Largely forgotten today, the early 1930s marked a tumultuous period for the New Zealand military which was profoundly impacted by the Great Depression. In 1931, facing unprecedented economic pressures, the military was compelled to enact severe cutbacks and reductions. The lessons drawn from these pivotal events offer invaluable insights into fortifying the resilience and adaptability of today’s military forces amidst contemporary strategic and economic uncertainties.

Establishment and Early Developments

Established in 1917, the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (NZAOC) quickly became integral to the country’s Permanent Military Forces. However, the onset of the global economic depression triggered substantial changes in New Zealand’s military funding and organisational structure. As the worldwide economic downturn took hold, austerity measures and restructuring became unavoidable, necessitating a comprehensive overhaul of the NZAOC to align with the new economic realities.

Established in 1917, the intervening years had seen the NZAOC decline in personnel from its peak strength of 493 in 1919 to an average of 118 officers and other ranks between 1920 and 1930. Despite this reduction, significant infrastructural advancements replaced the colonial-era facilities with modern buildings across various locations. Key NZAOC establishments included:

• Northern Military District:
  • Ordnance Depot and Workshop at Waikato Camp in Hopuhopu, constructed in 1928.
  • Ordnance Workshop at Devonport’s artillery yard (now the RNZN Museum).
  • Small Arms Ammunition Testing Staff stationed at the Colonial Ammunition Company factory in Mount Eden, Auckland.
• Central Military District:
  • The Main Ordnance Depot and Workshop at Trentham was established as a permanent camp in 1915.
  • The Ammunition Section at Fort Balance.
• Southern Military District:
  • The Ordnance Depot and Workshop at Burnham Camp was established in 1921 with the ongoing construction of new infrastructure.

These developments underscored the NZAOC’s strategic presence in the Northern, Central, and Southern Military Districts.

Economic Downturn and Military Reorganisation

The economic downturn of the early 1930s necessitated severe cuts to government expenditure, compelling the New Zealand military to undergo substantial reorganisation. In 1930, the military’s strength stood at 555 regulars and 16,990 Territorials. By 1931, this was reduced to 349 regulars and 3,655 Territorials. These reductions were implemented under the provisions of the Finance Act, 1930 (No. 2), which facilitated compulsory retirements and transfers to civilian roles for many NZAOC personnel.

The Act authorised the retirement on superannuation of any member of the Permanent Force or the Permanent Staff under the Defence Act, 1909, or of the clerical staff of the Defence Department whose age or length of service was such that if five years had been added they would have been enabled as of right or with the consent of the Minister of Defence to have given notice to retire voluntarily. Compulsory retirement under this Act was facilitated in two tranches:

• Tranche 1: Personnel Retired without Superannuation:
  • Servicemen eligible for retirement under the provision of the Act who were not contributing to the superannuation scheme were notified on 13 December 1930 of their impending release. They were granted six weeks of special leave, effective 31 December 1930, with their final release scheduled for 11 February 1931 after completing their notice period.
• Tranche 2: Personnel Retired with Superannuation:
  • Servicemen eligible for retirement under the provision of the Act who were contributing to the superannuation scheme received notification on 13 December 1930. Their salary continued until 31 March 1931, with superannuation benefits commencing in April. Accrued leave entitlements were taken concurrently during this notice period, resulting in much leave accrued forfeited.

These tranches included Ordnance soldiers who had joined the NZAOC since its formation in 1917. Some had transferred directly from the Defence Stores, while others had served in the pre-war Permanent Forces or had active service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF). Their compulsory retirement represented a significant loss of knowledge and experience for the New Zealand military. Under the provisions of section 39 of the Finance Act, 1930 (No. 2), 44 members of the NZAOC were placed on compulsory retirement, including the following personnel who have so far been identified.

