Due to the reorganisation of the New Zealand Army Headquarters “Q” branch and the formation of the New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NZEME), new establishment tables for the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (NZAOC) were approved for use from 1 October 1946.
Under discussion since 1944, the 1 October 1946 Establishments provided the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps with a framework within the interim post-war New Zealand Army that woud allow future growth.
Responsibility for the NZ Army’s Logistic Functions fell to the Quartermaster-General who delegated responsibility for Ordnance Services to the Director of Army Equipment (DAE).
Under the DAE the NZ Army Ordnance Services were organised as;
Headquarters NZ Ordnance Services
Headquarters
Chief Ordnance Officer (COO) & Staff
Provision Group
Main Ordnance Depot, Trentham
Three District Sub-Depots
No 1 Ordnance Sub-Depot, Hopuhopu
No 2 Ordnance Sub- Depot, Linton
Sub-Depot Waiouru
No 3 Ordnance Sub-Depot, Burnham
Inspection Ordnance Group, comprising:
Headquarters, Trentham
Ammunition Repair Depot, Kuku Valley
IOO Section Northern Military District (NMD), Hopuhopu
IOO Section Central Military District (CMD), Trentham
IOO Section Southern Military District (SMD), Burnham
One of the New Zealand military’s functions is to assist civilian organisations where no viable civilian resources are available. One such example of this support was in 1991 when the NZ Army provided expertise and personnel to help produce the movie, Chunuk Bair.
The high point of the New Zealand effort at Gallipoli was the capture of Chunuk Bair, a key feature on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Captured by the Wellington Battalion under Lieutenant-Colonel William Malone on 8 August 1915, the New Zealanders would hold the position against violent counterattacks by a motivated and well-led opponent until relieved by British Battalions on 9 August. The latter were driven off Chunuk Bair in a counterattack led by Mustafa Kemal on the early morning of 10 August.
The anti-Vietnam protest movement of the 1960s and 70s had caused anything related to the ANZAC legend to become unpopular in New Zealand, with ANZAC day commemorations mainly attended by veterans and serving military personnel. The 1981 Australian movie Gallipoli, with its powerful anti-British theme,was released and considered an ‘event of national significance in Australia. This spike of interest across the Tasman was a turning point and provided the springboard for New Zealand playwright Maurice Shadbolt to provide his contribution in enhancing the notion of Gallipoli as the birthplace of New Zealand as a nation with the events at Chunuk Bair as a source of national pride.
Shadbolt’s play Once on Chunuk Bair would open to much praise from the theatre gong public on ANZAC Day 1982 at Auckland’s Mercury Theatre and would reinforce Shadbolt’s view that Chunuk Bair marked the birth of the nation freed from the shackles of British Colonialism. Once on Chunuk Bair gave the battle of Chunuk Bair the same national significance to New Zealand that the Australians place on their magnificent debacle at Lone Pine and the Nek. Despite a short theatrical run, Shadbolt’s play would become popular in schools and universities as it was taught and performed as part of the educational experience in a similar way that the Australians use the movie Gallipoli.
With the 75th anniversary of Gallipoli observed in 1990, a shift in public consciousness toward Gallipoli was revived, and Once on Chunuk Bair was made into a movie during 1991. Produced on a low budget and aimed at a New Zealand audience. The Army Museum provided much technical advice, uniforms and props, with the Army also providing significant assistance to the production, including expertise in explosives and many Men as extras. RNZAOC ammunition technical officer (ATO) Ian Juno would be listed in the credits as providing the special effects, and a sizable quantity of soldiers from 1 Base Supply Battalion would feature in many scenes as extras.
With production compressed within four weeks, many of the Large-scale battle scenes were filmed on Wellington’s south coast, a near facsimile of the terrain of Gallipoli, with the more detailed scenes filmed in a specially constructed set at the Avalon studios.
Although the final product was disappointing and did not have the same polished attributes as the earlier Australian movie Gallipoli, it complements Christopher Pugsley’s 1984 TVNZ documentary Gallipoli: The New Zealand Story, the Voices of Gallipoli in establishing the Gallipoli Campaign and the Chunuk Bair battle as the cornerstones of the national identity.
As New Zealand’s Army’s central stock holding unit, 1 Base Supply Battalion(1BSB) was responsible for managing and providing depot-level storage of New Zealand’s Military’s stock of land equipment and spares. Despite having this responsibility since 1920, 1BSB and its predecessors had always struggled with providing suitable warehousing infrastructure and made do with the available storage infrastructure.
With no purpose-built storage accommodation, from 1920 to 1940, the NZAOC Main Ordnance Depot (MOD) utilised up to one hundred camp administrative and accommodation structures as its primary means of warehousing. Relief was provided in 1938 when contracts were issued to construct a modern warehouse utilising the most modern of methods and materials.[1] The New warehouse, later known as Building 73, was constructed using reinforced concrete and designed with nine bays that allowed the loading and unloading of Trains on one side and Motor Transport on the other. The design and layout of building 73 were utilised as the model for new warehouses constructed at Burnham, Hopuhopu and Waiouru.
Building 73
Although Building 73 provided a considerable increase in storage capability, wartime demands soon necessitated further increases in storage infrastructure, resulting in the construction of Building 74. Building 74 and the warehouses constructed in Burnham and Waiouru were close facsimiles of building 73, with the main exception that it was constructed out of wood instead of reinforced concrete due to wartime constraints.[2]
The wartime expansion of the New Zealand military saw the MOD exponentially expand to cope with the influx of military material with additional buildings constructed in Trentham and sub-depots also established a Mangere, Wanganui, Linton Camp, Gracefield and Wellington.
Peace in 1945 brought little respite as stocks were centralised at the MOD, requiring further expansion of the MOD warehousing infrastructure. To meet this need, five warehouses that were built for the United States Forces at Lower Hutt were disassembled and re-erected at Trentham by September 1945.[3] Additionally, the RNZAF Stores Depot constructed at Mangaroa in 1943 was handed over to the MOD in 1949.
