“Actions speak louder than words; let your words teach and your actions speak.” – Anthony of Padua

Across the military world, mottos occupy a special place in a unit’s identity. Far more than decorative phrases, they encapsulate ethos, tradition, pride, and mission. New Zealand’s Army logistic corps have long embraced this tradition, each adopting a motto that speaks to their distinct contributions to sustaining and enabling military operations. Together, these mottos form a vital cultural bridge to the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR) of today.

This article explores the historic mottos of New Zealand’s logistic corps — the Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps (RNZASC), Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport (RNZCT), Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC), and Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME) — and how their spirit continues in the RNZALR’s regimental motto.

The RNZASC and RNZCT: “Nil Sine Labore” — Nothing Without Labour

The Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps (RNZASC), formed in 1910 and later reorganised into the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport (RNZCT) in 1979, adopted the Latin motto “Nil Sine Labore”, meaning “Nothing Without Labour.”

• Meaning and Significance:
  “Nil Sine Labore” captured the essential reality of logistics: success in battle is impossible without the unceasing work of those who provide transport, fuel, rations, and supplies.
• Wider Context:
  Like the mottos of other Commonwealth service corps (e.g., British Army Service Corps), it stresses the indispensable nature of effort behind the scenes. While combat might capture glory, labour — the unseen supply chain — sustains the force.
• Legacy:
  The RNZCT’s adoption of the same motto ensured continuity, even as functions evolved from general service to highly mobile modern transport operations.

The RNZAOC: “Sua Tela Tonanti” — To the Warrior Their Arms

The Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC) proudly carried the Latin motto “Sua Tela Tonanti”, traditionally translated as “To the Warrior His Arms”, though now often rendered as “To the Warrior Their Arms” for inclusiveness.

• Meaning and Significance:
  This motto embodies the RNZAOC’s role in arming the Army, providing everything from ammunition and weapons to clothing and technical stores. It positions the Corps not as passive administrators, but as an essential enabler of combat power.
• Wider Context:
  Inherited from the historic British Board of Ordnance, the motto ties the RNZAOC directly to a centuries-old tradition of sustaining armies through mastery over materiel — arms to the Thunderer (Jove), or in modern terms, arms to the Warrior.
• Legacy:
  The RNZAOC’s operational support philosophy — rapid, flexible, forward-moving supply and repair — deeply influenced New Zealand’s logistic identity into the RNZALR era.

The RNZEME: “Arte et Marte” — By Skill and Fighting

The Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME) chose the Latin motto “Arte et Marte”, meaning “By Skill and Fighting” or “By Craft and Combat.”

• Meaning and Significance:
  “Arte et Marte” speaks to the technical excellence demanded of soldiers who kept vehicles, weapons, and equipment operational in all conditions, often under fire. It acknowledges that engineering support is not a civilian function, but a battlefield art practised in war.
• Wider Context:
  Similar mottos appear across the engineer and technical corps throughout the Commonwealth, blending pride in professionalism with recognition of the combat environment they work within.
• Legacy:
  RNZEME’s ethos of skilled technical intervention in the face of adversity feeds directly into the RNZALR’s emphasis on innovation, adaptability, and operational effectiveness today.

The RNZALR: “Mā Ngā Hua Tu Tangata” — By Our Actions We Are Known

When the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR) was formed in 1996 through the amalgamation of the RNZCT, RNZAOC, RNZEME, and the All-Arms Quartermaster functions, it needed a new motto — one that would respect its heritage while uniting its many trades and traditions.

The selected motto, in Te Reo Māori, is “Mā Ngā Hua Tu Tangata”, which translates as “By Our Actions We Are Known.”

• Meaning and Significance:
  This motto synthesises the underlying spirit of the earlier corps mottos. Labour, provision of arms, technical skill, and combat support all manifest through actions — actions that sustain the force and ultimately define success.
• Wider Context:
  By choosing a motto in Te Reo Māori, the RNZALR affirmed its place within a distinctly New Zealand military culture. This reflected the nation’s commitment to multiculturalism and honoured Māori and Western traditions.
• Continuity and Evolution:
  While the words changed, the spirit endures.
  • “Nil Sine Labore” – Nothing is possible without action.
  • “Sua Tela Tonanti” – The arms are provided through action.
  • “Arte et Marte” – Action is both skilled and courageous.
  • “Mā Ngā Hua Tu Tangata” – Actions define reputation.

Thus, the RNZALR motto is not a break with the past but the culmination of it — a living link between generations of logisticians who have sustained New Zealand’s Army from the earliest days to the present.

Conclusion: Living the Legacy

Military mottos are far more than slogans; they are declarations of identity, values, and purpose. In the case of New Zealand’s Army logistics corps, each motto reflects a vital facet of the broader logistics enterprise — from hard work and skilled maintenance to the critical task of arming and equipping the warfighter.

Through “Mā Ngā Hua Tu Tangata”, the RNZALR carries forward these proud traditions, reminding every Logistic Specialist, Movements Operator, Caterer, Maintainer, and Combat Driver that it is through their actions — perhaps unseen by many, but vital to all — that the Army stands strong.