Personnel
The strength of the NZAOC on the 31st of May 1925 was 114, consisting of:[1]
- 6 Officers,
- 97 Permanent Other Ranks,
- 11 Temporary Other Ranks
Key Appointments
Director of the Ordnance Services
Chief Ordnance Officer, Trentham
- Major Thomas Joseph King
Ordnance Accounting Officer
- Lieutenant T.W Page
Northern Command Ordnance Officer
- Lieutenant A. W. Baldwin
Central Command Ordnance Officer
- Captain F. E. Ford
Southern Command Ordnance Officer
- Captain A.R.C White
Ordnance Officer – Featherston Camp
- Captain F. E. Ford
Inspecting Ordnance Officer and Acting Inspector of Ordnance Machinery
- Captain William Ivory, RNZA
Proof Officer, Small Arms Ammunition
- Captain E.H Sawle.
NZAOC appropriations year ending 31 March 1925
Reconstitution
The New Zealand Gazette of 3 July 1924 published regulations that revoked the regulations that established the NZAOD and NZAOC on the 7th of June 1917. Backdated to the 27th of June 1924 the New Zealand Army Ordnance Department was reconstituted as part of the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps resulting in one Ordnance organisation for the New Zealand Permanent Forces.[4]
NZ Army Ordnance Corps badge 1917-1937. Robert McKie Collection
Ordnance Depots
Northern Command
At Ngaruawahia Camp, a railway-siding has been completed, and a branch line into the camp is under construction. and the provision of buildings for Ordnance stores was receiving consideration. Considerable progress was made in the construction of magazines for gun ammunition, two being practically completed, while several others were in the course of erection. Construction on a small-arms-ammunition magazine was due to commence.[5] [6]
Central Command
Trentham Camp continued to be maintained, with the temporary buildings that housed the very valuable equipment at this depot requiring replacement in the near future with permanent fireproof buildings. Construction of a small-arms-ammunition magazine was practically completed.[7]
Southern Command
Burnham Camp continued to be maintained and improved. Additional Ordnance storehouses were necessary, and their provision effected as finances permit. Construction of a small-arms-ammunition magazine was practically completed.[8]
Fire Prevention
The question of fire-prevention at Featherston, Trentham, and Burnham had received attention. Up-to-date motor-engines were provided for Trentham and Featherston, and a powerful hand-drawn engine transferred from Featherston to Burnham, where the concentrated nature of the depot permitted it to be used to much greater advantage. At all depots, the staff were properly organized and trained to act as fire brigades, while trained fire-brigade men are in charge of the engines and fire-fighting equipment.[9]
New Fire Engine and Ambulance, Trentham Camp C1925. Norm Lamont Collection
Workshops
Improvements had been effected in Ordnance workshops, with improved and additional machinery installed, and a workshop established at Devonport in Auckland. Theses workshops shops would be kept fully employed in repair and maintenance work, and in keeping the equipment in New Zealand up to date in accordance with improvements and alterations decided on from time to time by the War Office.[10]
Stores Accounting
The system of accounting for stores was very satisfactory, with few losses occurring, particularly when the nature of the NZAOC transactions —issues to some forty thousand individuals and the erection and dismantling of numerous canvas training-camps, etc. The losses that did occur were confined almost entirely to;[11]
- loss of equipment of untraceable trainees,
- losses in transit,
- minor shortages in some of the innumerable articles used at the various training camps.
Disposals
The sale of surplus stores was still proceeding, with business is slackening off, and the special staff employed on this work is being reduced from time to time. The prices realized, were so much higher than were obtainable by other methods of sale that the retention of the present method was warranted in the public interest. A method of conducting sales at various centres throughout the country was inaugurated.[12]
Clothing
The gradual exhaustion of war-time stocks of clothing necessitated fresh supplies being purchased to provide requirements for the Territorial Force and Cadets, with provision made in the estimates accordingly.[13]
Personnel Movements -June 1924 to May 1925
Promotions
- Captain Thomas Joseph King to Temporary Major.[14]
Releases
- 78 Private David Miller
- 981 Private William Matheson
- 994 Private James Albert Robins
- 838 Lance Corporal William Robert McMinn
Copyright © Robert McKie 2018
Notes:
[1] “H-19 Defence Forces of New Zealand, Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding the Forces from 1 June 1924 to 30 June 1925,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives (1925).
[2] Appointed Quartermaster General 1 October 1924″Appointments, Promotions, Resignations and Transfer of Officers of the New Zealand Military Forces,” New Zealand Gazette No 64 (1924): 6.
[3] Appointed DOS Vice Pilkington 1 October 1924, Ibid.
[4] “Nzaod and Nzaoc,” New Zealand Gazette, July 3 1924.
[5] “H-19 Defence Forces of New Zealand, Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding the Forces from 1 June 1924 to 30 June 1925,” 6.
[6] “Great Military Camp,” Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 83, 8 April 1925.
[7] “H-19 Defence Forces of New Zealand, Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding the Forces from 1 June 1924 to 30 June 1925.”
[8] Ibid.
[9] Ibid.
[10] Ibid., 7.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Promoted Temp Major 12 August 1924 “Appointments, Promotions, Resignations and Transfer of Officers of the New Zealand Military Forces,” New Zealand Gazette No 57 (1924).
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