The core responsibility of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps and its predecessors was the supply and maintenance of arms, ammunition, accoutrements, clothing, and field equipment to New Zealand’s Military Forces. From 1840 the principal posts of the RNZAOC and its predecessors were.

Colony of New South Wales, Colonial Storekeeper for New Zealand

• Mr C.H.G Logie                                                15 Jan 1840 – 1 Oct 1840

Colony of New Zealand, Colonial Storekeeper       

• Mr H Tucker                                                    1 Oct 1840 – 30 Dec 1843

From 1844 the needs of the Militia were facilitated on an ad-hoc basis by the Colonial Secretary based upon requests from provincial magistrates.  

Colonial Secretaries of New Zealand (30 Dec 1843 to 28 May 1858)

• Willoughby Shortland 3 May 1841 – 31 Dec 1943
• Andrew Sinclair                                                 6 Jan 1844 – 7 May 1856
• Henry Sewell                                                      7 May 1856 – 20 May 1856
• John Hall                                                           20 May 1856 – 2 Jun 1856
• William Richmond                                           2 Jun 1856 – 4 Nov 1856
• Edward Stafford                                               4 Nov 1856 – 12 Jul 1861

Supporting the Imperial Forces in New Zealand since 1840, the Board of Ordnance had established offices in Auckland during 1842, ensuring the provision of Imperial military units in New Zealand with munitions, uniforms and necessities. The Board of Ordnance was reorganised on 1 February 1857 into a new organisation called the Military Store Department. Headquartered at Fort Britomart in Auckland, the Military Store Department principal role alongside the commissariat was to support the Imperial Garrison; however, it would support colonial forces on a cost-recovery basis when necessary.  With the departure of the British Military Storekeeper Joseph Osbertus Hamley in July 1870, the withdrawal of Imperial Forces was completed.

Board of Ordnance, Military Storekeeper

• Deputy Ordnance Storekeeper W Plummer              1842 – 1 February 1857

Military Store Department

• Deputy Superintendent of Stores W. Plummer          1 February 1857 – 4 March 1879(Deceased in office)
• Deputy Superintendent of Stores J.O Hamley           4 March 1858 – 30 July 1870

The passing of the Militia Act of 1858 saw the Militia reorganised, and Volunteer units were authorised to be raised. The Deputy Adjutant General of Militia and Volunteers oversaw the administration, including the supply and distribution of arms, ammunition, accoutrements, clothing, and field equipment to the Militia and Volunteers.

Deputy Adjutant General of Militia and Volunteers

• Capt H.C Balneavis                                                           28 May 1858 – 18 Sep 1862

On 18 September 1862, the Colonial Defence Act was passed, establishing the first regular military units in New Zealand.  Under the Quartermaster General of the Colonial Defence Force, Captain Robert Collins, the Colonial Store Department under the Colonial Storekeeper, and the Militia Store Department under the Superintended of Militia Stores maintained a separation between the Militia/Volunteers and Regulars absorbing the rudimentary stores’ organisation of the Deputy Adjutant General of Militia and Volunteers. The two departments would be amalgamated into the Colonial Store Department in 1865.

Militia Store Department

• Superintendent of Militia Stores, Capt E.D King              18 September 1862 – 30 October 1865

Colonial Store Department

• Colonial Storekeeper Capt J Mitchell                    18 September 1862- 1 April 1869

The Armed Constabulary Act was passed in 1867, which combined New Zealand’s police and military functions into a regular Armed Constabulary (AC) Force, supported by loyal natives, Militia and Volunteer units. The Inspector of Defence store appointment was created in 1869 to manage all New Zealand’s Defence Stores as the single New Zealand Defence Stores organisation.