Over the next forty years, the warehousing infrastructure at Trentham changed little, with a 1985 NZDF report identifying many deficiencies leading to significant upgrading of Trentham’s warehousing infrastructure.[4]
Main Ordnance Depot 1966
In one of the most significant warehousing infrastructure investments since 1939 and the first modern warehouse built for the RNZAOC since 1972, Building 75, a high stud warehouse capable of holding 3700 pallets, opened in 1988. Although a significant advancement in warehousing capability, the new warehouse had limited space for outsized items. Additionally, many other warehousing functions, such as packing and traffic, remained in Building 73, so further work was required to enhance the functionality of 1BSBs entire warehousing capability.
Building 73 (left), Building 74 (Right)
With trains no longer utilised for the delivery and dispatching of stores, the rail lines between Building 73 and 74 had long been redundant. By removing the rail line and raising the ground level between the two buildings, providing additional storage space of almost two square kilometres, protected from the elements by a 200 x 13-meter roof, was created. At the southern end, a loading ramp was constructed to allow the loading and unloading of trucks, with angled ramps at either end allowing the movement of vehicles along the length of the new storage area. Opened on 2 November 1989, the new warehouse was christened “the Cave.” The Cave allowed the more efficient transfer of stores to and from the storage areas in Buildings 73, 74 and 75 to the receipt, selecting, packing and issuing bays in Building 73.
Lieutenant Colonel P.P Martyn, Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps. Commanding Officer 1 Base Supply Battalion January 1988 – December 1990, officially opening “The Cave”
The additional storage space allowed the storage of outsized items which had previously been stored at the Mangaroa Depot, which was subsequently decommissioned and handed over to NZDF Property Services.
The optimisation of storage space between the two buildings was so successful a similar modification was constructed between two of 21 Supply Company’s 1950s-era Warehouses at Linton, creating much-needed storage and office space.
Notes
[1] “New Army Ordnance Block Now under Construction at One of the Military Camps,” Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 65, 14 Sept 1939.
[2] F Grattan, Official War History of the Public Works Department (PWD, 1948).
[3] “Organisation – Policy and General – Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps 1946-1984,” Archives New Zealand Item No R17311537 (1946).
[4] “Assessment and Audit – Audit Files – [1995] – NZDF Bulk Warehousing,” Archives New Zealand Item No R24596003 (1985).
Publicity photos from the 1950s showing a range of portable Camp Equipment managed by the RNZAOC
Safes-Meat Portable
A required item to preserve meat in Field Kitchens in the days before portable refrigeration.
Stands Ablution Portable
This item is designed so that soldiers, when in a field camp environment, can have a place to carry out their daily ablutions.
Consisting of a sink top with a drain trough and bar to hang towels and mirrors, soldiers washed and shaved using a basin. On completion of their business, the contents of the basin were tipped into the drain from where it flowed into a sump dug into the ground
Stand Ablution Components. Robert McKie Collection
Stand Ablution laid with its compontrs laid out;
Bar Towel/Toprail, Qty 1
Leg Ablution Stand End, Qty 2
Leg Ablution Stand Center, Qty 1
Brace Ablution Stand, Qty 2
Drain Sink, Trough, Qty 1
Drain, Lavartory pipe, Qty 1
Bolt securing, Qty 4
The above picture shows the Stand Ablution in the final stages of assembly with the two soldiers about to fir the Bar Towel/Top-rail to the Leg Ablution Stand Ends. Once the Bar Towel/Top-rail was attached, the braces were bolted tight and the Drain Sink, Trough and Drain, Lavatory pipe were attached.
Mess Kit Washup
Used in conjunction with a kerosene heater, these tubs were assembled over a small trench with the chimney device drawing heated air under the tubs, heating them up.
This set-up was based on the three-pot cleaning method.
Before washing. plates and utensils were thoroughly scrapped clean into a rubbish bin.
Sink 1: Wash sink – Full of hot soapy water, utensils are given a good scrub with a brush or dishcloth.
Sink 2: Hot-rinse sink -, Filled with clear, hot water, utensils rinsed in this sink.
Sink 3: Cold-rinse sink – Utensils undergo a final rinse in water which had a few drops of bleach or other sanitising argent added to it
Field Cook House
In the background of these photos, a Field Cook House can be seen. This portable building was designed to be used as a Field Cookhouse, which could easily be assembled from components.
The Bryan Nelson Jennings Memorial Trophy would, for a short period in the 1990s, be a coveted trophy awarded to the most outstanding Automotive Parts and Accessories Merchandising Apprentice of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps(RNZAOC).
Apprenticeships for the Automotive Parts and Accessories Merchandising Trade (AP Trade) had been established in 1965 to provide the RNZAOC with skilled tradespeople for employment in RNZAOC Workshops Stores Sections that had been established as part of Royal New Zealand Electrical Mechanical and Electrical Engineers(RNZEME) Workshops and Light Aid Detachments in 1962.
The role of RNZAOC Stores Sections was to carry and manage the specialised holdings of spares, assemblies & workshop materials (Class 9 stores) of their parent workshops.
Administered by the New Zealand Trade Certification Board (now the New Zealand Qualifications Authority), the Automotive Parts and Accessories Merchandising apprentice training scheme consisted of 9000 working hours of study and on the job training with three Trade Board examinations required to gain the trade qualification.
Initially, apprentices would begin their training as 16-year-old Regular Force Cadets (RF Cadets), who, on graduation, would complete their apprentice training at the Main Ordnance Depot, MT Spares Section at Trentham Camp. However, during the 1970s, RNZAOC direct entry recruits were also accepted as apprentices.
Further progression in the AP trade was achieved by qualified apprentices undertaking the New Zealand Management Certificate in Automotive Parts & Accessories Merchandising. the first two Certificate level qualifications were awarded in 1988 To;
Sergeant M Wilson (0001)
Sergeant S O’Brien (0002)
The final AP Trade Apprentice would be recruited in 1996, following which the apprentice scheme would cease as the foundation for the AP Trade.
Warrant Officer Class One Bryan Nelson Jennings
Bryan was born in Wellington in 1926. Too young to see active service in WW2, Bryan served with the Melrose Battalion, Wellington South Home Guard unit from 1 April 1943 to 1 April 1944, attaining the rank of Corporal.
