack made by the Germans minutes before the start of the battalion's advance from Flers Village, Grove Alley
14240-407: The defensive arrangements to be poor and immediately set about improving the trenches and wire emplacements. Although the bulk of the division's personnel manned secondary defences rearward of the front line to avoid the German artillery, the forward areas had to be constantly patrolled as a deterrent to an attack and to give the impression they were fully manned. The static nature of the war meant that
14400-565: The deployment of the main body of the NZEF, the numbers of volunteers had steadily increased to the point that they could no longer be integrated into either of the two existing brigades. In January 1916, the commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in Egypt, Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Murray , proposed the number of available New Zealand personnel warranted the establishment of two new brigades which, together with
14560-463: The distinction between mechanised infantry and armour forces has blurred. The first military forces in history were infantry. In antiquity , infantry were armed with early melee weapons such as a spear , axe , or sword , or an early ranged weapon like a javelin , sling , or bow , with a few infantrymen being expected to use both a melee and a ranged weapon. With the development of gunpowder , infantry began converting to primarily firearms . By
14720-420: The division began its offensive with the infantry advancing behind a creeping barrage, which caught a mass of German troops, preparing for their own attack, out in the open. The German infantry, battered by the artillery fire, were swiftly dealt with by the advancing New Zealanders. Despite the presence of pillboxes, the Red Line was reached on schedule, with some limited mopping up operations conducted forward of
14880-467: The division that this was a punishment for his refusal to carry on with the 12 October attack at Passchendaele. By February 1918, the losses in the New Zealand Division resulted in the disbandment of the 4th Brigade. When it was originally formed, New Zealand's prime minister, William Massey , felt that New Zealand was already contributing more than its fair share to the war effort, and he determined that no additional reinforcements would be sent to maintain
15040-410: The division's left was the 9th (Scottish) Division . The plan required both New Zealand brigades to advance with a one-battalion frontage, with three battalions of each brigade leapfrogging each other in sequence to capture objectives designated Red, Blue and Green lines, the last of which was Goudberg Spur. The New Zealanders had a number of preparatory hurdles to overcome before the battle. The men of
15200-467: The eastern slope of the ridge, an objective designated the Black Line. The final phase was also to involve the 1st Brigade, which was to push the front line out 270 metres (300 yd) via a series of outposts, designated the Dotted Black Line. This outpost line would serve as the starting point for the advance of the 4th Australian Division , which was to continue the attack to what was designated as
15360-455: The enemy to prepare for the main forces' battlefield attack, protecting them from flanking manoeuvers , and then afterwards either pursuing the fleeing enemy or covering their army's retreat. After the fall of Rome, the quality of heavy infantry declined, and warfare was dominated by heavy cavalry , such as knights , forming small elite units for decisive shock combat , supported by peasant infantry militias and assorted light infantry from
15520-442: The eponymous Gaius Marius . When combat is expected, infantry typically switch to "packing light", meaning reducing their equipment to weapons, ammunition, and other basic essentials, and leaving other items deemed unnecessary with their transport or baggage train , at camp or rally point, in temporary hidden caches, or even (in emergencies) simply discarding the items. Additional specialised equipment may be required, depending on
15680-402: The error, Godley reassured him that Passchendaele could still fall to his corps. Needing to restore Haig's faith in his leadership, Godley disregarded the warnings of his senior artillery and engineer officers that ground conditions were not favourable; the winter rain had set in following Broodseinde and, together with the time constraints, had been a key factor in the compromised preparations for
15840-400: The existence of any organised military, likely started essentially as loose groups without any organisation or formation. But this changed sometime before recorded history ; the first ancient empires (2500–1500 BC) are shown to have some soldiers with standardised military equipment, and the training and discipline required for battlefield formations and manoeuvres: regular infantry . Though
16000-504: The existing brigade, would form a New Zealand infantry division for service on the Western Front . The New Zealand government, initially concerned by the prospect of maintaining three infantry brigades, concurred after Murray reassured it that the number of personnel in Egypt were sufficient to keep the new division up to strength in the short term. The New Zealand Division officially came into being at Moascar, Egypt, on 1 March 1916, when
