26 NZ Battalion - blocking position at Solomos, Peloponnese 26 April 1941

Dear all,
I have read the official history of this event on 26 April and the few lines written by KH Golla on the subject but I am enquiring as to whether an official war diary for 26 Battalion exists from April 1941. I have enquired with the NZ archives as they list several files but they are not specific about the contents. If someone has come across it, would you be kind enough to pass on the file number so I can enquire further. I am hoping the war diary may have more detail than the official history book.
Thank you.

 

Greg,

Some of the NZ war diaries from the Greece/Crete campaign are in the UK National Archives in Kew. Try WO 179/739 for 26 Battalion.

26 N.Z. Bn. | The National Archives

Regards

Tom

 

Greg,

I see what you mean about the Official History, not even name of the action is given. Nor does Solomos appear here before your post. See: https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/...toria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-26Ba-c3.html

There is a helpful, short thread on the unit. See: Remembering Today 18/5/41 Private R.R.Fowler. 14211,New Zealand Infantry

Search online for: "operation 'lustre'" and there is a war game guide to the action by rapid-fire-uk-com

Might this help:

The footnote cites: Crisp, R. Direct quotation from Page. The Gods Were Neutral P. 187.

There is a chapter on the fighting at and near Corinth in Pg. 187 (in the download starts Pg. 200) of a Kiwi 2005 thesis 'The Greek Campaign: 'Freyberg's circus enters a Balkan imbroglio.' See: https://files01.core.ac.uk/download/pdf/148643764.pdf

I have not read the chapter.

We have a few Kiwi members who will know more and I will PM the one I know.

 

Cheers Tom. I didn't think to look at TNA. I shall.order that file and hopefully there may be some additional details. Cheers

 

Hello mate,
Thank you for the information. I have all those sources. The official history mentions the battalion stopped short of Corinth, about 5 miles south. Solomos is 4.6m to the southwest and on the main road. Golla refers to Solomos specifically but no reference to his narrative. I will order the war diary now I have a reference number.

 

Greg,
I am not that familiar with 2NZEF in Greece as my father was not there, however I can navigate around the Official History so I had a quick look.
Below is an extract from the map in NZOH "TO GREECE" page 366
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/...c.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Gree-c16-1.html#n367


Solomos is near the top point of the upper arrow, about 9 Km from Corinth. You are right there is nothing about this town.
Good luck

National Archive file, not sure about "File not Held"
26 NZ Battalion Unit War Diary - April 1941 [file not held]
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/en/web/arena/search#/entity/aims-archive/R26109202/26-nz-battalion-unit-war-diary---april-1941-[file-not-held]?q=26+battalion+war+diary+april+1941&isFuzzy=true&c="field":"associatedDate_year","gte":"1941","lte":"1941"&source=aims-archive

 

Hi Greg,

Apologies if you have already found the following - 26 Battalion's War Dairy for April 1941 is listed as being "File not held" by Archives New Zealand (along with March and May 1941). I've never come across this before when looking at War Diaries at Archives NZ, so unfortunately can't help you on what that might mean. Archives NZ might be able to provide further clarity if they haven't already. Good luck with your research.

 

I've ordered the file Tom. Cheers

 

Cheers Geoff

 

Cheers Andy