Volunteering for service with ‘J ‘ Force, the New Zealand component of the British Occupation Forces (BCOF) in Japan, Bryana would be posted to 4 New Zealand Base Ordnance Depot (later renamed to 4 NZ Ordnance Field Park) in August 1946. Completing his engagement, Bryan would return to New Zealand on 14 September 1947. Following a short period posted to the Main Ordnance Depot in Trentham as part of the post-war Interim Army, Bryan was soon discharged and returned to civilian life.
Enlisting into the Regular Forces RNZAXCO on1 April 1948, Bryan undertook a short period of refresher training at the Army School of Instruction at Trentham before being posted to the Main Ordnance Depot as a storeman in the Technical Spares Group and later in the Tyre Store.
Temporarily posted to 10 Coastal Regiment RNZA at Fort Dorset, Bryan, like many of his contemporaries, would be employed on the wharves during the 1951 Waterfront Workers strike.
Promoted to Temporary Sergeant on 25 November 1953, Bryan would be promoted Staff Sergeant on 13 October 1958. Poste to 1 Composite Ordnance Company n loan back in 1964, Bryan would remain at the Main Ordnance Depot.
Posted to 1 General Troops Workshops, Stores Section, Linton Camp as a Warrant Officer Class Two in 1965, Bryan would soon find himself loaned back to the Central Districts Motor Transport Workshops at Trentham.
Seconded to the New Zealand Cadre (Fiji) of the Fijian Military Forces in 1968 as a Temporary Warrant Officer Class One in 1968, Bryan would spend the next two years assisting in the training and development of the Fiji Military Forces.
Returning to New Zealand in January 1971, Bryan was posted to 1 Base Workshops, Trentham and promoted to Warrant Officer Class One. Bryan would remain at 1 Base Workshops and the IC Stores section until his release from the army on n 21 April 1981.
During Bryans more than thirty-two years of service, he was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct medal on 25 March 1965, followed by the Meritorious Service Medal on19 April 1978.
Following his retirement, Bryan would remain in Upper Hurt. Staying engaged with the community, Bryan was an active member of the Lions organisation and a member of the School Board of the Heretaunga College.
Bryan passed away on 9 August 1989 at Upper Hurt after a long illness.
In his memory, The Bryan Nelson Jennings memorial trophy was instituted in 1991. Although not an AP Trade Apprentice himself, Bryan was a mentor to many apprentices and was described as a legend in the trade.
The object of the award was to provide a tangible mark of achievement and was intended to encourage junior soldiers of the AP trade to reach and maintain a high standard of professional competence and personnel integrity.
Nominations for the award were graded against the following attributes:
Basic Soldier Skills
Loyalty
Sportsmanship
Enthusiasm
Dress, bearing and personnel appearance
Trade Skills
Personnel eligible for consideration for the trophy were to meet the following requirements
Not be above the rank of Substantive Lance Corporal
Must have attended either 1st, 2nd or 3rd qualifying examinations in the past 12 Months
Must still be serving their apprenticeship.
The Trophy now resides at the Trade Training School of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment.
Military conscription in New Zealand was first introduced in 1910 to build and maintain a credible force that would allow New Zealand to play its part in defence of the British Empire. Initially intended to feed the Territorial Army, conscription was extended in 1916 to allow men to be conscripted directly into the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF). Conscription would be suspended during the lean post-Bellum years and re-established in 1940 as a wartime measure to satisfy New Zealand’s wartime personnel commitments.
New Zealand’s 1945 post-war commitments required the raising and mounting of a Division for service in the Middle East. The only way the personnel requirements for a Division could be met would be through conscription. A referendum was conducted in1949, resulting in a yes for Compulsory Military Training (CMT), which would commence in 1950.
The CMT scheme would train 63033 men up to 1958 when the Labour Government ceased CMT. In 1961 the National Government introduced a new National Service Act, which would require all males to register with the Labour Department on or before their 20th birthday. Following registration, ballots would be conducted to select individuals to undertake military training.
Training would consist of three months of initial full-time training, during which the men would be given the choice of three weeks part-time training in a Territorial unit for three years or one year’s service in a Regular Force unit. The National Service Scheme would last until 1972, when it was discontinued due to a changing social and economic environment.
Since 1972 there has been no Military conscription in New Zealand. Since 1972 there have been many calls for the re-introduction of Military conscription to instill a sense of citizenship and discipline to reduce unemployment and youth crime. However, no major political party has made any significant policy statements on the re-introduction of military conscription.
The following are the remanences of John Mudgway, who at the age of 19, was selected by Ballot to undertake National Service as part of the first intake in 1961.
My Military Career by John Mudgway
When the National Government brought back military service in 1961 it was named National Service. We had to register with the Labour Department and the Golden Kiwi lottery marbles were used to draw certain birth dates. The “winners” of these birth dates were ordered into Waiouru Military Camp for 7 weeks basic training and were then posted to a Territorial Unit to complete their 3-year term. This was done in 3 annual camps, plus local parades. They then went to reserves for a further three years.
There was an option offered to us – which was we could serve one-year regular force and then be put on reserve for a further 3 years. I chose the latter.
Waiouru Camp 10 May 1962 – 27 June 1962
I was posted to Waiouru Military Camp and arrived on 9th May 1962, along with 549 other young lads.
Above left – Recruits leaving the train at Waiouru Camp rail siding before entering the camp to begin 14 weeks training, at the end of which they will be posted to “Territorial Force Units.” Right – Recruits E L McFeran (left) and R A Shaw sorting out equipment, clothing and bedding in their barrack room.
I did seven weeks basic training – learning the military way of life, marching, shooting, and cleaning boots and weapons etc. One lasting memory I have is of being told that – in the event of an atomic blast, lay on the ground, cover myself with my greatcoat, have no skin exposed – and I would survive!
John Mudgway (Hastings), Ned Kinita (Waipukurau) and Robyn Gunderson (Dannevirke).
Trentham Military Camp 28 June 1962 – 9 May 1963
When I arrived in camp, RSM Ordnance Schools, School Sergeant Major Alfred Wesseldine, decided they would not run the school for just me, so I was posted direct to MT Spares for the duration of my service.
