 As part of the Fifth Army 's advance up the Liri valley , the Māori Battalion 's next major engagement came in early 1944 when they took part in the fighting around Monte Cassino . The position at Cassino was dominated by an historic Benedictine monastery . Throughout January the Allies continued their advance , but as they were checked by the German positions at Cassino the advance stalled . On the night of 17 / 18 February 1944 , as part of an attempt to establish a bridgehead into the German lines , the Māoris were tasked with attacking the railway station in Cassino . They met very stiff resistance , and although they managed to reach the railway station they were unable to wrest control of it from its defenders . Lacking armoured support , which had failed to arrive , they fought through the morning and into the afternoon , but when their position was assaulted by two German tanks they were forced to withdraw . The two assaulting companies , ' A ' and ' B ' , suffered over 60 per cent casualties , losing 128 men killed or wounded . In March they were again involved in fighting around Cassino , however , it was not until May that the position was eventually captured , by which time the New Zealanders had been withdrawn from the line , and transferred back to the Eighth Army . 
