HarperCollins, Auckland 1997. First edition hardbacke with DW. Tidy condition. Dedication to Carl, signed by the author on title page. Nice copy.
Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger was perhaps the most notable of the citizen soldiers of high rank New Zealand produced during the Second World War. He was the beloved 'Kip'... a title which indicates more than anything else the high place he occupied in the affections of the soldiers he commanded. This book is a study of his style of leadership. It looks at his formative years and concludes that his experiences in World War One and his deep studies of military history, were crucial to his development as a truly great commander. Harper examines his performances on the battlefield, beginning with the ill-fated expedition to Greece in 1941, followed by the debacle in Crete that same year. Much success came later in other theatres of the war. His military career ended abruptly in March 1944 when he stepped on an anti-personnel mine at Monte Cassino and lost both feet. But his post-war career was also interesting and significant...