Myself (Pte John Mudgway) (on left) and Dennis Leslie Goldfinch (who retired as a WO1). We are facing the main building of MT Spares in the MOD Compound. August 1962. Behind us in part of the wavy roof building, was the Uniform Store and smoko room. On our left is a large, grassed area that was covered in 25 pounder artillery pieces that were being cut up for scrap by a private contractor. Further to the left was the Tyre Store that “Goldie” was in charge of.
Below is the two of us in 2012 (50 years later)
During my service in RNZAOC I participated in several events.
I was part of a Guard of Honour for the Chief of the Imperial General Staff at Wellington Airport when he flew in. I was also in a Guard of Honour for the NZ Chief of Staff at Wellington Airport when he flew in.
I was part of the street lining contingent that paraded on the streets of Wellington City for the Queen when she visited in February 11 & 12 1964. (I saw her 23 times). We drove the streets of Wellington in 2 RL Bedfords, to places in streets she was to move through, detrucked and stood at attention on the road-sides while she passed, back to the trucks and on to our next destination. She must have thought there were a lot of handsome young lads in our army.
Escorted a prisoner the Ardmore Prison, by overnight train in 1964. I was the junior escort.
I was dragged out of the barracks at 2am one morning and trucked over to Mangaroa, Whitemans Valley Tent Loft to drag tents from a burnt-out building.
One of my jobs during my service was to sit out between two of the stores buildings and empty the brass fire extinguishers that had been returned to us from all the other stores round the country. These extinguishers were filled with carbon-tetrachloride and after spraying the contents into buckets for several days we were quite “high” ourselves. I presume the brass containers went for scrap.
During my time in M T Spares I worked with Staff Sgt Kevin Anderson, Goldie of course, and Pte’s Vic Fletcher and Tammy Tamihana. Our Stores Officer was Geoff Atkinson first, then latterly Captain R G H Golightly. Our C S M was WO 1 Maurie Bull. We also had some civilian workers in our stores, one of whom was retired Sgt Bert Royal. Also there were a group of prisoners from Waitako Prison that used to come and do the “dirty jobs” that we didn’t have to do.
I also did a couple of Camp Patrols in the MOD Compound. We had to patrol the compound several times during the night and were supposed to sleep in the Gate House.
Trentham Camp 26 July 2012
Not a bad years work for a 19/20 year old Hastings lad.
This would be a significant period for the RNZAOC. The RNZAOC School would be established, and challenges with officer recruitment identified. This period would also see the fruition of plans to re-shape the Army into a modern and well-equipped Army with the first tranches of new equipment arriving to replace much of the legacy wartime equipment.
Key Appointments
Director of Ordnance Services
Temporary Lieutenant Colonel H. McK. Reid
Chief Inspecting Ordnance Officer
Major JW Marriot
Officer Commanding Main Ordnance Depot
Major Harry White, from 1 May 1959
RNZAOC School
Chief Instructor – Major Harry White
Regimental Sergeant Major – Warrant Officer Class One Alfred Wesseldine
2nd Battalion, the New Zealand Regiment
Reformed at Waiouru in July 1959, the 2nd Battalion of the New Zealand Regiment would undertake workup and training that would see the Battalion deploy to Malaya in November 1959 to relieve the 1st Battalion. To enable the 2nd Battalion to conduct its training and work up the RNZAOC would equip the Battalion for the ground up with its necessary entitlement of equipment from existing holdings.
Establishment of RNZOAC School
Upper Hutt City Library (29th Jan 2020). Trentham Camp; Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps School sign.. In Website Upper Hutt City Library. Retrieved 14th Jul 2020 11:51, from https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/1335
Under discussion by the Army Board since 1956, the RNZAOC School was established in September 1959. Established within the Peacetime Establishment of the Main Ordnance Depot, the RNZAOC School would be under HQ Ordnance Services’ direct control and independent of the Army Schools.[1]
The initial school organisation would be.
A Headquarters,
Chief Instructor – Major Harry White
School Sergeant Major – Warrant Officer Class One Wesseldine
Ammunition Wing
Stores and Vehicle Wing
The function of the RNZAOC School would be to run courses and training for RF and TF personnel of the RNZAOC, including
Star Classification Courses – particularly for Storeman/Clerks RNZAOC and Ammunition Examiners.
Promotion courses for both officers and ORs.
Recruit training RNZAOC Personnel, including Recruit training for Group 2 personnel.
Advanced training for both officers and ORs, in all types of Ordnance activities.
Technical training in ordnance subjects, e.g. Inspecting Ordnance Officer courses.
Preservations and packing etc.
Refresher training for qualified personnel.
Other course notified in the annual Forecast of Courses.
Additionally, as directed by DOS, the RNZAOC School was required to.
Plan and hold conferences and training exercises.
Draft procedure instructions.
Test, or comment on new procedures, materials, or equipment.
Research various aspects of Ordnance activities.
The first course conducted by the RNZAOC School would be an Instructors Course conducted in late 1959.
First Instructors Course, 1959.
Chief Instructor Major Harry White is seated 3rd from left.
Officer in the front Centre id Makor K.G Cropp.
Robert Mckie RNZAOC Collection
Officer Shortfall
A forecast of the planned retirement of RNZAOC Officers up to 1962 showed that Seventeen officers would be retiring. Up to this period, the principal means of filling RNZAOC officer posts had been thru the commissioning of Other Ranks with Quartermaster Commissions, with only three officers joining the RNZAOC as Officers since November 1956. When the planned Officer retirements had been balanced against the RNZAOC officer establishment, it was found that the RNZAOC was deficient six Officers with two significant problems identified.
The RNZAOC Officer Corps was becoming a Corps of old men, with 83% of Officers in the 39 to 54 age group
The RNZAOC Other Ranks Structure was denuded of the best SNCO’s and Warrant Officers.
To rectify the situation, the following recommendations were made.
The RNZAOC press for an increased intake from Duntroon and Portsea of graduates to the RNZAOC.
Suitable officers no older than 30 years of age, and in the two to four-year Lieutenant bracket, be encouraged to change Corps to the RNZAOC.
Further commissioning of QM officers be strongly resisted unless there was no other alternative.
