Courage And Valour: New Zealanders in the Italian Campaign

Discussion in 'Italy' started by Dave Homewood, May 29, 2014.

  1. Dave Homewood

    Dave Homewood Member

    At long last, after more than four years working towards this, I am very pleased to announce that the website is now online that will host my new "Courage And Valour" audio podcast series!!

    Courage And Valour: New Zealanders in the Italian Campaign is an audio documentary series in which the story of the long, hard conflict to liberate Italy from the Nazis in 1943 to 1945 is told through the memories of veterans who were there. For four years I have been filming, recording and compiling interviews with veteran soldiers, airmen and so far just one sailor who served in the campaign. I have been editing them into audio documentaries which will form an episodic series that people can download and listen to for free.

    There is an amazing amount of history in these shows, much of which has never been told. And the series - which is planned to have around 20 episodes, with each lasting around an hour - delves far more deeply into the topic than anything you've ever seen or heard before.

    The first two episodes are now online and available. We're starting off with the Army's perspective, but as the series progresses we'll also focus on the New Zealand airmen and sailors who were in the conflict too.

    Episode One is all about the training and garrison duties that the soldiers did in NewZealand before they went overseas to join the 2nd New Zealand Division.

    Episode Two is about them arriving in Egypt for further training, then heading with the Div to Italy, and we hear the stories for their first battle on Italian soil, the push to cross the Sangro River.

    Please take a look around the site, which has pages of information to support the series and give listeners a guide to the campaign, such as a Timeline, and a Glossary section. I am hoping over time to add more and more information to the site, as more and more episodes get added. if you want to add anything to the information already there, or perhaps offer corrections, please feel free to get in touch with me.

    If you go to the Courage And Valour Episodes page you'll find those first two episodes of the series online, ready for you to listen to, and to download to keep. I hope you'll all take the time to have a listen, and please do share your thoughts and add feedback, ideas, criticism and suggestions, and also please pass on links to the site to others and spread the word.

    And here it is, the website:
    www.newzealandersatwar.com/

    [​IMG]
     
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  2. hutchie

    hutchie Dont tell him Pike!!

    Stunning website :) very well done
     
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  3. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day dave homewood.m.yesterday.10:20pm.re:courage and valour:new zelanders in the italian campaign.it looks like a great website.i would just like to aske you if you have included the maori battalion in your research.they were renown for there bravery.regards bernard85
     
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  4. andy007

    andy007 Senior Member

    Hi Dave,
    Congratulations! It is Great to see you have been able to get the site and podcasts online. I haven't had a chance to listen yet, but will do shortly.
     
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  5. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Dave

    Well done !

    A fitting tribute to those lovely men whom it was an honour to have served with at Cassino.

    Ron
     
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  6. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Have got episode 2 on .
    Good to hear the Veterans.
     
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  7. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Dave, well done!
    I will take the time to read it in full later.
    I had the great pleasure of seeing 39 New Zealand Veterans at the 70th Anniversary Ceremony in Cassino last week :)

    Lesley
     
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  8. Dave Homewood

    Dave Homewood Member

    Thanks everyone for the replies and praise. It feels so good to finally get this up online and let others see what i have been working away on for years.

    Bernard, yes there will be a few 28 (Maori) Battalion members in the series, but over the years here in New Zealand the media has focused almost exclusively on that battalion's history and ignored all the other battalions, regiments, batteries and others who were there in our 2nd NZ Division. So I am trying to redress the balance a little and spread a wider focus on all the different infantry battalions - as they all performed equally tough and equally brave actions - and others who took part.
     
  9. sanchez

    sanchez Patron Patron

    well done dave an excellent site and a fitting tribute to the brave men of new zealand .

    cheers
    dave
     
  10. Clint_NZ

    Clint_NZ Member

    Great site Dave, look forward to 'Life in Tanks' as my grandfather served with the 18th Armoured Regiment.
     
  11. Dave Homewood

    Dave Homewood Member

    Thanks chaps. Clint, is your grandfather still around now? I'd really like to get a few more tankie interviews for that one if possible.
     
  12. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Damned fine.
    Instant classic website, Dave. Well done.
     
  13. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    :salut: I take my hat off to you sir - a great job :sign_wow:

    TD
     
  14. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    That's brilliant Dave! Congratulations.
     
  15. Clint_NZ

    Clint_NZ Member

    Dave unfortunately my grandfather died in 1993 but I can remember many of his stories, like everybody diving for cover whenever American B-17's would fly over. He suffered from hip problems in later life from all the banging and crashing around in the Sherman's.
     
  16. Dave Homewood

    Dave Homewood Member

    Thanks Clint. If anyone out there knows any living kiwi veterans of the Italian campaign, I am keen to hear. Particularly sailors.
     
  17. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Dave.

    One brilliant book that you might want to include on your site is 'The Lost Opportunity' by a Kiwi called Ron Crosby. It is a first class assessment of the 20 NZ Armd Regt's role in the 19 Mar 44 diversionary attack behind the Monastery. Well worth a read and inclusion.

    Great to see that you include Perry Rowe and Jeff Plowman's Then and Now. Superb.

    Regards

    Frank
     
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  18. Tom Canning

    Tom Canning WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Dave
    great job as I had the pleasure of being next to the KIWI"s at both Cassino and the Gothic line after their battering in two battles for Cassino - they were detailed for Diadem until someone

    remembered that they were exhausted and the 1st Cdn Div - with 21st TB replaced them- my last regiment-16/5th Lancers supported the 28th Maoris at the station in the early battleā€¦

    Cheers
     
  19. Dave Homewood

    Dave Homewood Member

    Thanks for the reminder of that book Frank, I had heard of it some while back but have not yet seen a copy. I'll add it to the list on the site.

    Thanks too Tom for your comments. It's very nice to have actual veterans praising the site.

    I'm keen to hear feedback on what you all think of the actual episodes. Has anyone had a listen yet? (they're free to listen to or download to keep).
    http://www.newzealandersatwar.com/Couarage_And_Valour/episodes/
     
  20. Dave Homewood

    Dave Homewood Member

    Has anyone here had a chance to have a listen to the first two episodes of Courage And Valour yet? I have had a lot of nice feedback about the website but very little about the actual documentary episodes. I'd love to hear what people think, and perhaps address any questions, etc.
    http://www.newzealandersatwar.com/Couarage_And_Valour/episodes/
     

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