page_title: Military history of New Zealand during World War II
section_title: European theatre
hierarchical_section_title: Military history of New Zealand during World War II / Royal New Zealand Air Force in World War II / European theatre
caption_attribution_description: English: Vickers Wellington Bombers of the RAF at RAF Stradishall on the 10th of July 1939. Ready to fly to Brussells and Paris as a show of strength from the RAF.
context_page_description: The military history of New Zealand during World War II began when New Zealand entered the Second World War by declaring war on Nazi Germany with Great Britain. The state of war with Germany was officially held to have existed since 9:30 pm on 3 September 1939, simultaneous with that of Britain, but in fact New Zealand's declaration of war was not made until confirmation had been received from Britain that their ultimatum to Germany had expired. When Neville Chamberlain broadcast Britain's declaration of war, a group of New Zealand politicians listened to the shortwave radio in Carl Berendsen's room in the Parliament Buildings. Because of static on the radio they were initially not certain what Chamberlain had said until a coded telegraph message was received from London. This message did not arrive until just before midnight as the messenger boy with the telegram in London took shelter because of a air-raid warning. The Cabinet acted after hearing the Admiralty's notification to the fleet that war had broken out.
context_section_description: On the outbreak of World War II the RNZAF had as its primary equipment 30 Vickers Wellington bombers, which the New Zealand government offered to the United Kingdom in August 1939, together with the crews to fly them. 
   
  Many other New Zealanders also served in the RAF. As New Zealand did not require its personnel to serve with RNZAF squadrons, the rate at which they entered service was faster than for other Dominions. About 100 RNZAF pilots had been sent to Europe by the time the Battle of Britain started, and several had a notable role in it.
  The RNZAF's primary role took advantage of New Zealand's distance from the conflict by training aircrew as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, alongside the other major former British colonies, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Many New Zealanders did their advanced training in Canada. Local enterprises manufactured or assembled large numbers of De Havilland Tiger Moth, Airspeed Oxford and North American Harvard training aircraft, and the RNZAF also acquired second-hand biplanes such as Hawker Hinds and Vickers Vincents, as well as other types for specialised training such as Avro Ansons and Supermarine Walruses. Only when German surface-raiders became active did the military authorities realise the need for a combat force in New Zealand in addition to the trainers.
caption: Wellingtons of the RNZAF in England, August 1939
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