To name two examples, the authors cite the execution of 30 American deserters hanged during the Mexican War, adding the remark of an officer, "My order is to hang 30, and by God I'll do it". What the authors and Kirsch know, or should know, is that these men were the survivors of the San Patricio Battalion, upon whose rolls were wartime deserters from the American forces.
On 12 December 1915, the battalion embarked upon the Osmaliegh, bound for Lemnos Island.
In November 1915, the battalion embarked upon the troopship HMAT Ascanius in Port Melbourne and departed Australian waters, disembarking at Port Suez, Egypt on 7 December 1915.
These volunteers completed their parachute training with 1st Parachute Training Unit before joining the battalion, and upon completion of their training qualified to wear the maroon beret, which was adopted by the 1st Parachute Battalion as a symbol of their elite status.
Following a brief period of training in Australia, the force set sail for the Middle East, assembling off Albany, Western Australia, in early November 1914 before leaving Australian waters, with the 2nd Battalion embarked upon the HMAT Suffolk.
After being evacuated from Greece, the Māori Battalion embarked upon the landing ship, infantry and was taken to Crete where they formed part of the island's hastily-formed garrison.
On 27 April, the battalion was called upon to reinforce positions held by the Australian 2nd Battalion along a feature that would later be known as Walker's Ridge.
The activists have held their camp at Kiev's Independence Square since this past winter, and were apparently also occupying a restaurant near the square until the Kiev 1 Battalion was called upon to remove them.
The withdrawal continued, though, and on 19 April the Māori Battalion was called upon conduct a delaying action as the rest of the 5th Infantry Brigade pulled back through Larisa towards Lamia, 80 mile south.
This attack was abandoned; on its approach the battalion was fired upon by Dutch troops manning the main line that had not been notified of its approach, leading to much confusion, and an engineer bridge necessary to cross the Grift rivulet failed to be brought forward in time.
Upon formation it was decided that the battalion would be organised upon tribal lines.
