▁included ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Staff ▁Corps — and ▁the ▁scheme ▁was ▁set ▁in ▁motion ▁in ▁January , ▁ 1 9 1 1 . ▁Major - General ▁Sir ▁Alexander ▁God ley , ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁General ▁Staff , ▁was ▁engaged ▁as ▁command ant . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁ ▁In ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁New ▁Zealand ▁sent ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Ex ped ition ary ▁Force ▁( N ZE F ), ▁of ▁soldiers ▁who ▁fought ▁with ▁Austral ians ▁as ▁the ▁Australian ▁and ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Army ▁Corps ▁at ▁Gal lip oli , ▁subsequently ▁imm ort al ised ▁as ▁" AN Z AC s ". ▁The ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Division ▁was ▁then ▁formed ▁which ▁fought ▁on ▁the ▁Western ▁Front ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Mount ed ▁R if les ▁Brigade ▁fought ▁in ▁Palest ine . ▁After ▁Major ▁General ▁God ley ▁depart ed ▁with ▁the ▁N ZE F ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁Major ▁General ▁Alfred ▁William ▁Robin ▁commanded ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Military ▁Forces ▁at ▁home ▁throughout ▁the ▁war , ▁as ▁command ant . ▁ ▁The ▁total ▁number ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁troops ▁and ▁n urs es ▁to ▁serve ▁over se as ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 – 1 9 1 8 , ▁ex cluding ▁those ▁in ▁British ▁and ▁other ▁domin ion ▁forces , ▁was ▁ 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁from ▁a ▁population ▁of ▁just ▁over ▁a ▁million . ▁Fort y - two ▁percent ▁of ▁men ▁of ▁military ▁age ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁N ZE F . ▁ 1 6 , 6 9