Conferences
Over the period 1 -3 September 1959, DOS hosted a conference at Army HQ for the District DADOS, Officer Commanding MOD, and the Ordnance Directorate members. The general agenda of the meeting included.[2]
Local purchase of stores by DADOS
Training of group 2 Personnel
RNZAOC School
Provision Problems
Surplus Stores
Personnel – postings and promotions
DADOS and OC MOD were required to provide in duplicate, personnel lists by unit containing.
Regimental No, rank, and name
Marital Status
Establishment statue, either PES, CSS or HSS
Present posting
Purchases for RF Brigade Group
District Problems
Small Arms Ammunition
The 7.62mm rifle introduction would require the Colonial Ammunitions Company to convert manufacture from the current 303 calibre to the new 7.62mm calibre. The CAC had been the supplier of Small Arms Ammunition to the Defence Force since 1888 and to maintain this long relationship had purchased and installed the required tools and machinery to allow the production of 7.62 ammunition, with the first production run completed during this period. Although the NZ Army had sufficient stocks of .303 ammunition for the foreseeable future, CAC would retain the capability to manufacture 303 ammunition if required.
Introduction of New Equipment
As new equipment was introduced, the RNZAOC would play an essential role in the acceptance processes. Upon delivery from the supplier, the equipment, accessories, and spares would be received into the Main Ordnance Depot. The equipment would be inspected and kitted out with all its accessories before distribution to units. Several examples may have been retained in RNZAOC Depots as War Reserve/Repair and Maintenance Stock depending on the equipment. Maintenance stocks of accessories and spares were maintained as operating stock in RNZAOC depots. If the new equipment contained a weapon system, ammunition specific to the equipment was managed by RNZAOC Ammunition Depots. During this period, the following equipment was introduced into service;[3]
110 Land Rover Series 2a 109.
144 Truck 3-Ton Bedford RL, 48 fitted with winch
3 Ferret Mark 1/1 Scout Car
270 Wireless Sets. C45 – VHF transceiver,
2000 9mm Sub Machine Gun Sterling Mk4 L2A3.
500 7.62 mm Self Loading Rifle, L1A1 (SLR).
Uniforms
The Clothing and Equipment Committee accepted as the basic training uniform for New Zealand soldiers in all conditions in NZ to be;
Boots (Fory types under trial and development)
Anklets (Australian pattern)
Shirt (light wool)
Trouser ( Green drill material cut to UK pattern)
Hat (Jungle Type)
Disposals
In August 1958 a new disposal organisation was established within the Army to manage the declaration and disposal of surplus and obsolete equipment. Since August 1959 over 9000 lines covering thousands of items had been declared to the Government Stores Board for Disposal through this new disposal’s organisation.
Ammunition Disposal
The disposal of dangerous or obsolete ammunition continued with over 900 tons of obsolete ammunition dumped at sea. An additional 130,000 rounds of dangerous artillery ammunition were destroyed by burning or detonation.
Where possible the maximum amount of recyclable metal was salvaged, with around £10000 (2020 NZ$243,276) received for the scrap and containers sold.[4]
Ration Packs
Following successful user trials, the Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps (RNZASC) assembled 24000 one-person 24-hour ration packs during 1959. Along with new solid fuel cookers, these new ration packs were extensively used by the 2nd Battalion the NZ Regiment in the build-up Training for Malaya and the Territorial Force during the Annual Camp.
Shooting Competition
Staff Sergeant I.G Campbell, RNZAOC was selected by the National Rifle Association as a team member representing New Zealand at 91st Annual Prize Meeting at Bisley in the United Kingdom, 4- 20 July 1960.
Award of Army Sports Colours
In recognition of his contribution to Army Sport, Major D.E Roderick of Auckland was a recipient of the 1960 Army Sports Colours. Major Roderick has represented Army at cricket, hockey and badminton and was instrumental in developing the sports facilities at Trentham Camp. Within the RNZAOC Major Roderick had been a long-term member of the Upper Hutt Cricket Club and a player and administrator of the MOD Cricket team. [5]
Honours and Awards
British Empire Medal
Sergeant (Temporary Staff Sergeant) Maurice William Loveday, Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (Regular Force), of Trentham.[6]
Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Officers of the RNZAOC
Regular Force
Major Ronald Geoffrey Patrick O’Connor is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, General List, Royal NZ Army Ordnance, in Major’s rank, 4 May 1959.[7]
Major and Quartermaster K. A. Bailey, M.M., having reached retiring age for rank, is transferred to the Supernumerary list, and granted an extension of his engagement until 12 January 1960, 11 August 1959.[8]
Captain Frederick George Cross is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, General List, Royal NZAOC, in the rank of Captain, 1 September 1959. [9]
Captain L. C. King is re-engaged for a period of one year, as from 4 October 1959.[10]
Captain (temp. Major) J. Harvey relinquishes the temporary rank of Major, 6 March 1960.[11]
Regular Force (Supernumerary List)
Major and Quartermaster K. A. Bailey, MM., is granted an extension of his engagement for one year from 13 January 1960.[12]
Captain and Quartermaster S. H. E. Bryant is re-engaged for one year as from 28 October 1959.[13]
Captain and Quartermaster R. P. Kennedy, E.D., is re-engaged for a period of one year as from 13 April 1960.[14]
Lieutenant and Quartermaster George Witherman McCullough is posted to the Retired List, 12 February 1960.[15]
2nd Lieutenant J. T. Skedden to be Lieutenant, 12 December 1959.[16]
Lieutenant and Quartermaster R. H. Colwill to be temporary Captain and Quartermaster, 9 February 1960.[17]
Territorial Force
Captain Keith Stothard Brown relinquishes the appointment of OC, Technical Stores Platoon, 1st Divisional Ordnance Field Park, RNZAOC and is posted to the Retired List, 4 August 1959.[18]
Reserve of Officers
Captain Hugo Sarginsone posted to the Retired List, 10 July 1959.[19]
Captain Noel Lester Wallburton posted to the Retired List, 10 August 1959.[20]
Captain Sidney Paxton Stewart posted to the Retired List, I September 1959. [21]
Major Percival Nowell Erridge, MBE posted to the Retired List, 25 December 1959.[22]
Major Alexander Basil Owen Herd, from the British Regular Army Reserve· of Officers, to be Major, 3 October I 959.[23]
Major Frank Owen L’Estrange, from the British Regular Army Reserve of Officers, to be Major, 11 November 1959.[24]
Captain Cyril Peter Derbyshire, from the British Regular Army Reserve of Officers, to be Captain, 1 January 1960.[25]
Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Warrant Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers, and men of the RNZAOC
Regular Force
H594833 Private David Orr NZ Regiment Transferred into the RNZAOC, November 1959.