16160-434: The expected duration of time operating away from their unit's base, plus any special mission-specific equipment. One of the most valuable pieces of gear is the entrenching tool —basically a folding spade —which can be employed not only to dig important defences, but also in a variety of other daily tasks, and even sometimes as a weapon. Infantry typically have shared equipment on top of this, like tents or heavy weapons, where
16320-526: The first grade for generals. In the 60s these ranks were reformed once again creating a third rank, brigadier general, Major general, and general in the Fuerzas Militares , and the National Police . France uses the rank of "brigade general" ( général de brigade ). The rank contrasts with the French sub-officer rank of brigadier . As with all French general officers, a French brigade general
16480-502: The first objective was the Switch trench complex, designated as the Green Line, with the next two being the Brown and Blue Lines. The Blue Line included the Flers trench network. The final objective was the Grove Alley trench complex, designated Red Line. The attack was to be preceded by a three-day preparatory bombardment and the division was also to be supported by tanks , which were being used for
16640-474: The first time. Four tanks were assigned to the division's sector. The advance of the New Zealanders was to be flanked by corresponding movements of the neighbouring British 41st and 47th Divisions . At 6:20 am, following the creeping artillery barrage that had been laid down by the divisional guns, the 2nd Brigade's Auckland and Otago Battalions advanced on their first objective, the Switch trench complex, and seized it within an hour. Losses were heavy on
16800-583: The fourth amongst the others, one of which came under the direct control of II ANZAC Corps. This period also saw the formation of the 4th Brigade in England, in response to a request made by the British War Office to the New Zealand government for another infantry division. Although their numbers were insufficient for a new division, personnel from New Zealand were arriving in the various NZEF depots in Europe at
16960-469: The front line had been advanced by barely 320 metres (350 yd). By mid-morning, it was apparent that the failure of the New Zealanders to advance their section of the front exposed the left flank of the neighbouring 3rd Australian Division, which had secured its first objective and was pushing on to its second. Likewise, on the New Zealand Division's left, the 9th (Scottish) Division had managed to reach its final objective. Godley issued new instructions to
17120-412: The front line, its frontage was approximately 2,000 metres (2,200 yd). The 4th Brigade moved into the southern portion of the line on 2 October. On its right was the 3rd Australian Division, while on its left flank was the 1st Brigade. The 48th Division (of XVIII Corps) was to the left of the 1st Brigade. Together with the 1st Brigade, the 4th Brigade was tasked with two objectives, the Red Line and
17280-425: The ground quickly became boggy. For the next two days, under the protection of heavy artillery support, both brigades consolidated their positions and established trench lines. The Germans mounted some small-scale counterattacks but these were easily dealt with. From 5 October, the rain began to set in, making movement of men and equipment to the front line difficult. On 6 October, the New Zealanders were relieved by
17440-889: The individual – weapons using personal strength and force, such as larger swinging swords, axes, and clubs. These take more room and individual freedom to swing and wield, necessitating a more loose organisation. While this may allow for a fierce running attack (an initial shock advantage) the tighter formation of the heavy spear and shield infantry gave them a local manpower advantage where several might be able to fight each opponent. Thus tight formations heightened advantages of heavy arms, and gave greater local numbers in melee. To also increase their staying power, multiple rows of heavy infantrymen were added. This also increased their shock combat effect; individual opponents saw themselves literally lined-up against several heavy infantryman each, with seemingly no chance of defeating all of them. Heavy infantry developed into huge solid block formations, up to
17600-422: The introduction of special troops (first of them the engineers going back to medieval times, but also different kinds of infantry adopted to specific terrain, bicycle, motorcycle, motorised and mechanised troops) culminating with the introduction of highly trained special forces during the first and second World War. Naval infantry, commonly known as marines , are primarily a category of infantry that form part of
17760-553: The last of them retired or was promoted during the Second World War. A brigadier general was a general officer, but brigadiers were not generals, which is shown by the rank insignia being like that of a colonel, but with an extra (third) star/pip, and a brigadier wore the same gorget patches (scarlet cloth with a line of crimson gimp), cap badge (the Royal Crest in gold embroidery), and cap visor (one row of gold oakleaf embroidery) as
17920-693: The latter stages of the war, the New Zealand Division was one of the strongest divisions of the Dominion serving on the Western Front. After the armistice, it served on occupation duties in Germany before being disbanded in 1919. Following the outbreak of the First World War, the New Zealand government authorised the formation of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF), under the command of Major General Alexander Godley , for service abroad. By October 1914, there were sufficient volunteers to form two brigades,
