In the historical tapestry of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC), 1972 is a pivotal year, marking twenty-two years since New Zealand’s initial involvement in combat operations in South Korea. The nation continued actively participating in conflicts such as the Malayan Emergency, the Indonesian Confrontation, and the South Vietnam War. Throughout this period, New Zealand maintained a robust part-time territorial army sustained by Compulsory Military Training, all aimed at creating a versatile, all-arms Combat Brigade Group.

However, 1972 marked a turning point. It witnessed the conclusion of Compulsory Military Training, resulting in a reduction in the Territorial Force and its transformation into a volunteer force. Concurrently, with the conclusion of New Zealand’s commitment to the Vietnam War, the country entered a phase marked by individual engagements in United Nations Peacekeeping operations, a eighty-day mission to Rhodesia, the establishment of a permanent peace monitoring force in the Sinai, and participation in exercises both in New Zealand and overseas. This era ushered in a period of peace for the New Zealand Army, with nearly two decades passing before the RNZAOC would deploy a unit into a combat environment once again.

As 1972 concluded and the New Zealand Army and the RNZAOC entered this new era, they did so with a cadre of well-trained and experienced warrant and non-commissioned officers. This article will delve into the RNZAOC Regular Officer Cadre of 1972, as documented in the New Zealand Army Graduation List Regular Officer of 31 Oct 1972.

The RNZAOC of 1972 consisted of around 350 Regular and Territorial Officers and Other Ranks, including Storeman Clerks, Ammunition Technicians, Auto Parts, Footwear Repairers, Motor Trimmers, Tailors, and Clerks across numerous units, including.

• Main Ordnance Depot, Trentham
• RNZAOC School, Trentham
• 1 Central Ordnance Depot, Hopuhopu
• 2 Central Ordnance Depot, Linton
• 3 Central Ordnance Depot, Burnham
• 1 Composite Ordnance Depot, Mangaroa
• 5 Advanced Ordnance Depot, Singapore
• Workshops Stores Section in RNZEME Workshops’
• As Staff in various Headquarters

At this stage, female soldiers belonged to the New Zealand Woman’s Royal Army Corps (NZWRAC), with many posted to RNZAOC units as integral members of those units.

The Graduation List Regular Officer is divided into three Parts.

• Part 1 – Regular Officers
• Part 2 – Regular Quartermaster Officers
• Part 3 – Supernumerary List

Part 1 – RNZAOC Regular Officers

Lieutenant Colonels

• Clifford Leaman Sanderson, psc
• Geoffrey John Hayes Atkinson, MBE, M Inst PS

Majors

• John Barrie Glasson, (T/Lt-Col 1 Jan 71)
• Malcolm John Ross, psc (T/Lt-Col 20 Oct 72)

Captains

• Arthur John Campbell, ANZIM, psc (T/Maj 1 Aug 68)
• Piers Martin Reid, (T/Maj 1 Feb 69)
• Michael Dawney Hunt, ANZIM (T/Maj 1 Feb 69)
• Terence David McBeth, (T/Maj 1 Nov 69)
• Ian Geoffrey Ross
• Ronald Leslie Cross, psc (T/Maj 21 Jun 70)
• Gary Malcolm Corkin
• John Andrew Henderson
• John Robert Hicks
• David John Rees
• Michael Joseph Cooper
• Terence John Verrall

Lieutenants

• Maxwell Frederick Newnham, (T/Capt 7 Mar 70)
• Patrick Te Tahuri Puohotaua
• Michael Alexender Cowan
• John Francis Hyde, (T/Capt 1 Apr 71)
• Kevin John Dreyer, (T/Capt 22 Jun 72)
• Paul Edwin Dangerfield
• Keith David Hansen
• Mark David Stuart, BA (mil)
• Peter Martin O’Brien
• Grant William Blackburn

Second Lieutenants

• Noel Anthony Hitchings
• Allan Charles Lash

Part 2 – RNZAOC Quartermaster List

Captains and Quartermasters

• William Maxwell Campbell, (T/Maj & QM 1 Aug 68)
• Patrick George Burns, (T/Maj & QM 25 Apr 69)
• David Ralph Hughes, T/Maj & QM 3 Jun 70)
• Keith Alexander Watson
• Ian Roy Larsen
• Alan Paul Bezar

Lieutenants and Quartermasters

• Donald Winter Stewart, (T/Capt & QM 22 Feb 71)
• Hector Searle McLachlan, (T/Capt & QM 1 May 71)
• Godfrey Edward Lee, (T/Capt & am 5 Apr 71)
• Stewart McDonald Fussell, (T/Capt & QM 5 Apr 71)
• John Edward Hancox, (T/Capt & QM 1 Jul 70)
• Edward Vennell Sweet, (T/Capt & QM 11 Aug 71)
• Alfred Stephenson Day, (T/Capt & QM 3 Sep 71)
• James William Twist

Part 3 – RNZAOC Supernumerary List

Majors

• Ronald George Henderson Golightly

Captains

• Carleton Robert Duggan, (T/Maj & QM 14 Sep 68)
• George Edward Butler, (QM) (T/Maj & QM 4 Aug 69)

Statistics on the RNZAOC 1972 Officers List

• Duntroon Graduates- 1
• Portsea Graduates -10
• RF Cadets – 2
• Served in other Corps before joining RNZAOC – 7

Operational Service

• WW2 – 4
• J Force – 2
• K Force – 2
• Malaya – 6
• Vietnam – 15

Service and Age

• 1972 Average age – 36 years
• Average age on leaving RNZAOC – 44 years.
• Over 20 years of RNZAOC Service – 27
• Cumulative amount of RNZAOC Service – 880 Years
• Shortest Service in RNZAOC – 2 Years
• Longest Service in RNZAOC – 36 Years
• Average length of NZ Army Service – 62 Years
• Average length of RNZAOC Service – 59 Years

Appointments

• Chief of General Staff-   1
• Director of Ordnance Services – 7
• Chief Instructor RNZAO School –  8
• Chief Ammunition Technical Officer – 3
• Colonel-Commandant – 2

In 1972, the RNZAOC entered a transformative period, marked by changes in training, force structure, and the cessation of its involvement in the Vietnam War. The graduation list reflects a diverse group of officers, well-versed in various aspects of military service. As the RNZAOC transitioned into a new era characterised by peacekeeping missions and operational diversification, the officers of 1972 carried with them a wealth of experience and training, setting the stage for the Corps’ future endeavours. The statistical overview provides insights into the officers’ backgrounds, service history, and appointments, highlighting the depth of expertise within the RNZAOC during this pivotal time.