Equality of Sacrifice: New Zealanders and Military Punishment 1914-1945

Abstract

The phrase ‘never such innocence again’ captures the poignancy of the indelible imprint that World War I and World War II left on New Zealand and the world.1 During 1914-1918, 28 of the 3080 sentenced to death in Britain’s armies were New Zealanders. Approximately 2745 New Zealand troops were court-martialled in the First World War and 2683 during the Second World War. Sanctions of wide-ranging severity were meted out for various offences both at home and abroad and although the death penalty and Field Punishment No. 1 were abolished before the outbreak of World War II, it was by no means the end of military punishment for either volunteer or conscripted soldiers. Furthermore, in the quest to protect peace and freedom in New Zealand there was no anticipating the Draconian means by which the government would attempt to suppress opposition to the war, even amongst civilians.