New Zealand Contract Sniders

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As explored in From Flintlock to Modular Assault Rifle, the development of New Zealand’s military capability has never been a simple story of adoption. It is a story of adaptation, of modification, and at times of quiet innovation driven not by doctrine, but by necessity. Geography, terrain, and the demands of irregular warfare forced colonial authorities to think differently about equipment, often well ahead of formal Imperial acceptance.

This article is reproduced with the kind permission of Paul Farmer, whose extensive research into early New Zealand military firearms has significantly advanced the understanding of colonial small arms and locally adapted weapon systems. His work, grounded in detailed examination of surviving examples and primary sources, provides an authoritative foundation for interpreting the unique characteristics of New Zealand contract Snider arms.

Paul Farmer’s examination of the New Zealand contract Sniders sits squarely within that tradition. The Snider system itself was an Imperial solution to a global problem, the rapid conversion of muzzle-loading rifles to breech-loading capability. Yet, as this article demonstrates, New Zealand did not simply accept the standard pattern. Instead, it selected, modified, commissioned, and in some cases effectively designed variants tailored to its own operational environment.

What emerges is not just a catalogue of weapons, but a case study in colonial procurement and adaptation. The preference for shorter, more manoeuvrable arms, the willingness to convert existing stocks, and the commissioning of non-ordnance pattern weapons all reflect a force operating under constraints, but thinking with a degree of independence that is often overlooked.

In that sense, these rifles are more than artefacts. They represent an early expression of a recurring theme in New Zealand’s military history, the tension between standardisation and suitability, between what is issued and what is actually needed in the field.

Seen through that lens, Farmer’s work does more than document four unique weapon types. It reinforces a broader point, that New Zealand’s military effectiveness has often depended less on what it was given, and more on how it chose to adapt it.

New Zealand Contract Sniders

by Paul Farmer – April 2026

Introduction

The Snider breech-loading system was introduced into British Army service by converting existing .577 calibre muzzle-loading rifles and carbines to the new breech-loading design, each brought into conformity with an approved Sealed Pattern. Once the supply of suitable arms for conversion was exhausted, a further Sealed Pattern was established, and newly manufactured Sniders were produced to that standard.

New Zealand, however, commissioned four distinct Snider variants. As these were non-Ordnance, trade-made arms, they were not assigned formal pattern designations. Although widely used in New Zealand service, they were referred to only in generic terms: Snider medium rifle, Snider short rifle, and Snider carbine. In the following ‘New Zealand contract Sniders’, to simplify identification, I have added a descriptive designation that reflects their origin and development.

New Zealand Contract Sniders

The first Sniders to enter New Zealand Government service were reported by the Hon. W. Gisborne, Commissioner of the Armed Constabulary, on 29 November 1869[1]. Gisborne noted:

“The Imperial Government have sent from England on loan, and for use of the Colony, 1832 converted Sniders, and have also handed over from Imperial stores in Auckland 168 more making a total of 2000, all excepting 100 being of the long Enfield pattern and therefore unfitted for bush warfare; the 100 being sword-rifle pattern may be considered suitable and are now being issued to the Armed Constabulary.”

These converted Sniders would have had the MK II** breech as the MK III breech system was not approved until January 1869.[2] Gisborne further reported:

“There are also 500 medium rifles converted to Snider shortly expected by the Melita. These, however, being longer than the sword-rifle referred to above, are not suitable, but they will be temporarily issued to the Armed Constabulary.”

The Melita arrived in Wellington on 15 December 1869, bringing with it 500 Hay medium rifles converted to the Snider system.[3]  

Over the following two decades, multiple shipments of Sniders of various types arrived from England, including long and short rifles, as well as artillery, cavalry, and yeomanry carbines. Supplies were drawn both from the commercial trade and from ex-ordnance pattern arms sold out of Imperial service. These were the arms of the Armed Constabulary and the New Zealand Militia.

By 1885, approximately 11000 Snider rifles were in service,[4] increasing to around 14000 by 1891.[5] Sniders served New Zealand effectively from 1869 through to the 1890s, after which their gradual replacement began with the introduction of Martini-Henry rifles and carbines.

Amongst all the Sniders ordered, New Zealand commissioned four unique Sniders to be produced. These will not be found in references on British ordnance Sniders because they are not ordnance pattern arms. The following sections will describe these four Snider arms and explain why each represents a uniquely New Zealand Snider variation.

