 Stewart was commissioned by the New Zealand Government to write a history of the New Zealand Division and its service on the Western Front as part of the Official History of New Zealand 's Effort in the Great War . He began work on the first draft in January 1919 , while still in England . He returned to New Zealand in December that year and resumed his prewar teaching position at Canterbury College , while continuing work on his history . The final result , titled The New Zealand Division 1916 – 1919 : A Popular History Based on Official Records , was published in 1921 and remained the primary reference for New Zealand 's contribution to the campaign on the Western Front for several decades . Prior to its publication , Stewart 's wife died shortly after giving birth to a son . 