Northern Military District

• 948. Lieutenant Michael Joseph Lyons, MSM

• 968 Sergeant Thomas Alexander Hunter, MSM

• 62 Private Frank Jewiss

• 166 Sergeant William John Rabbidge

• 268 Staff Quartermaster Sergeant James Alexander Kenning

• Captain Frank Edwin Ford

Central Military District

• 19 Sergeant Alfred Charles Butler    

• 39 Corporal Simon Alexander Fraser

• 64 Gunner Maurice Francis Johnstone          

• 111 Corporal John Sawyer   

•  920 Corporal Gordon James Francis Arenas 

• 941 Sergeant William Hans McIlraith         

•  956 Staff Sergeant Saddler George Alexander Carter, MSM

• 960 Sergeant Frank William Ching

• 965 Corporal Philip Alexander MacKay MSM

• 976 Private William Valentine Wood MSM

• 978 Corporal Earnest John Williams MSM

• 1018 Sargeant Major James Oliver Pringle Southgate           

• 1024 Armament-Artificer Eric Wallace Jepson       

•  Lieutenant L.A Clement

• Captain Alfred William Baldwin

• Captain William Moody Bell

• 55 Staff Quartermaster Sergeant John Francis Hunter MSM

• 143 Armament Sergeant Major (WO1) Joseph Warren

• 995 Staff Sergeant Wilfred Robert White

Southern Military District

• 2 Armament Staff Quartermaster Sergeant John Alexander Adamson MSM

• 1006 Lance Corporal Norman William Wilkie

• Corporal Cecil John Knight

• Captain Arthur Rumbold Carter White

• 966 Lance Corporal William Terrington Popple, MSM

Transition to Civilian Roles

To achieve further cost savings, 74 NZAOC soldiers received notifications in December 1930 that their positions would be retained but transferred to civilian roles with civilian pay rates. This transition took effect in February 1931, causing significant disruption for those affected, including the loss of accumulated leave and adjustment to civilian life..

Some of these soldiers were transferred to other departments within the defence establishment, while the majority remained in their current roles within the NZAOC Ordnance Depots and workshops. They transitioned overnight from wearing uniforms to civilian clothes, with significantly reduced rates of pay and civil service conditions of service. The following personnel have so far been identified as being transferred to the Civil Staff.

Northern Military District

• 967 Corporal Robert John Gamble

• 974 Corporal Henry William Le Comte

• 983 Sergeant Clifford Verne Little

• 996 Lance Corporal Athol Gilroy McCurdy

• 202 Lance Corporal Arthur Graham Munday

Central Military District

• 972 Private John Dennis Anderson   

• 35 Lance Corporal Harry Harper Ekins        

• 1061 Lance Corporal Earnest Fenton

• 4 Sergeant Kenneth Olaf John Andersen     

•  699 Corporal Oliver Avis, MM

• 889 Staff Sergeant George Bagnell   

• 1004 Lance Corporal James Johnston Bolt  

• 961 Lance Corporal Edgar Charles Boult     

• 1000 Private George Cumming Bremner      

• 1027 Artificer William Cowan Brizzle         

• 1003 Lance Corporal Ernest Carr      

• 1012 Lance Corporal Charles Fred Ecob      

• 864 Corporal William Charles Francis          

• 1025 Tent-Repairer-Artificer Herbert Roy Griffin   

• 714 Lance Corporal Kenneth Hoare  

• 1016 Private Ernest William Hughes            

• 989 Corporal Percy Reuben Hunter  

• 213 Lance Corporal William Saul Keegan   

• 1019 Private Edward Gavin Lake     

• 342 Corporal Allen Charles Leighton

• 998 Lance Corporal Allen Dudley Leighton 

• 1011 Lance Corporal Geoffrey Charles Leighton     

• 363 Staff Sergeant David Llewellyn Lewis, MSM

• 1007 Lance Corporal Thomas James Mclaughlin     

• 1020 Private John Douglas Melville 

• 894 SQMS (WO2) James Moroney  Sergeant David Nicol]

• 1023 Lance Corporal John Nixon      

• 467 Corporal George Wantford Pamment    

• 1013 Private Francis Reid     

• 1022 Private Henry McKenzie Reid 

• 1014 Wheeler-Artificer Robert Stacey Vincent Rowe              

• 665 Private William Alexander Sammons    

• 927 Private Leonard William Sanders           

• 963 Corporal Albert Edward Shadbolt          

• 138 Lance Corporal David Henry Strickland

• 1017 Private Lionel Herbert Stroud  

Southern Military District

• 970 Sergeant Edward Vincent Coleman

• 1028 Private Percival Nowell Erridge

• 959 Sergeant Charles Edward Gleeson

• 1276 Private Lewis Haslett

• 885 Corporal Charles James Johnston Storie

• 728 Private William Sampson Valentine

Impact on Military Preparedness and Social Consequences

The compulsory retirements and transfers to civilian roles led to a reduction in the NZAOC’s military strength, impacting its preparedness during subsequent years. However, beginning in 1934, improved government finances allowed for an increase in the army’s training tempo, despite global events hinting at looming conflict. The following personnel who have so far been identified as been retained:

