This period would see the RNZAOC. Continue to support Regular, Territorial and Compulsory Military Training. This period would see the winding down and cessation of direct RNZAOC support to Kay Force.[1]

Key Appointments

Director of Ordnance Services

• Lieutenant Colonel F Reid, OBE, relinquished the appointment on 31 march 1957.

Commanding Officer Main Ordnance Depot

• Major O.H Burn.

Compulsory Military Training

During this period four CMT intakes marched in with the RNZAOC recruits posted to 1 (NZ) Division Ordnance Field Park on completion of initial training;[2]

• 20^th intake of 2475^av recruits on 5 April 1956
• 21^st intake of 2475^av recruits on 28 June 1956
• 22^nd intake of 1775^av recruits on 20 September 1956
• 23^rd intake of 1775^av recruits on 3 January 1957

Emergency Force (Kayforce)

The RNZAOC concluded its commitment to Kayforce with the final Ordnance men’s return in the latter half of 1956.

Out of Kayforce

• 204459  Temporary Sergeant Gordon Winstone East, 31 August 1956
• 204702 Temporary Sergeant Ernest Radnell, 31 August 1956
• 30419 Captain John Barrie Glasson, 3-Sep-56
• 206870  Staff Sergeant James Russell Don, 29 December 1956

Ordnance Conferences

DOS Conference August 1956

The Director of Ordnance Services hosted a conference of the District Ammunition and Ordnance Depots’ Officer Commanding and the District DADOS at Trentham Camp over 11 – 14 August 1956.[3]  

The agenda for the conference included.

• Modified accounting procedure,
• Depot Commanders to visit MOPD for local discussions,
• Corps Matters,
• District Problems.

DOS Conference March 1957

The Director of Ordnance Services hosted a conference of the Officer Commanding of the District Ammunition and Ordnance Depots and the District DADOS at Trentham Camp over 26 to 28 March 1957.  

Ammunition Examiners Course

From April to September 1956, Warrant Officer Class Two David Gwynne Thomas attended and passed with excellent results the Ammunition Examiners Course at the RAAOC Corps School at Broadmeadows in Victoria, Australia.[4]

Metal from Condemned Ammunition

Valuable metal was to be recovered from condemned non-high explosive ammunition drawn from Army ordnance depots in the North and South Islands over the next two or three years. The Colonial Ammunition Company was awarded a contract with the Government for the breaking down of the ammunition, which was to be done in New Plymouth. Work will start in the next three months, and the brass and copper extracted will be sent to a large brass extrusion mill to be prepared for further use in industry. Any steel that is recovered and not wanted in New Zealand will be sent overseas.

Corps History

During 1956 the Royal Army Ordnance Corps in the United Kingdom established the RAOC Museum at the RAOC Training centre at Blackdown. The museum’s concept was to establish a Commonwealth Section to illustrate the links between the various commonwealth Ordnance Corps and the RAOC.  In August 1956 the Director of Ordnance (UK) put out a call to the DOS’s or Australia, Canada, Ceylon, India, Pakistan and New Zealand to contribute material for the planned exhibit.

New Zealand replied on 24 January 1957 that as the RNZAOC had only been in existence for a short period, items of historical interest were not available and the RNZAOC would be unable to contribute to this project.[5]

Honours and Awards

Long Service and Good Conduct

• 31234 Warrant Officer Class One Athol Gilroy McCurdy, 12 April 1956.[6]

Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Officers of the RNZAOC

Regular Force

• Captain F.A Bishop to be temp. Major. Dated 16 April 1956.[7]
• Lieutenant and Quartermaster FG Cross is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, General List, The RNZAOC, with Lieutenant and Quartermaster’s rank. Dated 27 April 1956.[8]
• Captain W.G Dixon is transferred From the Royal New Zealand Artillery to the RNZAOC· in his present rank and seniority. Dated 14 May 1956.[9]
• Captain M.R.J Keeler to be Major 16 May 1956.[10]
• Captain W.G Dixon, M.B.E., to be Major. Dated 15 May 1956.[11]
• The under-mentioned are appointed to regular commissions in the rank of Lieutenant and Quartermaster (on probation):[12]
  • 31002 Warrant Officer Class One, Louis Eric Autridge, from The Royal NZ Artillery.
  • 36643 Staff Sergeant Oliver Cedric Prouse, from the New Zealand Regiment.
  • 33842 Staff Sergeant David Halsel Rollo, M.B.E., from The Royal NZ Artillery.
  • 31028 Warrant Officer Class Two, William Neil Stephenson, from The Royal NZ  Artillery.
• Captain D Sharpe is posted to the retired list with the Rank of Major. Dated 25 July 1956.[13] [14]
• Captain R.T Marriott to be Major. Dated 29 August 1956.[15]
• Lieutenant and Quartermaster Frederick George Cross, Reserve of Officers, General List, RNZAOC is appointed to a short-service Regular commission for a term of three years, in the rank of Lieutenant, with seniority from 13 August 1951. Dated 13 August 1956.[16]
• The appointment of Lieutenant and Quartermaster (on probation) W. N. Stephenson lapsed Dated 21 September 1956.[17]
• Captain N.L Wallburton is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, General List, RNZAOC, in the rank of Captain. Dated 7 September 1956.[18]
• Captain E.F.L Russell is re-engaged for a period of five years as from 26 November 1956.[19]
• Lieutenant L.C King is re-engaged in the NZ Regular Force for the period 16 November 1956 to 3 October 1958 and promoted to Captain from 16 November 1956.[20]
• Major K.G Scott, from the Reserve of Officers, Supplementary List, to be Major. Dated 1 November 1956.[21]
• Temp. Captain D.R. Alexander, from the Reserve of Officers, Supplementary List, to be Captain. Dated 1 November 1956.
• Captain Donald MacKenzie Robson, M.B.E., from the Regular Army Reserve of Officers, Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, to be Captain. Dated 7 December 1956.[22]
• Temp. Lieutenant A.A Burrows, from the Reserve of Officers, Supplementary List, to be Lieutenant. Dated 1 November 1956.[23]
• Temp. Lieutenant M.J Goodson, from the Reserve of Officers, Supplementary List, to be Lieutenant. Dated 1 November 1956.[24]

