All, I've been looking up available details on the 7th Infantry Brigade Group of the NZ Division in the UK in the summer of 1940; the Expeditionary Force's "first echelon" had been sent to the Middle East as planned, but for want of training facilities there or in India, the "second echelon" out of Basic in New Zealand was sent to the UK... ....where it got caught up in the anti-invasion preparations of the summer of 1940! It was divided up into a small HQ Group, the three battalions of what became the 5th Infantry Brigade group, and the one regular and one scratch "odds and sods" battalion of the 7th Infantry Brigade Group....and eventually tanks of 8th RTR and the M.G. company (in Bisons!) that made up "Milforce" was brevetted to it as "heavy" support - but not yet! The division commenced its stay in the UK based in Colchester, but as Germany invaded Belgium this was considered too near a possible invasion then, and it was shifted to Aldershot...from which is practised forward eployment and anti-paratrooper exercises in Sussex. Eventually, as it's training completed and it received very nearly its FULL roster of equipment - an enviable position in the summer of 1940! - it was shifted forward from Aldershot to positions "east of Maidstone", from where it was ordered to exercise for a set of three possibilities. The 5th was billeted "east of Maidstone"....and in the event of an invasion was to carry out one of THREE actions, depending on what developed!:mellow: They were to motor from the Maidstone area to Charing, down the A20 from Harrietsham to Charing...where Milforce was camped...then move up to one of two start lines; Turn "left" at Charing and head to Canterbury, where (1)starting just east of the city they were to sweep to the coast NORTH of Dover but SOUTH of Sandiwch....I.E. couterattack forces landing either side of Deal! OR Turn "right" at Charing and head on to Ashford, through Ashford to Sellinge; from a start line there they were to carry out one of TWO actions - (2) sweep directly east into the area around Lyminge and Postling Green (3) sweep south-east towards Hawkinge/Folkestone and on into Dover. To allow the 5th Brigade Group to make it to Charing from "east of Maidstone"....the 7th was camped along the high ground immediately north of the road, a crestline of the North Downs. From there they were to provide LMG A.A. cover as the 5th motored along the Harrietsham-Charing road below them...here the line of the road is in black, you can just make out the high ground on the far side of it! ...and after that the 7th was to EITHER clear out parachutists in the area Maidstone-Sittingbourne-Faversham-Charing... ...or provide reinforcement for the 5th in whichever of its three pre-planned operations. Now - here's my question... The ONLY location information I have for the three battalions of the 5th is..."east of Maidstone" - where apparently they were billeted with farmers and householders - but where??? "East of Maidstone" is quite an area! Does anyone know???
Maori Bn was part of milforce. CHAPTER 2 — England | NZETC The Maoris moved by transport in the afternoon of 5 September and, after an all-night drive through Farnham, Guildford, Reigate and Hollingbourne, debussed at Doddington in Kent in the morning and immediately dug themselves in. The weather, which had been perfect, broke after a few weeks, and early in October the men moved from their muddy tents to billets—C Company to Wichling, B Company to Doddington, D Company into the hospital, A Company to Eastling, and Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company to Stalisfield.
I thought that I'd use a bit of local knowledge to try Googling. it didn't help at all but I did find this :- Activities of 5 Field Ambulance | NZETC I then guessed that the top brass would've billetted themselves at Leeds Castle. Apparently they didn't manage that but I found this link :- Kent Parish Councils - Hollingbourne Parish Council It has become apparent reading BEF war diaries that the senior officers always look for Chateaux and stately homes as HQs, the larger the wine cellar, the better.
Owen... Maori Bn was part of milforce ...eventually - as of the 8th of October, when 7th Brigade was closed out and its components re-allocated. The Maoris went to Milforce then....but prior to that had been the "one regular battalion" in 7th Brigade Group I.E. they'd been the machinegunners sitting on top of the Downs covering the A20 as the 5th came down from....wherever..... Rich... I then guessed that the top brass would've billetted themselves at Leeds Castle. Apparently they didn't manage that but I found this link :- Kent Parish Councils - Hollingbourne Parish Council It has become apparent reading BEF war diaries that the senior officers always look for Chateaux and stately homes as HQs, the larger the wine cellar, the better. ...I guessed the "billeted with local farmers and householders" ONLY meant the officer cadre Pup tents in the mud for the ORs! :p