B31685 Staff Sergeant Ian McDonald Russell promoted to Temporary Warrant Officer Class Two, 23 June 1959.
Notes
[1] “Charter for the Rnzaoc School,” in Organisation – Policy and General – RNZAOC (Archives New Zealand No R173115371960); Major J.S Bolton, A History of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (Trentham: RNZAOC, 1992), 176-77, 252.
[2]Conferences – Ordnance Officers, Item Id R17188101 (Wellington: Archives New Zealand, 1950).
[3] “H-19 Military Forces of New Zealand Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding, for Period 1 April 1959 to 31 March 1960,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives (1960).
This period would see the RNZAOC continue to support Regular, Territorial and Compulsory Military Training. This period would also see the formation and deployment to the 1st Battalion, the New Zealand Regiment to Malaya
Key Appointments
Director of Ordnance Services
Temporary Lieutenant Colonel H. McK. Reid from 1 April 1957.[1]
Commanding Officer Main Ordnance Depot
Major O.H Burn
Inspecting Ordnance Officer, Northern Military District
Captain J.H Doone, from 19 July 1957.
Inspecting Ordnance Officer, Southern Military District
Captain E.D Gerrard, from 19 July 1957.
Compulsory Military Training
During this period three CMT intakes marched in with the RNZAOC recruits posted to 1 (NZ) Division Ordnance Field Park on completion of initial training;[2]
24th intake of 1775av recruits on 2 May 1957
25th intake of 1300av recruits on 22 August 1957
26th intake of 1300av recruits on 3 January 1958
1st Battalion, the New Zealand Regiment
Reformed at Waiouru in July 1957, the 1st Battalion of the New Zealand Regiment would undertake workup and training that would see the Battalion deploy on operations in Malaya on 28 November 1957.[3]
The RNZAOC would equip the Battalion from the ground up with its necessary entitlement of equipment provided from existing holdings, including Eighty-Nine vehicles and trailers. However £59000 (2020 NZD $ $2,999,351.94) was expended to procure additional theatre specific items not held in the New Zealand inventory from the United Kingdom authorities in Malaya.[4]
In addition to providing the stores and equipment for the Battalion, RNZAOC Officer Major Jack Harvey was seconded to the 1st Battalion NZ Regiment for the duration of its Malaya tour as the Officer Commanding of C Company. [5]
Major Jack Harvey, RNZAOC Officer Commanding C Company, 1st Battalion, New Zealand Regiment, 1957-59
Members of the 1st Battalion who would later serve with the RNZAOC included;
Brian Crafts
David Orr
Fiji Military Forces
Warrant Officer Class One Murray Alexander Burt was posted on 15 July 1957, on an accompanied posting with his family to the New Zealand Cadre at Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Suva. WO1 Burt and Family would depart Auckland on the Union Steam Ship Company vessel the MV Tofus on 31 August 1957. WO1 Burt would return to New Zealand on 15 December 1959 and be posted to Hopuhopu camp.[6]
Uniforms
A new Service Dress uniform similar to the Officer pattern Service Dress was approved for Other Ranks by the Army Board in 1954 had is design finalised and placed into production during this period. This uniform’s approval satisfied a long-standing requirement for a ceremonial and walking out order of dress to replace the existing Battle Dress.[7]
Manufacture of the new uniforms was well advanced by closing this period with the District Ordnance Depots in a position to issue the new uniforms by the end of 1958.
With this new Service Dress uniform, Battle Dress would become winter working dress with Khaki Drill the summer working dress.
Other Ranks Service Dress
Ammunition
The demolition of the 17000 rounds of unsafe 3.7inch Anti Aircraft Ammunition that had been initiated in June 1955 was concluded in December 1957. The destruction had proceeded without incident with the local residences thanked for their considerable forbearance in putting up with the noise of explosions nearly every day.
During this period, demolitions were also successfully conducted at the Makomako Ammunition area to dispose of a large quantity obsolete and unsafe ammunition and explosives.[8]
Move of Central Districts Vehicle Depot to Linton
The move of the Central Districts Vehicle Depot (CDVD) was planned to occur during 1958. Before the move could happen, adequate storage had to be constructed at Linton Camp, and this was to be achieved by re-locating war surplus buildings from other locations. By June 1957 the second “W” Type prefabricated building for the CDVD was re-located from Fort Dorset to Linton Camp.[9]
Construction Of New Ordnance Depot for Linton Camp
Since its establishment in 1946, the Central Districts Ordnance Depots had occupied accommodation buildings in the North West corner of Linton Camp in what had initially been the wartime RNZAF Base Linton. Two additional warehouses had been assembled in 1949; however, storage space remained at a premium. In June 1957 Army HQ authorised the expenditure of £100 (2020 NZ$5,059.84) to conduct a preliminary site investigation for a new Ordnance Depot for Linton Camp. Given the deficiencies of adequate Storage accommodation and the erection of buildings for the CDVD, the Linton Camp Command issued instructions that the CDOD were not to utilise the new buildings, even temporarily as this would become permanent and prejudice the business case for constructing a new Ordnance Depot.[10]
Honours and Awards
Meritorious Service Medal
Warrant Officer Class One Bernard Percy Banks, 13 June 1957. [11]
Warrant Officer Class One Athol Gilroy McCurdy, 10 October 1957. [12]
Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Officers of the RNZAOC
Regular Force
Regular Force Major H. McK. Reid to be temp. Lieutenant-Colonel, and is appointed Director of Ordnance Services, dated 1 April 1957.[13]
Captain E.C Green, MBE, is re-engaged for one year, as from 1 April 1957.[14]
Lieutenant-Colonel F. Reid, OBE, relinquished Director of Ordnance Services’ appointment, pending retirement, 31 March 1957.[15]
Captain P.N Erridge, MBE., transferred to the Reserve of Officers, General List, The Royal N.Z. Army Ordnance Corps, in the rank of Major, 2 May 1957.[16]
Captain and Quartermaster R.P Kennedy, E.D, re-engaged in the Regular Force for one year from 13 April 1957.[26]
Captain and Quartermaster E.R. Hancock posted to the Retired List, 30 March 1957.[27]
Major and Quartermaster I.S. Miller, E.D., is posted to the Retired List, 20 April 1957.[28]
Captain and Quartermaster G.A Perry, E.D., re-engaged for one year from 1 April 1957.[29]
Captain and Quartermaster A.A Barwick posted to the Retired List, 3 August 1957.[30]
Captain and Quartermaster A Gollan granted an extension of his engagement for one year, as from 19 December 1957.[31]
Reserve of Officers
Lieutenant-Colonel Maurice Salam Myers. posted to the Retired List, 1 January 1958.[32]
Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Warrant Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the RNZAOC
Regular Force
31266 Warrant Officer Class One, Cyril Austin Baigent to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster, 15 July 1957.[33]
33297 Warrant Officer Class Two, Henry Williamson to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster, 15 July 1957.[34]
33635 Warrant Officer Class Two, William Edwin Smith to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster, 15 July 1957.[35]
31261 Staff Sergeant Ernest Maurice Alexander Bull, Promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two, 30 October 1957.[36]
31257 Warrant Officer Class Two Murray Alexander Burt, Promoted to Warrant Officer Class One, 15 July 1957.[37]
B31695 Sergeant Ian McDonald Russell promoted to Staff Sergeant, 23 April 1957.[38]
Notes
[1] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette, No 35, 2 May 1957.