Top: New Zealand Contract 1869 Hay-Snider Medium Rifle
Second: New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider Short Rifle, Bar on Band
Third: New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider Short Rifle, Bar on Barrel
Lower: New Zealand Contract 1872 Tisdall Snider Carbine. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer

1. New Zealand Contract 1869 Hay-Snider Medium Rifle

Development: The Hay medium rifle originated with the 1858 design developed by General Hay of the School of Musketry at Hythe, England. Hay sought to produce a rifle offering greater accuracy than the then-current service 2-band short rifle, which featured a 33-inch barrel with 3 groove rifling and a 1 in 78-inch twist. Comparative trials demonstrated that altering the rifling twist from 1 in 78″ to 1 in 48″ significantly increased muzzle velocity and, correspondingly, improved accuracy. Further gains were achieved by extending the barrel length to 36″, which produced a muzzle velocity comparable to that of the accurate 3 band long rifle, fitted with a 39″ barrel and 3 groove rifling with 1 in 78″ twist.

Despite these advantages, the Hay medium rifle was never accepted as an ordnance pattern arm. The British Army retained the established 3-band long rifle and adopted the new Pattern 1858 short rifle, bar on band, also rifled with a 3 groove, 1 in 78″ twist.

Consequently, no medium rifle entered Imperial service.

New Zealand, however, embraced the Hay medium rifle. The Colonial Government initially placed two contracts for this arm, each for 5,000 rifles.[6]

The first contract, supplied by Hollis & Sheath, arrived in New Zealand in February 1861.[7] These rifles were fitted with undated lock plates and rear sights graduated to 1,150 yards. Upon entry into colonial service, they were stamped “NZ” and issued with consecutive numbers from 1 to 5,000 on the butt tang.

The second contract was supplied by Calisher & Terry.[8]  Rifles from this contract were also stamped “NZ” on the butt tang, but incorporated a letter prefix preceding the issue number. Each letter series ran consecutively from 1 to 1,000, after which a new prefix was introduced, and numbering recommenced at 1. I have sighted Calisher & Terry made Hay rifles bearing the letter prefixes G,  I, J, and K. Presumably, the complete prefix sequence was G, H, I, J, and K, representing 1,000 arms per prefix and a total production of 5,000 rifles. These rifles were fitted with rear sights graduated to 1,200 yards, and the lock plates were stamped TOWER over 1865. (It is reported that some rifles have lock plates with Tower over 1874)

From the perspective of the New Zealand Colonial forces, the Hay medium rifle represented the principal muzzle-loading percussion arm of the Second New Zealand Wars.

The Conversion of Hay Medium Rifles to Snider

New Zealand initiated the conversion of the Hay medium rifle to the Snider system. It is recorded that as on 14 January 1869, “500 new Medium Rifles are packed ready for shipment”.[9] These rifles were supplied by the Auckland Colonial Storekeeper, Captain Mitchell, and packed in 25 cases. They departed Auckland aboard the Countess of Kintore on 11 March 1869, bound for London.[10] Conversion was undertaken by the trade using the Mk III Snider breech, producing what are properly described as the 1869 Hay-Snider Medium Rifle. These converted rifles returned to New Zealand aboard the Melita, arriving in Wellington on 15 December 1869.[11]

Available evidence suggests that the “new Hay Medium Rifles” shipped for conversion comprised the final batch of 500 unissued Calisher & Terry made medium rifles from the K series with 1865 dated locks. Support for this interpretation rests on the fact that all converted examples observed fall within the upper half of the 1–1,000 numbering range and bear both the NZ mark and the K prefix.

The conversion process involved removing 2½” from the barrel at the percussion knuckle end. The shortened barrel was then threaded to accept the receiver body, or shoe, carrying the Snider Mk III breech block. Once fitted, the overall length of the rifle remained at 36″, but the effective barrel length was reduced to 33.5″. Reduced muzzle performance necessitated the replacement of the original 1,200-yard graduated rear sight with one graduated to 1,050 yards. The ramrod was reduced in diameter and weight, effectively becoming a cleaning rod. The redundant ramrod retention spoon was removed, and an internal cleaning-rod retaining nut was fitted forward of the trigger plate. The K prefix and issue number of the butt tang were duplicated on the shoe. New commercial inspection marks and proof stamps were applied. All original markings not affected by the conversion process were retained. The butt tang may or may not have an “s” stamp, indicating a short stock. When measured, the stock was much the same length, regardless of the “S” stamp.