Northern Military District

• 984 Staff Sergeant Thomas Joseph Holliday

• 1260 Armament Staff Quartermaster Sergeant Samuel Thomson MSM

• 915 Armament Staff Sergeant Eric John Hunter

• 141 Armourer Corporal Reginald Samuel Henry Lyons

Central Military District

• 14 Armament Sergeant Major Bertram  Buckley           

• 992 Armament Corporal Hilliard Charles Cooper

• 1029 Artificer James  Dabney          

•  964 Warrant Officer Class 1 John William Dalton

• 1032 Armourer Staff Sergeant Frederick Henry Dew

• 979 Armourer Staff Sergeant John William Evers

• 1026 Armament Sergeant Leo Stanley Jefcoate

• Major Thomas Joseph King

• 945 WO2 Armament SQMS Henry Albert Wiliam Pierard

• 1021 Armament Staff Sergeant Arthur Sydney Richardson

• 1010 Lance Corporal George Frederick Robert Ware

Southern Military District

• 7 Corporal Percey Charles Austin

• 25 Armourer Staff Sargeant Francis Augustus Clapshaw

• Lieutenant Henry Erridge Erridge

The reduction in the Territorial Force in 1931 resulted in decreased activity in subsequent years. However, beginning in 1934, improved government finances allowed for an increase in the army’s training tempo. Concurrently, global events in China, Ethiopia, and Germany hinted at looming conflict, prompting a gradual shift towards preparing for future mobilisation. Under the leadership of Major Thomas Joseph King, who served as Director of Ordnance Services (DOS) since 1924, the NZAOC worked diligently within its means to enhance readiness, including designing a new system of stores accounting for the emerging Royal New Zealand Air Force.

King focused on recruiting new personnel and leveraging his civilian staff, who were former NZAOC soldiers, to reenlist experienced individuals into key leadership roles at Trentham, Hopuhopu, and Burnham. When war was declared in September 1939, King successfully mobilised his small military and civilian team to form the rump of the New Zealand Ordnance Corps (NZOC) within the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF).

During the 1938-45 war, nearly all NZAOC soldiers who had been transferred to civilian roles in 1931 found themselves back in uniform, restarting their military careers as Ordnance Officers, Warrant Officers, and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCOs) alongside their peers who had been retained. Many from this group continued to provide leadership within the RNZAOC and Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME) up to the 1960s, with several even holding the prestigious position of DOS in the post-war army.

Negative Effects and Lessons Learned

The 1931 reductions in the New Zealand military, driven by the economic pressures of the Great Depression, had profound and lasting negative effects, both socially and in terms of military preparedness. Socially, the abrupt compulsory retirements and transitions to civilian roles caused significant upheaval for the affected soldiers and their families. The loss of accumulated leave and the sudden shift from military to civilian life resulted in considerable stress and financial strain.

In terms of military preparedness, the reductions led to a substantial loss of experienced personnel and institutional knowledge. The drastic decrease in the Territorial Force and overall military strength severely hampered the country’s ability to maintain an effective and ready military force. The reduced activity and training during the early 1930s left the military less prepared for the impending global conflicts of the late 1930s and early 1940s than in 1914. This lack of preparedness could have had dire consequences had international tensions escalated more quickly.

However, subsequent efforts to rebuild, modernise, and mobilise the military demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of the New Zealand military. Starting in 1934 under the leadership of Major Thomas Joseph King, the NZAOC enhanced its readiness by recruiting new personnel and reenlisting former soldiers from the civilian staff. The return of nearly all NZAOC soldiers to uniformed service during the 1939-1945 war showcased their dedication and the critical role of experienced personnel in maintaining military effectiveness.

The 1931 reductions’ experiences highlight the importance of balancing economic constraints and the need for a capable and prepared military force. These lessons remain relevant today as modern military forces navigate similar challenges amidst strategic and economic uncertainties. Ensuring that reductions do not compromise long-term readiness and resilience is crucial for the effective functioning of any military organisation.

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Notes

[1] (1930). “H-19 Defence Forces of New Zealand, Annual report of the General Officer Commanding the Forces.” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives.

[2] (1931). “H-19 Defence Forces of New Zealand, Annual report of the General Officer Commanding the Forces June 1930 to May 1931.” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1 January 1941.

[3] (1914). King, Thomas Joseph. Personal File, Archives New Zealand. Wellington.