Over a fifteen-year period from 1978 to 1992, the staff of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps School took over 180 photos of the school staff, courses, conferences and other activities, providing a unique record of the activities of the RNZAOC School. This article provides some background on the RNZAOC School, some examples of the RNZAOC photo collection and a link to the catalogue.
Upper Hutt City Library (29th Jan 2020). Trentham Camp; Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps School sign.. In Website Upper Hutt City Library. Retrieved 12th Jul 2020 01:51, from https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1335
Established at Trentham in 1959 the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps School would be the most important unit of the RNZAOC, through which every Ordnance soldier would pass.[1]
The RNZAOC school charter gave the school the responsibility of delivering the following types of courses for Regular and Territorial Force members of the RNZAOC;[2]
- Star Classification courses for Storeman/Clerks RNZAOC and Ammunition Examiners
- Recruit Corps training for RNZAOC personnel
- Advanced trade training for both Officers and Other Ranks in all types of Ordnance activities
- Technical training in Ordnance subjects
- Refresher training for qualified personnel
Additionally, as directed by the Director of Ordnance Services, the school would also;
- Plan and hold conferences and training exercises
- Draft procedure instructions
- Test or comment on new procedures, materials or equipment’s
- Carry out research into various aspects of Ordnance activities
- The maintenance of Corps history and heritage
NZ Army Supply training underwent a major transformation in 1993 when the Quartermaster functions of the School of Army Administration became the “Q” Wing of the RNZAOC School.
Further changes occurred in July 1994 when the RNZAOC, RNZEME and RNZCT Schools were disestablished and the Trade Training School stood up in place of the individual Corps schools. As part of the transition into the Trade Training School, the RNZAOC School would be reestablished as the Supply/Quartermaster Wing and the Ammunition Wing.[3]
Click on the following links to view the RNZAOC School photo collection;
- Conferences
- Warrant Officers
- RNZAOC School Staff
- Supply Band 2
- Supply Band 3
- Supply Band 4
- Supply Band 5/Supply Managers
- Auto-parts Courses
- Officers Courses
- Petroleum Courses
- Miscellaneous Courses
- Territorial Courses
- Ammo Tech 1 Star Course
- Ammo Tech 3 Star Course
- Junior Ammo Tech
- Ammo Tech Band 2
- Ammo Tech Band 3
- Ammo Tech Band 4
- Ammo Tech Band 5
- Ammo Tech Band 6
- Ammo Storage and Accounting
- Ammo Tech UN Storage
- Ammo Wing Staff
- AT/ATO Seminar
- IED Basic
- IED Refresher
The catalogue of these photos can be viewed here RNZAOC SCHOOL PHOTOS. If copies of individuals photos are required, please order by using the appropriate Reference Number from the catalogue.
RNZAOC School Staff 9 MAy 1979 Back Row L – R: LCpl Chamberlain, SSgt Blackburn, SSgt Warwood, Sgt Rogers Front Row L – R: WO1 Orr, Capt Bolton, Maj Hansen, Capt Crafts, WO2 Balsillis, WO2 Russell. Absent: Cpl Robinson, Cpl Bray. Robert McKie Collection.
RNZAOC RF OR Clerk/Storeman 5 March – 2 April 1980 Back Row L – R: LCpl Hassan, LCpl Clifton, WO2 Shahar (Malysian Army), SSgt Aziz (Malaysian Army) Front Row L – R: Pte Naicker (Fiji), Pte Naulutegu (Fiji), WO2 Calvey, Pte Russell, LCpl Rolfe, SSgt Reti Robert McKie Collection.
RNZAOC School Staff 12 July 1980 Back Row L – R: SSgt J.M Murray, Cpl W.T Bray, Sgt E.D Lee, Sgt W.D Scobie, SSgt W.R Bensemann, Sgt M.D Hutley, SSgt L.R Warwood Front Row L – R: LCpl W Bush, Capt J.S Bolton, Maj J.R Hicks (C.I), WO1 D.A Orr, WO2 B.W Calvey. Robert McKie Collection.
RNZAOC RF OR Senior Ammunition Technician Band 5 15 September – 20 October 1981 Back Row L – R: Cpl Boustridge, Cpl Evans, LCpl Thomas Front Row L – R: Cpl Lawrence, Capt Juno, WO2 Murray, Sgt Davidson. Robert McKie Collection.
RNZAOC Advanced Field Operations 10,0- 28 June 1991 Back Row L – R: WO2 D.T Lyes, WO2 J.P Fletcher QGM, WO2 P.J Roche, WO2 M.R Lawrence, WO2 M.T Heemi, WO2 Riesterer, WO2 S.N Sanders, WO2 B.C Kearney, WO2 M.L Smith, WO2 M.G Kiddie, WO2 J.W Thompson WO2 M.J Roberts Front Row L – R: WO2 W.N Vince, Capt W.T Steel, Lt B.T Grant, Capt H.B Cockburn (SI Supply), Maj D.H Watmuff (CI), WO2 W.F Davis, WO2 G.S Rolfe, Lt W.P Boustridge. Robert McKie Collection.
RNZAOC RF Supply Management Course 15 July – 2 August 1991 Back Row L – R: SSgt K.B Sigglekow, SSgt C.M Ballard, SSgt P.J Byrne, SSgt S.A Bruckner, SSgt S.W Corkran, SSgt N.T.A Merriman, SSgt W.D Epiha Front Row L – R: SSgt B.R.J Law, SSgt B.J Madgwick, Major D.H Watmuff (CI & Course Manager) Lt W.P Boustridge, Lt O.M Raureti. Robert McKie Collection.
RNZAOC Phase One Corps Training, 10 February -13 March 1992 Back Row L – R: Pte D.C Manson, Pte M.A Mckenzie, Pte A.P.M Newton, Pte K.M Craig, Pte A.J Henry, Pte G.J Cummings, Pte P.D McMillan, Pte M.A Hanson Front Row L – R: Pte N.J Fulcher, Pte O.M.A Moke, Pte A.M Ward, SSgt K.B Sigglekow (Course Manager), Pte P.A Cook, Pte M.M.J Te Ahu, Pte N Pohoiwi. Robert McKie Collection.
Notes
1] Major J.S Bolton, A History of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (Trentham: RNZAOC, 1992), 177.
[2] Charter – Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps School, Trentham, Item Id R383324 (Wellington: Archives New Zealand, 1960).
[3] “Pataka Magazine. Rnzaoc, P. 52,,” (1994).
Copyright © Robert McKie 2020
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