Inspector of Defence Stores (Defence Stores)                                        

• Lt Col E Gorton                                                                  1 Apr 1869 – 9 Jan 1877

Defence Storekeeper (Defence Stores)

• Capt S.C Anderson                                                                9 Jan 1877 – 7 Dec 1899 (Deceased in office)

• Mr J O’Sullivan                                                                  7 Dec 1899 – 1 Jan 1907

During the 1880s, New Zealand undertook a rearmament and fortification program that was also a technological leap forward in terms of capability. The Defence Stores armourers and Arms Cleaners had maintained the colony’s weapons since 1861. However, the new equipment included machinery that functioned through pneumatics, electricity and steam power, requiring a skilled workforce to repair and maintain, resulting in a division of responsibility between the Defence Stores and Permanent Militia. The Defence Stores would retain its core supply functions with its armourers remaining responsible for repairing Small Arms.  With some civilian capacity available, the bulk of the repairs and maintenance of the new equipment would be carried out by uniformed artificers and tradespeople recruited into the Permanent Militia.

From October 1888, the Staff Officer of Artillery and Inspector of Ordnance, Stores and Equipment would be responsible for all Artillery related equipment, with the Defence Storekeeper responsible for all other Stores. However, during the late 1890s, the Defence Storekeeper would assume responsibility for some of the Artillery related stores and equipment of the Permanent Militia.

Inspector of Stores and Equipment

• Maj A.P Douglas                                              24 Aug 1887 – 23 Jan 1891

In 1907 a significant command reorganisation of the Defence Forces defined the responsibilities of the Director of Artillery Services (Ordnance) and Director of Stores.

• Director of Artillery Services (Ordnance): Responsible for:
  • Artillery armament,
  • Fixed coast defences,
  • Artillery ammunition, and
  • Supplies for ordnance.
• Director of Stores: Responsible for:
  • Clothing and personal equipment,
  • Accoutrements,
  • Saddlery,
  • Harness,
  • Small-Arms,
  • Machine Guns,
  • Small-arms and Machine gun ammunition,
  • Material,
  • Transport,
  • Vehicles,
  • Camp Equipment,
  • All other stores required for the Defence Forces.

Director of Military Stores (Defence Stores)                                                 

• Capt J O’Sullivan                                                               1 Jan 1907 – 30 Mar 1911

Director of Ordnance and Artillery

• Maj G.N Johnston                                                            28 Feb 1907 – 31 May 1907

• Capt G.S Richardson                                                        31 May 1907 – 31 Jul 1908

Director of Artillery

• Maj J.E Hume                                                                     31Jul 1908 – 31 Mar 1911

In 1911, provisional regulations were promogulated further detailing the division of responsibilities between the Quartermaster Generals Branch (to whom the Defence Stores was subordinate) and the Director of Ordnance and Artillery.  Based on these new regulations, the Director of Artillery (Ordnance) assumed overall responsibility for managing Artillery stores and ammunition on 2 August 1911.

Director of Equipment and Stores (Defence Stores)                        

• Maj J O’Sullivan                                                 30 Mar 1911 – 10 Apr 1916

Director of Ordnance and Artillery

• Maj G.N Johnston                                                            11 May 1911- 8 Aug 1914

To maintain and manufacture artillery ammunition, the Royal NZ Artillery established an Ordnance Section in 1915. The section immediately transferred to the NZAOC in 1917, with the RNZA maintaining technical control. By 1929, most artificers and tradespeople had been transferred from the RNZA into the NZAOC. The final RNZA store’s function would be transferred to the NZAOC in 1946 when the RNZA Ammunition and Equipment Section based in Army Headquarters handed over responsibility for artillery ammunition, explosives, coast artillery and specialist equipment and stores, including some staffing to the NZAOC.

The Defence Stores would remain as New Zealand’s military storekeepers until 1 February 1917 when the New Zealand Army Ordnance Department (NZAOD) and the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (NZAOC) were established as part of the Permanent Staff of the Defence Forces of New Zealand, assuming the responsibilities Defence Stores.

The NZAOD would be reconstituted into the NZAOC on 27 June 1924.

Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores (Defence Stores & NZAOC) 

• Maj T McCristell                                                                10 Apr 1916 – 30 Jan 1920          

Director of Ordnance Stores (NZAOC)

• Lt Col H.E Pilkington                                                        30 Jan 1920 – 1 Oct 1924

• Lt Col T.J King                                                                     1 Oct 1920 – 6 Jan 1940

• Lt Col W.R Burge                                                              6 Jan 1940 – 22 June 1940

Chief Ordnance Officer (NZAOC)

• Maj H.E Erridge                                                                 22 Jun 1940 – 3 Aug 1941

• Lt Col E.L.G Bown                                                             5 Aug 1941 – 1 Oct 1947

In the Post-war era, the NZAOC would be granted Royal status on 12 July 1947, becoming the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC). For the next forty-five years, the Director of Ordnance Services (DOS) would be responsible for the personnel, equipment and training of the RNZAOC.

Director of Ordnance Services (RNZAOC)

• Lt Col A.H Andrews                                                         1 Oct 1947 – 11 Nov 1949

• Lt Col F Reid                                                                       12 Nov 1949 – 31 Mar 1957

• Lt Col H Mck Reid                                                             1 Apr 1958 – 11 Nov 1960

• Lt Col E Whiteacre                                                           12 Nov 1960 – 24 May 1967

• Lt Col J Harvey                                                                 24 May 1967 – 28 Aug 1968

• Lt Col G.J.H Atkinson                                                     29 Aug 1968 – 20 Oct 1972

• Lt Col M.J Ross                                                                 21 Oct 1972 – 6 Dec 1976
• Lt Col A.J Campbell                                                          7 Dec 1976 – 9 Apr 1979
• Lt Col P.M Reid                                                                 10 Apr 1979 – 25 Jul 1983

• Lt Col T.D McBeth                                                            26 Jul 1983 – 31 Jan 1986
• Lt Col G.M Corkin                                                             1 Feb 1986 – 1 Dec 1986
• Lt Col J.F Hyde                                                                   2 Dec 1986 – 31 Oct 1987
• Lt Col E.W.G Thomson                                                  31 Oct 1987 – 11 Jan 1990
• Lt Col W.B Squires                                                          12 Jan 1990 – 15 Dec 1992

During the early 1990s, the New Zealand Army underwent several “rebalancing” activities, which saw the formation of regional Logistic Battalions and included the demise of the individual Corps Directorates.  

Filling the void left by the demise of the Corps Directorates, the post of Regimental Colonel was approved on 12 December 1992. The role of the Regimental Colonel of the RNZAOC was to.

• Provide specialist advice when called for
• Maintain an overview of Corps personnel matters, and
• Provide a link between the Colonel Commandant of the RNZAOC and the Corps and support the Colonel Commandant.

Regimental Colonel (RNZAOC)

• Col T.D McBeth                                                                 15 Dec 1992 – 19 Sept 1994
• Col L Gardiner                                                                   19 Sept 1994 – 9 Dec 1996

On 9 December 1996, the RNZAOC was amalgamated into the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR).

New Zealand Ordnance Corps during wartime

During the Frist World War, a New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps was established as a unit of the 1^st New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF)  

Officer Commanding NZEF NZAOC

• Capt W.T Beck,                                                                  3 Dec 1914 – 31 Jan 1916

• Lt Col A.H Herbert,                                                          1 Feb 1916 – 31 Mar 1918

• Lt Col H.E Pilkington, RNZA                                           30 Jun 1918- 22 Jan 20

• Temp Capt W.H Simmons,                                             20 Feb 20 – 13 Oct 1920

The Second World War would see all the Ordnance functions of the 2^nd NZEF organised as the New Zealand Ordnance Corps (NZOC).

Officer Commanding 2^nd NZEF NZOC in the Middle East and Europe

• Lt Col T.J King                                                                     5 Jan 1940 – 10 Jul 1942
• Maj A.H Andrews                                                             10 Jul 1942 – 1 Dec 1942
• Lt Col J.O Kelsey                                                              1 Dec 1942 – 1 Feb 1946

Officer Commanding 2^nd NZEF in the Pacific NZOC

• Lt P.N Erridge                                                                   22 Nov 1940 – 9 May 1941

• Lt S.A Knight                                                                       9 May 1941 – 8 Jan 1942

• Lt Col M.S Myers                                                              8 Jan 1942 – 24 Apr 1944

• Lt Col S.A Knight                                                             24 Apr 1944 – 30 Oct 1944