18080-462: The left side of the advance; the forward movement of the 47th Division was held up and this exposed the 2nd Otago Battalion to enfilade fire as they continued onto Switch trench. It was planned for the 4th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, with the benefit of tank support, to leapfrog the 2nd Brigade and move onto the next objective. However, the tanks suffered mechanical problems and failed to arrive on time. The battalion moved on regardless and secured
18240-450: The line by parties from the advancing battalions. Having moved up to the Red Line behind the attacking forces, at 8:10 am, the next phase of the advance began as infantry from the remaining battalions of 1st and 4th Brigades moved forward to the Blue Line. Despite some resistance from machine gun nests and pockets of infantry sheltering in shell holes, the Blue Line was reached at 9:30 am. Rain began to fall later that afternoon, and
18400-707: The lower classes. Towards the end of Middle Ages, this began to change, where more professional and better trained light infantry could be effective against knights, such as the English longbowmen in the Hundred Years' War . By the start of the Renaissance , the infantry began to return to a larger role, with Swiss pikemen and German Landsknechts filling the role of heavy infantry again, using dense formations of pikes to drive off any cavalry. Dense formations are vulnerable to ranged weapons. Technological developments allowed
18560-417: The main enemy lines, using weight of numbers to achieve a decisive victory , and were usually equipped with heavier weapons and armour to fit their role. Light infantry, such as Greek peltasts , Balearic slingers , and Roman velites , using open formations and greater manoeuvrability, took on most other combat roles: scouting , screening the army on the march, skirmishing to delay, disrupt, or weaken
18720-447: The main force of the army, these forces were usually kept small due to their cost of training and upkeep, and might be supplemented by local short-term mass-conscript forces using the older irregular infantry weapons and tactics; this remained a common practice almost up to modern times. Before the adoption of the chariot to create the first mobile fighting forces c. 2000 BC , all armies were pure infantry. Even after, with
18880-679: The meantime, General Sir Douglas Haig , the commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), called for diversionary actions to attract the attention of the German High Command away from the Allied preparations for the forthcoming offensive on the Somme. To achieve this, the New Zealanders mounted several trench raids. By the time the New Zealand Division was relieved in August, it had incurred 2,500 casualties, including 375 dead. After
19040-487: The mid 17th century began replacement of the pike with the infantry square replacing the pike square. To maximise their firepower, musketeer infantry were trained to fight in wide lines facing the enemy, creating line infantry . These fulfilled the central battlefield role of earlier heavy infantry, using ranged weapons instead of melee weapons. To support these lines, smaller infantry formations using dispersed skirmish lines were created, called light infantry, fulfilling
19200-595: The mission or to the particular terrain or environment, including satchel charges , demolition tools, mines , or barbed wire , carried by the infantry or attached specialists. Historically, infantry have suffered high casualty rates from disease , exposure, exhaustion and privation — often in excess of the casualties suffered from enemy attacks. Better infantry equipment to support their health, energy, and protect from environmental factors greatly reduces these rates of loss, and increase their level of effective action. Health, energy, and morale are greatly influenced by how
19360-401: The mud and German defensive positions. For the sake of a few hundred metres, there were 5,700 casualties. Despite this, Godley, keen for Passchendaele to fall to his II ANZAC Corps, pushed ahead with the 12 October attack. Haig, misled by erroneous reports from Godley's headquarters that the Poelcappelle attack had achieved similar gains to those made on 4 October, concurred. Once Haig discovered
19520-643: The naval forces of states and perform roles on land and at sea, including amphibious operations , as well as other, naval roles. They also perform other tasks, including land warfare, separate from naval operations. Air force infantry and base defense forces are used primarily for ground-based defense of air bases and other air force facilities. They also have a number of other, specialist roles. These include, among others, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defence and training other airmen in basic ground defense tactics. Infentory Brigadier General Brigadier general or brigade general
19680-415: The next phase of the advance, the establishment of the Dotted Black Line. By 9:00 am, under the cover of a creeping artillery barrage, platoons from the brigade's 2nd Auckland Battalion moved forward and formed a series of outposts, some of which were close to the Green Line. They were well dug in by midday, and handily placed to fend off German counterattacks. At 3:00 pm, the advance was continued by
