The regiment spent a year in Egypt training with Sherman tanks, before embarking for Italy in October 1943 to join up with the rest of the 2nd New Zealand Division.

The regiment finished the war in Trieste and remained there for several weeks until the large numbers of Yugoslav partisans also present in the city withdrew.

[6] A headquarters company included the specialist support troops; signallers, anti-aircraft and mortar platoons, pioneers and transport as well as administrative personnel.

[9] Before it left, it paraded before the public at the Auckland Domain and was addressed by the commander of the Northern Military District, Lieutenant Colonel Norman Weir.

[10] The Orion journeyed to its destination as part of a convoy of liners[11] by way of Fremantle,[12] Colombo,[13] and Aden before it arrived at Tewfik, Egypt, where the battalion disembarked on 13 February 1940.

Following Italy's entry into the war in June, it moved to a newly established defensive position, the Baggush Box, to perform garrison duty.

[17] By January 1941, the defensive work was completed[18] and the battalion moved to Helwan Camp, near Cairo, for re-equipping and more intensive and large scale training.

[19] In early 1941, the British Government anticipated an invasion of Greece by the Germans and decided to send troops to support the Greeks, who were already engaged against the Italians in Albania.

[20] The 18th Battalion was the first New Zealand unit to depart Egypt, and sailed for Greece on 7 March aboard the Royal Navy cruisers HMS Orion and Ajax.

[22] The 18th Battalion was the first complete unit in the line; one company was positioned in Olympus Pass itself while the remainder started digging in the sector allocated to 4th Brigade.

[27] From 11 April, Stukas mounted air raids on the New Zealand positions before the Germans brought artillery to bear two days later as their ground forces approached.

[28] The same day, the 18th Battalion fended off initial probing attacks by elements of the 9th Panzer Division but were unable to prevent the Germans from occupying Servia.

[31] Once clear of the pass, the battalion's transport was subjected to several air raids before they finally made it to the Thermopylae Line, the next defensive position for the New Zealanders.

[33] However, on 22 April, the Allies decided to abandon Greece and the battalion moved out the same day with the rest of the 4th Brigade[34] as part of an intended rearguard.

[37] Situated along vital air and sea lanes of communication in the middle of the Mediterranean, Crete was of considerable strategic importance to both sides and, after the conclusion of the campaign in Greece, the Allies fully expected that the Germans would attempt an invasion.

[41] It carried out mopping up operations and patrolled the area for the next two days before assisting the 19th Battalion in an attack on Fallschirmjäger that had established a strong defensive position nearby.

[45] The battalion was then withdrawn to the east as the order to evacuate Crete was received, making its way towards Suda Bay, where Allied ships were taking troops off the beaches.

Along the way, they were subjected to heavy air raids, one of which killed a company commander, Captain Jack Lyon, the Member of Parliament for the Waitemata electorate.

[49] Back in its former base in Egypt and with its ranks restored with 400 reinforcements that arrived in June, the battalion began intensive weapons training.

[56] At Tobruk and with Gray back in command, the battalion manned the frontlines, fending off German attacks, until 11 December when it was withdrawn to Baggush.

[63] It was initially based at Mersa Matruh,[64] but after the fall of Tobruk to Rommel's forces, the division was ordered on 25 June to establish defensive positions at Minqar Qaim.

However, the Germans failed to capitalise on the opportunity and the train of vehicles, with Gray at its head to ensure it did not come to a stop, was able to skirt the tanks with relatively few losses and reach the Alamein lines.

[71] Although an Italian strongpoint caused the battalion to scatter in piecemeal fashion, it advanced to the western end of the ridge taking several prisoners on the way.

[81] The 18th Armoured Regiment disembarked at Taranto on 22 October 1943 and gradually travelled north towards the Sangro River,[82] which it duly crossed on 3 December.

Two days later the regiment, with Pleasants back in command, mounted an attack on the German positions at Melone but this failed and seven tanks became stuck.

[86] The tanks struggled to break into Orsogna[87] and although the infantry made some gains, the German defences were too strong and the attack soon faded into a stalemate, with a number of back and forth actions as winter set in.

[91] As at Orsogna, the 18th Armoured Regiment was to play a supporting role in the forthcoming attack on Cassino, with the infantry of the 5th and 6th Brigades bearing the brunt of the battle.

[92] The regiment's tanks were first used at Cassino as artillery support for two weeks, each squadron being rotated in three-day stints to a position overlooking the town.

[94] The regiment remained fragmented into May, for once training was completed, another squadron was detached and sent into Cassino itself to man tanks which had been effectively set up as pillboxes.

[109] The 18th Battalion and its successor, the 18th Armoured Regiment, was awarded the following battle honours: Mount Olympus, Servia Pass, Platamon Tunnel, Tempe Gorge, Elasson, Molos, Greece 1941, Crete, Maleme, Galatas, Canea, 42nd Street, Withdrawal to Sphakia, Middle East 1941–44, Tobruk 1941, Sidi Rezegh 1941, Omars, Belhamed, Mersa Matruh, Minqar Qaim, Defence of Alamein Line, Ruweisat Ridge, El Mreir, Alam el Halfa, North Africa 1940–42, The Sangro, Castel Frentano, Orsogna, Advance to Florence, San Michele, Paula Line, Celle, Pisciatello, The Senio, Santerno Crossing, Bologna, Idice Bridgehead, Italy 1943–45.