[2] Peter Cooke, Fit to Fight. Compulsory Military Training and National Service in New Zealand 1949-72 (Auckland: David Ling Publishing, 2013), 539.
[3] Brian Clamp and Doreen Clamp, 1st Battalion the New Zealand Regiment (1957-59) Association 50th Anniversary. The First of the First (B. Clamp, 2007), Non-fiction.
[4] “H-19 Military Forces of New Zealand Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding, for Period 1 April 1957 to 31 March 1958,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives (1958).
[5] Clamp and Clamp, 1st Battalion the New Zealand Regiment (1957-59) Association 50th Anniversary. The First of the First.
[6] Howard E. Chamberlain, Service Lives Remembered : The Meritorious Service Medal in New Zealand and Its Recipients, 1895-1994 ([Wellington, N.Z.]: H. Chamberlain, 1995), 69-70.
[7] “H-19 Military Forces of New Zealand Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding, for Period 1 April 1957 to 31 March 1958.”
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]
20th intake of 2475av recruits on 5 April 1956
21st intake of 2475av recruits on 28 June 1956
22nd intake of 1775av recruits on 20 September 1956
23rd intake of 1775av recruits on 3 January 1957
4th New Zealand Division ordnance Field park on parade Trentham, Camp 17 October 1956.
WO In charge Gavin Lake
Right-hand rank from the from Peter Barret, Bill Smith, mauri Philips, Jim Bremner, Brian Jennings, Peter Rennie, Murray Burt, Dave Laidlaw, Jim Brown.
Middle-Rank Leading is Kevin Anderson.
Left-Rank Leading; Bert Roil followed by Tex Rickard.
Robert Mckie RNZAOC Collection
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
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 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
NZ Rugby League Team, 1913 Australia Tour. Abbie Shadbolt is third from right in the third row. Photo Credit: Canterbury Rugby League
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.
This period would see the RNZAOC undertake a range of routine activities whilst continuing to support Regular, Territorial and Compulsory Military Training. [1]
Key Appointments
Director of Ordnance Services
Lieutenant Colonel F Reid, OBE
Compulsory Military Training
During this period three CMT intakes marched in;[2]
17th intake of 2800av recruits on 23 June 1955
18th intake of 2475av recruits on 15 September 1955
19th intake of 2475av recruits on 5 January 1955
Territorial Force Annual Camps
Technical Stores Sectionsd of the Divisional Ordnance Park would exerces on the following dates;
11 – 30 January 1956
25 January – 13 February 1956
Reorganisation of Territorial Force Units
With effect, the ORBAT Amendment of 28 June 1955, the RNZAOC Ordnance Field Park Platoons were reorganised into the 1(NZ) Division Ordnance Field Park, Organised as;[3]
Headquarters (Not Raised in Peace)
MT Stores Platoon, Lower Hutt, plus MT Stores Platoon of Independent Brigade OFP
Tech Stores Platoon, Christchurch, Plus Tech Stores Platoon of Independent Brigade OFP.
General Stores Platoon, Hopuhopu, Plus General Stores Platoon of Independent Brigade OFP.
Emergency Force (Kayforce)
The RNZAOC continued to support Kayforce with the dispatch of regular consignments of Maintenance stores and with all requests for stores by Kayforce met.
Out of Kayforce
Corporal Abraham Barbara, 2 May 1955
Gunner John Neil Campbell, 21 June 1955
Sergeant Joseph James Enright Cates, 9 December 1955
Temporary Warrant Officer Class Two Philip Hayhurst Kirkman, 2 June 1955
Warrant Officer Class Two Barry Stewart, 13 May 1955
Corporal Edward Tanguru, 21 June 1955
Small Arms Ammunition
The Manufacture of Small-Arms Ammunition by the Colonial Ammunitions Company at their Mount Eden Factory continued with delivered of first-class ammunitions being well maintained. [4]
Introduction of New Equipment
As new equipment was introduced, the RNZAOC would play an essential role in the acceptance processes. Upon delivery from the supplier, the equipment, accessories, and spares would be received into an RNZAOC Depot. The equipment would be inspected and kitted out with all its accessories before distribution to units. Several examples may have been retained in RNZAOC Depots as War Reserve/Repair and Maintenance Stock depending on the equipment. Maintenance stocks of accessories and spares were maintained as operating stock in RNZAOC depots. If the new equipment contained a weapon system, ammunition specific to the equipment was managed by RNZAOC Ammunition Depots.