19840-570: The northeast. Captain Lindsay Inglis , the senior surviving officer in this area of Grove Alley, gave orders to strengthen the corresponding section of the line. When a platoon began moving to effect the order, this was misinterpreted as a withdrawal and the remaining elements of the battalion began to pull out to Flers village. Inglis was able to check the withdrawal, but with only 120 men, he opted to dig in where they were rather than try to reoccupy Grove Alley. Despite several counterattacks during
20000-453: The number of soldiers in the front line defences to a minimum and to rely on artillery and machine guns as his primary means for defending against counterattacks. The day after the battle, Russell was visiting the Le Moulin de l'Hospice, captured by 1st Brigade, when an artillery barrage opened up. This killed the brigade's commander, Brigadier General Charles Brown , the first general officer of
20160-531: The original brigade at Gallipoli. The 2nd Brigade was formed from reinforcements currently in Egypt; this was commanded by another Gallipoli veteran, Brigadier General William Garnett Braithwaite . The third infantry brigade, known as the Rifle Brigade , was commanded by Brigadier General Harry Fulton . The division also included the Otago Mounted Rifles Regiment ; one squadron was designated as
20320-400: The others in close formation, each covering the ones next to him, presenting a solid wall of spears to the enemy that they cannot get around. Similarly, a shield has decent defence abilities, but is literally hit-or-miss; an attack from an unexpected angle can bypass it completely. Larger shields can cover more, but are also heavier and less manoeuvrable, making unexpected attacks even more of
20480-458: The raising of large numbers of light infantry units armed with ranged weapons, without the years of training expected for traditional high-skilled archers and slingers. This started slowly, first with crossbowmen , then hand cannoneers and arquebusiers , each with increasing effectiveness, marking the beginning of early modern warfare , when firearms rendered the use of heavy infantry obsolete. The introduction of musketeers using bayonets in
20640-452: The rank of brigadier-general (BGen) ( brigadier-général or bgén in French) is a rank for members who wear army or air force uniform, equal to a commodore for those in navy uniform. A brigadier-general is the lowest rank of general officer . A brigadier-general is senior to a colonel or naval captain , and junior to a major-general or rear-admiral . The rank title brigadier-general
20800-452: The rank would be relinquished and the former rank resumed. This policy prevented an accumulation of high-ranking general officers brought about by the relatively high turnover of brigade commanders. Brigadier general was also used as an honorary rank on retirement. The rank insignia was like that of the current major general , but without the star/pip. Brigadier generals wore the same gorget patches (a line of gold oak leaf embroidery down
20960-1041: The same multiple roles as earlier light infantry. Their arms were no lighter than line infantry; they were distinguished by their skirmish formation and flexible tactics. The modern rifleman infantry became the primary force for taking and holding ground on battlefields as an element of combined arms . As firepower continued to increase, use of infantry lines diminished, until all infantry became light infantry in practice. Modern classifications of infantry have since expanded to reflect modern equipment and tactics, such as motorised infantry , mechanised or armoured infantry , mountain infantry , marine infantry , and airborne infantry . Beyond main arms and armour, an infantryman's "military kit" generally includes combat boots , battledress or combat uniform , camping gear , heavy weather gear, survival gear , secondary weapons and ammunition , weapon service and repair kits, health and hygiene items, mess kit , rations , filled water canteen , and all other consumables each infantryman needs for
21120-436: The sector north of Ypres, which was to be the focus of renewed fighting as Haig continued with his planned offensive. Russell had his brigades man the division's section in rotation; those not in the trenches spent their time training. During this period, the New Zealanders captured the village of La Basseville but subsequently lost it to a German counterattack. At the end of the month, 2nd Wellington Battalion, 1st Brigade, retook
21280-448: The shoulder or at the sleeve of the uniform, depending on the order of dress. Two different kepis are issued: the service kepi sports the two stars, while the formal kepi features a large band of oak leaves (the kepi of a division general has two smaller such bands). Charles de Gaulle held the rank of brigade general. He was given a temporary promotion to this rank in May 1940 as commander of
21440-723: The soldier is fed, so militaries issue standardised field rations that provide palatable meals and enough calories to keep a soldier well-fed and combat-ready. Communications gear has become a necessity, as it allows effective command of infantry units over greater distances, and communication with artillery and other support units. Modern infantry can have GPS , encrypted individual communications equipment, surveillance and night vision equipment, advanced intelligence and other high-tech mission-unique aids. Armies have sought to improve and standardise infantry gear to reduce fatigue for extended carrying, increase freedom of movement, accessibility, and compatibility with other carried gear, such as
