Born to Lead?

Is there a distinctive style of New Zealand command? An examination of New Zealand military commanders and the style of New Zealand command is long overdue, and this superb new book now fills the gap. Glyn Harper, Joel Hayward and a team of top military historians profile the most important commanders in New Zealand history, both Maori and Pakeha, from the nineteenth century to the recent past. Each writer is an expert on the commander concerned, with the subjects drawn from all three arms of the defence forces: Army, Navy and Air Force. The commanders profiled are: Alexander Godley, Andrew Russell, Edward Chaylor, Keith Park, Bernard Freyberg, Howard Kippenberger, Peter Phipps, Harold Barrowclough, Arthur Coningham, Leonard Thornton, Maori Battalion commanders and commanders of the infantry battalions of the 2nd New Zealand Division.

Glyn Harper is an associate professor of military studies at the New Zealand Army’s Military Studies Institute at Massey University, Palmerston North. He is the author of several books on New Zealand military history.

Joel Hayward was until recently a senior lecturer at the Centre for Defence Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North. The author of many acclaimed international books and peer-reviewed articles, he is now a freelance analyst and writer.