Howard Kippenberger
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir Howard Karl Kippenberger, KBE
, CB
, DSO
, ED
, (28 January 1897 - 5 May 1957), known as Kip, served as a New Zealand
soldier in both World Wars.
, as the son of a schoolmaster
who later became a farmer at Waimate
, Kippenberger received his education at Christchurch Boys' High School
and later at Canterbury University College.
In 1915, during World War I
, 18 year old Kippenberger enlisted as a private
in the 1st Canterbury Regiment. He took part in four attacks during the Battle of the Somme in the autumn of 1916. The Army repatriated him after he received a serious wound in the right arm.
Kippenberger qualified as a solicitor in 1920 and later became manager
and then a partner
of the Rangiora branch of a Christchurch legal firm.
After briefly being captured in North Africa
in 1941, Kippenberger took command of the 5th New Zealand Brigade and led it through several battles till the end of that campaign in 1943. After a furlough in New Zealand, he returned to command the brigade in Italy in 1944, and gained promotion to General Officer Commanding 2nd New Zealand Division. A land-mine wounded him in Italy
, blowing off one foot and shattering the other foot so badly that it later required amputation.
. In this capacity, he guided New Zealand's largest-ever publishing project, the Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War.
The King granted his knighthood in 1948. He became Dominion President of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
(1948–1955). While serving as RSA president, he courted controversy by his outspoken opposition to the All Black tour of South Africa in 1949, on the basis of the exclusion of Maori players from the team. While forced to apologise for his remarks, he received much support from Maori veterans.
His autobiographical book Infantry Brigadier, published in 1949, became a classic.
Sir Howard Kippenberger died in Wellington, New Zealand on 5 May 1957.
announced the creation of the Sir Howard Kippenberger Chair
in Strategic Studies.
It received support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, chaired by his grandson Guy Weston
whose mother Mary Weston was Kippenberger's daughter and the sister-in-law
of Galen Weston
).
, Waiouru.
The Kippenberger Collection http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/learning/research/library.html comprises a collection of books and journals collected by Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger from the age of twelve and continued until his death in 1957. Kippenberger annotated many of the books in the margins as he read them, which gives an insight into his thinking on warfare and strategy
.
The New Zealand Army purchased the collection from the estate in 1957 and gifted it to the Army Museum.
before becoming commissioned. After many changes to the scheme it to operate out of Linton Military Camp
near Palmerston North
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, (28 January 1897 - 5 May 1957), known as Kip, served as a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
soldier in both World Wars.
Personal life
Howard Kippenberger married Ruth Isobel Flynn, of Lyttelton in 1922. They had two sons and a daughter.Early career
Born in Ladbrooks, near ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, as the son of a schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
who later became a farmer at Waimate
Waimate
WaimateUrban AreaPopulation:2,835 Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Waimate District CouncilPopulation:7,206 Land area:3,582.19 km² Mayor:John ColesWebsite:...
, Kippenberger received his education at Christchurch Boys' High School
Christchurch Boys' High School
Christchurch Boys' High School is a single sex state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is situated on a 12 hectare site between the suburbs of Riccarton and Fendalton, 4 kilometres to the west of central Christchurch. The school also provides boarding facilities for 130 boys, in a...
and later at Canterbury University College.
In 1915, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, 18 year old Kippenberger enlisted as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 1st Canterbury Regiment. He took part in four attacks during the Battle of the Somme in the autumn of 1916. The Army repatriated him after he received a serious wound in the right arm.
Kippenberger qualified as a solicitor in 1920 and later became manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
and then a partner
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
of the Rangiora branch of a Christchurch legal firm.
World War II
On the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 he received command of 20th Battalion, New Zealand Division. Kippenberger served with distinction during the Greek campaign and the ill-fated defence of Crete, where he temporarily commanded a brigade.After briefly being captured in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
in 1941, Kippenberger took command of the 5th New Zealand Brigade and led it through several battles till the end of that campaign in 1943. After a furlough in New Zealand, he returned to command the brigade in Italy in 1944, and gained promotion to General Officer Commanding 2nd New Zealand Division. A land-mine wounded him in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, blowing off one foot and shattering the other foot so badly that it later required amputation.
