original_query: How did the New Zealanders encounter the German force during the war?
query: How did the Māori Battalion encounter German forces during World War II?
answer: The Māori Battalion's encounters with German forces spanned various campaigns: Greece (defensive battles at Olympus Pass, withdrawals), Crete (defensive engagements, a notable bayonet charge), North Africa (ambushes, battles at Gazala, Sidi Magreb, El Alamein, Medenine, Tebaga Gap, etc.), and Italy (fighting at Cassino, Orsogna, and the Senio, Santerno, Sillaro, Gaiana, and Idice rivers).  These encounters involved various tactics, including defensive positions, ambushes, bayonet charges, and direct assaults.