Kippenberger Howard Karl Canterbury Nz 1917 1942

edmondsallan - Hello -Kippenberger then turned to the law for a career. He enrolled at Canterbury College, and by 1920 had qualified to practise as a solicitor. He moved to Rangiora to manage an office of the Christchurch law firm of Johnston, Mills and White. Four years later he was made a partner. He qualified as a barrister in 1926. On 28 September 1922 Kippenberger married Ruth Isabel Flynn at Lyttelton; they were to have two sons and a daughter.

Kippenberger kept busy in Rangiora. From 1927 to 1936 he served on the borough council, chairing the finance committee in 1931. He pursued his passion for cricket as a slow bowler, and captained the Rangiora A grade side. A keen golfer who played off a handicap of eight, he was a founding member and later president of the Rangiora Golf Club.

What marked Kippenberger out from the ordinary during these years was his preparation for potential military command. This involved an intensive study of past campaigns in order to master the theory of warfare, and then military training to convert this theory into practice. He joined the Territorial Force in 1924, and on 14 July 1936 was made a lieutenant colonel and given command of the 1st Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment. In September 1939, when war was declared on Germany, Kippenberger was given command of the 20th Canterbury–Otago Battalion, and in January 1940 he again sailed for war.

Like all the units of the division, 20th Battalion had to be built up from scratch and first saw action in the ill-fated Greek campaign of March–April 1941. Most units spent many days preparing fortified positions only to evacuate them without firing a shot. The division was involved in several rearguard actions, yet for most the campaign resembled one long withdrawal – the hardest and most tiring of all the phases of war. Kippenberger commanded his battalion well and did not lose control of it during the difficult stages of the withdrawal. He also oversaw the demolition of two strategic passes, which he carried out with great coolness and determination.

The withdrawal from Greece was followed by the battle for Crete. In a campaign that highlighted the command failings of the New Zealand Division, Kippenberger was one of the few senior New Zealand officers to emerge with his reputation enhanced. His performance while leading the composite 10th Brigade earned him a DSO and marked him out as a cool and decisive battlefield commander. Throughout the campaign Kippenberger was well forward with the action. His quick thinking and command abilities prevented a rout of panicking New Zealand troops, while the counterattack on Galatos, which he organised, was a stunning success; unfortunately, it brought only a temporary respite. During the difficult withdrawal to Sphakia, and while suffering from a sprained ankle, Kippenberger kept an iron grip on 20th Battalion when many other units disintegrated.

Kippenberger’s next action, his first in North Africa, was in November 1941. Operation Crusader was a mixed success. During the fighting he commanded seven successful actions in four days and was promoted to temporary brigadier after the battle. He enhanced his own reputation during the campaign and was mentioned in dispatches. But he also made several serious mistakes, which led to his wounding and capture (he and 19 others subsequently made a daring escape). Most painful of all, his mistakes contributed to his beloved 20th Battalion being virtually annihilated on Belhamed.
Kippenberger’s appointment as brigadier was made permanent in May 1942. Till we meet again - Regards - edmondsallan