Post-war
On his return to New Zealand Kippenberger served until 1946 as head of Relocation of New Zealand Prisoners of War, then Head of the War History Branch at the Department of Internal AffairsDepartment of Internal Affairs (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs is a state sector organisation whose roles include the issue of passports; administering citizenship grant applications, and lottery grant applications; enforcement of censorship and gambling law; registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil...
. In this capacity, he guided New Zealand's largest-ever publishing project, the Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War.
The King granted his knighthood in 1948. He became Dominion President of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, often referred to as the Returned Services' Association but best known simply as the RSA, is one of the largest voluntary welfare organisations in New Zealand and one of the oldest ex-service organisations in the world.Wounded soldiers...
(1948–1955). While serving as RSA president, he courted controversy by his outspoken opposition to the All Black tour of South Africa in 1949, on the basis of the exclusion of Maori players from the team. While forced to apologise for his remarks, he received much support from Maori veterans.
His autobiographical book Infantry Brigadier, published in 1949, became a classic.
Sir Howard Kippenberger died in Wellington, New Zealand on 5 May 1957.
The Kippenberger Chair in Strategic Studies
In 2006 the Victoria University of WellingtonVictoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
announced the creation of the Sir Howard Kippenberger Chair
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
in Strategic Studies.
It received support from the Garfield Weston Foundation, chaired by his grandson Guy Weston
Guy Weston
Guy Weston is a British businessman. He is the eldest son of Garry Weston and Mary Weston, and brother of George G. Weston. Guy has held positions in the past in Associated British Foods. He is Chairman of Heal's plc.-Biography:...
whose mother Mary Weston was Kippenberger's daughter and the sister-in-law
Sister-in-law
A sister-in-law is the sister of one's spouse, the wife of one's sibling, or sometimes the wife of one's spouse's sibling...
of Galen Weston
Galen Weston
Willard Gordon Galen Weston, OC, OOnt , is a Canadian businessman and philanthropist. He is the Chairman and President of George Weston Limited...
).
Kippenberger Research Library
The Kippenberger Research Library, an extensive collection covering a wide range of military subjects, with an emphasis on all major wars involving New Zealanders, operates at the QEII Army Memorial MuseumQEII Army Memorial Museum
The National Army Museum is the museum of the New Zealand Army. It was formerly known as the Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum. It is situated 94 minutes south of Taupo on State Highway One, on the southern side of the small military town of Waiouru. The 1300 square metre museum is...
, Waiouru.
The Kippenberger Collection http://www.armymuseum.co.nz/learning/research/library.html comprises a collection of books and journals collected by Major General Sir Howard Kippenberger from the age of twelve and continued until his death in 1957. Kippenberger annotated many of the books in the margins as he read them, which gives an insight into his thinking on warfare and strategy
Strategy
Strategy, a word of military origin, refers to a plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal. In military usage strategy is distinct from tactics, which are concerned with the conduct of an engagement, while strategy is concerned with how different engagements are linked...
.
The New Zealand Army purchased the collection from the estate in 1957 and gifted it to the Army Museum.
Kippenberger Class
In 1995 the New Zealand Army ran the first class of the Kippenberger Scheme. This new system allowed Officer Cadets the chance to study at Massey UniversityMassey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
before becoming commissioned. After many changes to the scheme it to operate out of Linton Military Camp
Linton Army Camp
Linton Army Camp is the largest New Zealand Army base and is home to the 2nd Land Force Group. It is located just south of Palmerston North.Units based at Linton:* HQ 2 Land Force Group* 16 Field Regiment...
near Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
.
External links
- Infantry Brigadier by Howard Kippenberger (1949)
- Biography in 1966 Encyclopaedia of New Zealand
- WWII Generals
- Kippenberger honoured at Victoria in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyDictionary of New Zealand BiographyThe Dictionary of New Zealand Biography contains biographies for over 3,000 New Zealanders. It is available in both English and Maori. All volumes of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography are available online....