Regular Force (Supernumerary List)

• Captain and Quartermaster R.P Kennedy, E.D, is granted a further extension of his engagement for one year from 13 April 1956.[25]
• Captain and Quartermaster G.A Perry, E.D., is given an extension of his engagement for a further period of one year from 1 April 1956.[26]

Territorial Force

• Captain A.W Wilkin, RNZAOC, relinquished the appointment of Brigade Ordnance Officer, Headquarters, 3rd Infantry Brigade and was posted to the Retired List on 4 November 1954.[27]

Graduates, Royal Military College, Duntroon

• Lieutenant Malcolm John Ross, 12 December 1956.[28]

Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Warrant Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the RNZAOC

Regular Force

• Corporal J.T Skeddan from SMD was selected to attend the year long course at Portsea Officer Training establishment in Australia starting in January 1957.
• 31257 Temporary Warrant Officer Class Two Murray Alexander Burt promoted to substantive Warrant Officer Class Two, 10 October 1956.[29]
• W920917 Corporal George Thomas Dimmock promoted to Sergeant, 1 June 1956.[30]
• 31004 Warrant Officer Class One William Galloway, retired 1 January 1957[31]
• 1185 Staff Sergeant Albert Edward “Abbie” Shadbolt retired on 25 October 1956. SSgt Shadbolt retired at the age of 69 after 49 years and ten months of service to the military in uniformed and civilian roles.
  • Enlisted into RNZA 26 November 1907.
  • Transferred to NZAOC in 1922
  • Transferred to civilian Staff 1931, remaining employed at the Main Ordnance Depot as a Clerk.
  • 8 January 1942 commissioned as a Lieutenant into the NZ Temporary Staff as Ordnance Officer Main Ordnance Depot, Placed on to the retired list on 21 October 1948
  • Re-engaged as a Warrant Officer Class Two in 1948, Shadbolt would latter attain Warrant Officer Class One rank as the 2 I/C of the Central Districts Vehicle Depot at Trentham.
  • Due to his age was reverted to the Rank of Staff Sergeant on 1 April 1956 and placed on less onerous duties for his last year of service, retiring 0n 10 October 1956.
• Besides his military responsibilities, Shadbolt was an outstanding Rugby Union and Rugby league player with the following credentials.
  • He represented Canterbury XV in 1909 and 1910
  • Switched to Rugby League in 1912 and would play for the St Albans and Federal Clubs
  • Played for the Canterbury Rugby League side from 1912 to 1920
  • Represented New Zealand in the Rugby League tours to Australia in 1913 and 1921

• 

---

Notes

[1] “H-19 Military Forces of New Zealand Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding, for Period 1 April 1954 to 31 March 1955 “, Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives  (1955).

[2] Peter Cooke, Fit to Fight. Compulsory Military Training and National Service in New Zealand 1949-72 (Auckland: David Ling Publishing, 2013), 539.

[3] Conferences – Ordnance Officers, Item Id R17188101 (Wellington: Archives New Zealand, 1950).

[4] Howard E. Chamberlain, Service Lives Remembered : The Meritorious Service Medal in New Zealand and Its Recipients, 1895-1994 ([Wellington, NZ.]: H. Chamberlain, 1995), 466.

[5] “Organisation – Policy and General – Rnzaoc “, Archives New Zealand No R17311537  (1946 – 1984).

[6] Chamberlain, Service Lives Remembered : The Meritorious Service Medal in New Zealand and Its Recipients, 1895-1994.

[7] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 29, 17 May 1956.

[8] Ibid.

[9] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 34, 14 June 1956.

[10] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 36, 28 June 1956.

[11] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 41, 26 July 1956.

[12] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 45, 16 August 1956.

[13] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 48, 30 August 1956.

[14] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 68, 6 December 1956.

[15] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 51, 13 September 1956.

[16] Ibid.

[17] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 55, 11 October 1956.

[18] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 58, 1 November 1956.

[19] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 1, 10 January 1957.

[20] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 8, 31 January 1957.

[21] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 14, 27 February 1957.

[22] Ibid.

[23] Ibid.

[24] Ibid.

[25] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 35, 21 June 1956.

[26] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army.”

[27] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army.”

[28] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 20, 7 March 1957.

[29] Chamberlain, Service Lives Remembered : The Meritorious Service Medal in New Zealand and Its Recipients, 1895-1994.

[30] Ibid.

[31] Ibid., 175.