21600-464: The time of Napoleonic warfare , infantry, cavalry and artillery formed a basic triad of ground forces, though infantry usually remained the most numerous. With armoured warfare , armoured fighting vehicles have replaced the horses of cavalry, and airpower has added a new dimension to ground combat, but infantry remains pivotal to all modern combined arms operations. The first warriors, adopting hunting weapons or improvised melee weapons, before
21760-445: The time of the musket, the dominance of firepower shifted militaries away from any close combat, and use of armour decreased, until infantry typically went without wearing any armour. Helmets were added back during World War I as artillery began to dominate the battlefield, to protect against their fragmentation and other blast effects beyond a direct hit. Modern developments in bullet-proof composite materials like kevlar have started
21920-526: The tribal host assembled from farmers and hunters with only passing acquaintance with warfare and masses of lightly armed and ill-trained militia put up as a last ditch effort. Kushite king Taharqa enjoyed military success in the Near East as a result of his efforts to strengthen the army through daily training in long-distance running. In medieval times the foot soldiers varied from peasant levies to semi-permanent companies of mercenaries, foremost among them
22080-676: The two-star general rank in the Portuguese Army. As two-star rank, it was substituted by the rank of major-general in 1999. In the Spanish Army , Spanish Air Force , and Spanish Marine Infantry ( Infantería de Marina , a branch of the Armada ) general de brigada is the lowest rank of general officers. Its equivalent in the Navy ( Armada ) is contraalmirante . In the Turkish Army and
22240-481: The use of brigadier, which was not classed as a general officer. Brigade general is the rank of a brigade commander in countries where the French Revolutionary System's general officer rank designation is used. The rank name général de brigade ( transl. brigade general ) was first used in the French revolutionary armies. It used both brigadier general and major general because it
22400-415: The village with Lance-Corporal Leslie Andrew playing a key role in the action; he was later awarded the VC for his efforts. Over the following few weeks the men of the division worked to consolidate their positions in waterlogged trenches, rain having set in. Casualties were still incurred during this period including Brigadier General Johnston, killed by a sniper on 7 August while inspecting his new command,
22560-459: The war, Braithwaite, a popular commander, was temporarily in charge of the division while Russell was on leave. The last of the brigade commanders who had embarked with the NZEF in 1914, he was worn out and in January was evacuated to England for treatment. On recovery, Braithwaite rejoined his original British Army regiment rather than returning to the division. There were rumours amongst the soldiers of
22720-557: The war. In early 1918, the division helped blunt the German spring offensive at the Somme, before the Allies went on the offensive in August. During the Hundred Days' Offensive that followed, it was one of the lead divisions of the Third Army and advanced 100 kilometres (62 mi) in 75 days. The division's last major engagement of the war was at Le Quesnoy in early November 1918. During
22880-596: The weapon speciality; examples of infantry units that retained such names are the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Grenadier Guards . Dragoons were created as mounted infantry , with horses for travel between battles; they were still considered infantry since they dismounted before combat. However, if light cavalry was lacking in an army, any available dragoons might be assigned their duties; this practice increased over time, and dragoons eventually received all
23040-452: The weapons and training as both infantry and cavalry, and could be classified as both. Conversely, starting about the mid-19th century, regular cavalry have been forced to spend more of their time dismounted in combat due to the ever-increasing effectiveness of enemy infantry firearms. Thus most cavalry transitioned to mounted infantry. As with grenadiers, the dragoon and cavalry designations can be retained long after their horses, such as in
23200-460: The weather and the harassment from German artillery, which killed Fulton, the original commander of the Rifle Brigade, when a barrage targeted his headquarters. The division undertook the first offensive action by the British forces during the Spring Offensive when three battalions seized the high ground of La Signy farm on 30 March. This success, although relatively trivial to the New Zealanders,
23360-505: The wire and allowed the 3rd Battalion to clear the trenches of its garrison, the 5th Bavarian Regiment; 145 were taken prisoner. Efforts were made to consolidate the newly captured positions. The 41st Division, on the right flank, had reached its portion of the Blue Line and captured Flers but the 47th Division lagged behind. The New Zealanders remained exposed to enfilade fire along their left flank and German artillery fire also hampered attempts to shore up their positions. The 1st Battalion of
23520-409: The wire, arranged in two belts. The following battalions began to catch up to the leading unit, the 2nd Otago Battalion, filling its depleted ranks, but were also held up by the wire. Some parties, led by subalterns and non-commissioned officers , managed to breach the wire and attack the German pillboxes beyond, but when their leaders were killed, the survivors began to dig in. It was 8:00 am and
