Major Rutherford's Valentine Mark III CS loading for "Operation Squarepeg" on Guadalcanal on the 11th of February 1944. by J. E. Plowman The 1st New Zealand Tank Brigade, trained in New Zealand for service in the Middle East, was destined never to see service as a whole unit. It and its component units were successively broken up until only one squadron remained, the 3rd New Zealand Division Special Tank Squadron Group. This unit had been assembled from 2 Tanks Battalion Group in July 1943 and readied for service with 3rd Division in the Pacific. Its commanding officer was Major T. C. Wallace (former commanding officer of 2 Tanks) and second in command was Captain R. J. Rutherford (former commanding officer of A Squadron). The establishment of the squadron differed from squadrons of normal battalions for in effect it was a miniature battalion. Squadron Headquarters: two Valentine IIICS and two Valentine III tanks; Reconnaissance and Intercommunications Troop: 13 s...