During this period, the following equipment was introduced into service;[5]
Six 5.5in Guns
Three Scout Cars
Fifty-five Field Wireless sets
Fourteen cars
Thirty-seven commercial type trucks
Equipment Disposal
The following items were disposed of through the Government Stores Board.
534 Trucks
268 Motorcycles
Ammunition Disposal
With large stocks of ammunition left over for the Second World War, disposal of Unserviceable and surplus stock was authorised in 1955. Small quantities would be routinely disposed of at individual depots with a significant effort put into place to dispose of 3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft ammunition and Various types of Anti-Tank Rounds.
3.7-inch Anti-Aircraft Ammunition
Since the end of the war 17000 rounds of 3.7-inch anti-aircraft ammunition had been stored in unsuitable conditions at Kuku Valley becoming unstable and dangerous with the decision made in 1955 to destroy these stocks.
After many years of poor storage, many storage containers had deteriorated to a stage that increased the risk of explosion during transport. To facilitate the transportation of the unstable ammunition from Kuku Valley to the Demolition Range, a modified armoured truck and trailer was constructed the EME Workshops at Trentham to move the condemned shells for destruction.
Twenty shells would be transported unloaded at the demolition range and in batches of four destroyed by explosion. Destruction of the stockpile began in June 1955 and completed in December 1957.[6]
Examination of deteriorated shell at Trentham, Upper Hutt. National Library of New Zealand Ref: EP/1955/1792-F
Army vehicles at Trentham, Upper Hutt. Ref: EP/1955/1793-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23078184
Valentine Tank at Trentham, stacks of Ammunition can be seen in the background. NZ National Library Ref EP/1955/1794-F
Anti-Tank Ammunition
In addition to Ammunition disposal at Trentham, The Army still held more than One and a Half Million rounds of various Anti-Tank Ammunition types. As this ammunition was surplus to requirement and belonging to obsolete weapon types, a profit-sharing contract was arranged with the Colonial Ammunition Company (CAC) to dispose of these rounds. Under the terms of the agreement, the CAC would break down and salvage recyclable materials form the wartime stocks of Anti-Tank ammunition, with the army receiving a share of the funds raised by the sale of the salvageable material.
Ammunition Examiners
During this period the following Ammunition Examiners were authorised to carry out routine inspections of ammunition and allocated Ammunition Examiner Serial Numbers.
Central Military District,
Lance Corporal G.C Gilbert, Ammunition Examiner Serial No 92.
Honours and Awards
Meritorious Service Medal
31004 Warrant Officer Class One William Galloway, 10 November 1955
Long Service and Good Conduct
31234 Warrant Officer Class One Athol Gilroy McCurdy, 12 April 1956
Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Officers of the RNZAOC
Regular Force
Captain and Quartermaster K. A. Bailey, MM, to be Major and Quartermaster. Dated 2 May 1955.[7]
Captain (temp. Major) K. G. K. Cropp, E.D., to be Major. Dated 26 May 1955.[8]
Lieutenant G. W. Peters is transferred to the Reserve of Officers, General List, The Royal N.Z. Army Ordnance Corps, with the rank of Lieutenant. Dated 18 June 1955.[9]
Captain (temp. Major) D. E. A. Roderick to be Major. Dated 27 May 1955. [10]
Captain E. W. Whitacre to be Major. Dated 30 May 1955. [11]
Captain 0, H. Burn to be Major. Dated 1 June 1955. [12]
Captain (temp. Major) C. A. Penny to be Major. Dated 30 May 1955.[13]
Captain H. S. Sandford to be Major. Dated 17 June 1955.[14]
Captain (temp. Major) H. J. Mockridge is posted to the Retired List with the rank of Major. Dated 22 September 1955.[15]
Lieutenant H. G. Rees is posted to the Retired· List with the ·rank of Captain. Dated 9 October 1955.[16]
Captain and Quartermaster G. G. W. Blandford is posted to the Retired List. ·Dated 1 November 1955.[17]
31617 W.O. I Ray Henry Colwill to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster. Dated 9 January 1956.[18]
31253 WO II William John McCluggage to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster. Dated 9 January 1956.[19]
32171 Staff Sergeant George Witherman McCullough to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster. Dated 9 January 1956.[20]
31244 WO I William John Stanley Tavendale to be Lieutenant and Quartermaster. Dated 9 January 1956.[21]
Regular Force (Supernumerary List)
Captain (Temp. Major) · S. A. Knight is posted ‘to the· Retired List, with Lieutenant Colonel’s rank. Dated 16 February 1956.[22][23]
Captain and Quartermaster N. C. Fisher is posted to the Retired List, with Major and Quartermaster’s rank, dated 14 March 1956.[24]
Territorial Force
Captain T.H. Beauchamp, from the Reserve of Officers, General List, The Royal N.Z. Army Ordnance Corps, to be Captain with seniority from 23 August 1954, and is appointed Officer Commanding, 1st Armoured Regiment, Light Aid Detachment, RNZEME Dated 1 July 1955.[25]
Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, Resignations, and Retirements of Warrant Officers, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers and men of the RNZAOC
31383 Sergeant Hector Searle McLachlan, promoted to Staff Sergeant, 1 April 1955.
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] “Organisation and Administration: Units – Territorial: Formation and Organisation – 1 Divisional Officer[?] Rnzaoc [Royal New Zealand Army Ordinance Corps] M/T {Motor Transport] Stores Platoon (Lower Hutt),” Archives New Zealand Item No R22496443 (1950-55).
[4] “H-19 Military Forces of New Zealand Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding, for Period 1 April 1955 to 31 March 1956,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives (1956).
[5] “H-19 Military Forces of New Zealand Annual Report of the General Officer Commanding, for Period 1 April 1954 to 31 March 1955 “.
[6] Howard Weddell, Trentham Camp and Upper Hutt’s Untold Military History (Howard Weddell, 2018), Bibliographies, Non-fiction, 187-88.
[7] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 41, 23 June 1955.
[22] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 13, 8 March 1956.
[23] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 34, 14 June 1956.
[24] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 23, 12 April 1956; “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 29, 17 May 1956.
[25] “Appointments, Promotions, Transfers, and Resignations, of Officers of the New Zealand Army,” New Zealand Gazette No 48, 28 July 1955.
"To the Warrior His Arms" 