 On 2 May 1945 news was received that all German forces west of the Isonzo River had surrendered . While this did not officially end the fighting in Italy , it was all but over . Five days later , on the night of 7 May , the battalion received the momentous news that Germany had surrendered unconditionally to the Allies , and that the war in Europe was over . Nevertheless , tensions remained high and concerns about the intentions of Yugoslavia regarding the disputed province of Istria meant that the 28th ( Māori ) Battalion remained on high alert . This continued until early June when an agreement was reached and Yugoslavia withdrew its troops east of the Isonzo River . 