23680-465: Was a morale booster for the rest of the beleaguered Third Army. The Germans launched a renewed effort to push through to Amiens on 5 April, two armies attacking across the front of the British Third Army. The New Zealanders experienced a heavy bombardment which began at 5:00 am which cut off communications and later that day suffered two separate but disorganised attacks by infantry. The first
23840-439: Was captured. That evening the weather deteriorated and over the next few days rain filled trenches and shell holes, and turned the ground to thick mud. The New Zealanders were continually harassed by German artillery and localised attacks from the spur overlooking Grove Alley. Despite the conditions, the 1st Brigade carried out operations to strengthen the division's exposed left flank, but it remained vulnerable to enfilade fire from
24000-408: Was carried out, with transportation infrastructure laid down and ample supplies of shells brought forward for the artillery. The plan of attack, broken into three phases, called for the 2nd and Rifle Brigades to carry out an initial advance to the trenches on the western slopes of the Messines ridge as well as the village itself. The 1st Brigade was then to take over for the second phase and advance to
24160-470: Was commanded by Major General Andrew Hamilton Russell for the duration of the war. The division saw service on the Western Front in France and Belgium , fighting in major battles at the Somme , Messines and Broodseinde Ridge throughout 1916 and 1917. All were notable successes for the New Zealanders but the division suffered a serious defeat at Passchendaele on 12 October 1917, its most costly day of
24320-503: Was evacuated from Gallipoli, and was placed in reserve near the Suez Canal . Although there were concerns that the Turks might attack the canal, it was envisaged that the division would soon be called upon to serve elsewhere. Commanded by Major General Andrew Hamilton Russell , it was replenished with reinforcements from Australia and New Zealand and began a program of intensive training. Since
24480-545: Was fended off but the second recaptured La Signy farm. An attempt to push on to the main trenches of the New Zealanders was rebuffed with heavy losses inflicted by the Wellington Company of the Machine Gun Battalion. By 9 April, the pressure was decreasing on the New Zealand positions as the Germans shifted their offensive north to the area around Armentières. While the bulk of the New Zealand Division remained on
24640-607: Was formed from the companies belonging to each brigade while the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion divested itself of its squadron of Otago Mounted Rifles to leave a unit with solely Māori personnel, apart from its senior officers. This was designated the New Zealand Māori (Pioneer) Battalion. On 21 March, the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which involved 60 divisions advancing across a front of 80 kilometres (50 mi). The Allies were quickly pushed back and
24800-671: Was formerly a rank or appointment in the British Army and Royal Marines , and briefly in the Royal Air Force . The appointment was abolished in the Army and the Marines in 1921; the equivalent rank today is Brigadier . In the United States Army , United States Air Force , United States Marine Corps , and United States Space Force , a brigadier general is a one-star general officer . It
24960-413: Was impossible, twice pushed Russell for a cancellation of the attack. Russell's initial response was to instruct the Rifle Brigade to continue, but shortly before the attack was to begin, it was abandoned. The 4th Brigade moved up to the line to relieve the 2nd and Rifle Brigades and remained there until the division was withdrawn to a training area in late October, following the relief of II ANZAC Corps by
25120-508: Was inadequate and did not take into account the poor ground conditions at Passchendaele. On 1 November 1917, II ANZAC Corps' 3rd Australian Division was transferred to I ANZAC Corps. As this left the New Zealand Division as the sole representative of the ANZAC divisions in II ANZAC Corps, it was renamed to XXII Corps . The renamed corps returned to the Ypres salient in mid-November 1917, holding
25280-510: Was not coined until 1837. In modern usage, foot soldiers of any era are now considered infantry and infantrymen. From the mid-18th century until 1881, the British Army named its infantry as numbered regiments "of Foot" to distinguish them from cavalry and dragoon regiments (see List of Regiments of Foot ). Infantry equipped with special weapons were often named after that weapon, such as grenadiers for their grenades , or fusiliers for their fusils . These names can persist long after
25440-399: Was not common), similar to modern sections (squads) , companies , and regiments . The training of the infantry has differed drastically over time and from place to place. The cost of maintaining an army in fighting order and the seasonal nature of warfare precluded large permanent armies. The antiquity saw everything from the well-trained and motivated citizen armies of Greece and Rome,
25600-417: Was planning an offensive in the heavily defended Ypres region of Flanders. His plan involved a series of steps, the first of which was the capture of Messines Ridge by II ANZAC Corps. The New Zealand Division, already in the Messines sector, was given the task of capturing Messines Village and it began intensive training for the forthcoming battle under the close supervision of Russell. Extensive preparatory work
#664335