Conversions were carried out by both the London Small Arms Company (L.S.A. Co.) and the Birmingham Small Arms Company (B.S.A. Co.). B.S.A. Co. undertook the majority of the Hay conversions. Their Mk III breech and shoe assemblies appear newly manufactured, presenting a cleaner overall appearance. The K prefix issue number of the butt tang was duplicated on the shoe. The Snider patent mark was in a lozenge-shaped stamp. Proof and inspection marks are of Birmingham origin, and the hammer face is flat.                       

The L.S.A. Co. conversions, of which I have sighted two examples, are characterised by extensive numbering, with new proofs and inspection marks of London origin. In these examples, the shoe—originally an Mk II**—was modified by stamping “III” to denote Mk III, while retaining the original ** marking, and fitting a Mk III breech block. The K prefix and issue number on the butt tang were duplicated on the shoe. The Snider patent mark is stamped in-line, rather than lozenge-shaped. L.S.A. logo and proof marks were applied to the breech. The hammer face remained cupped. The abundance of numbering and cross-marking leaves little doubt that all components were matched to a single rifle during conversion.

An additional “AC” stamp was applied to the butt tang in New Zealand when the rifles were issued to, and deployed with, the Armed Constabulary in 1870.

Summary: The 1858 Hay medium rifle had extensive use in New Zealand, but was never used in Imperial service. With the advent of the Snider system, New Zealand contracted to have 500 of its own “N Z” marked, K prefix percussion Hay medium rifles converted to the Snider in England, to become the New Zealand contract 1869 Hay-Snider medium rifle.

There was no ordnance Snider medium rifle in Imperial service.

The New Zealand Hay-Snider medium rifle is a uniquely New Zealand arm.

Today, it is still largely unknown outside of New Zealand. In an updated 2025 reference, it is still referred to as “the unidentified Snider Medium rifle”. [12] [13]

Description of the New Zealand Contract 1869 Hay-Snider Medium Rifle

Overall Length: 51 7/8“
Barrel Length:33 1/2”
Calibre: 25 bore     .577
Rifling:3 groove   1 in 48″
Lock Plate:TOWER over 1865, stamped ‘Terrys’ inside
Breech 1:III** Snider patent mark & in line name, LSA Logo, K & issue number                               
Breen 2:Mk III, Snider patent mark & name logo, B.S.A. Co. K & issue number
Sight:Bed 100 to 400 yards, leaf 500 to 1050 yards
Furniture:Bronze
Barrell Retention:3 bands & breech tang screw
Stock:Stock to within 3 ¼” of the muzzle
Butt Tang:S   K   NZ  AC  issue number
Stock Cartouche:Birmingham 1865
Bayonet:Pattern 1853 socket, trade-made, no ordnance marks
Both sides of the New Zealand Contract Hay-Snider Medium Rifle. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
Piled arms of New Zealand, 1869 Hay-Snider Medium rifle. In service with the Taranaki Armed Constabulary at rest (Image from private source).

2. New Zealand Contract 1872 Tisdall Snider Carbine 

The Hay medium rifle represented the most prominent and widely issued muzzle-loading percussion rifle employed by the colonial forces. Bush fighting, however, favoured shorter and more manoeuvrable arms, and in that role the percussion breech-loading Calisher & Terry carbine proved the preferred weapon, with approximately 1,700 issued.[14]

In 1871, Colonel Whitmore, Commandant of the Armed Constabulary, initiated a Snider replacement of the existing Calisher & Terry carbine.[15] The resulting weapon was a compact saddle-ring carbine fitted with an 18½” barrel, rifled with 5 groove 1 in 48″ twist, and with a Snider Mk III breech. The carbine was full stocked to within 1⅛” of the muzzle, and the hammer has a cupped face. The butt tang was stamped with “N^Z” and the issue number. Evidence suggests that this represents the first use of this now familiar broad arrow N^Z marking on a New Zealand-issued arm. A total of 600 carbines were manufactured by W. H. Tisdall of Birmingham for issue to the Armed Constabulary. During subsequent service, many examples had the saddle bar cut off, leaving residual distinctive flat, steel, teardrop-shaped side nail plates.

Summary:  No percussion predecessor existed for this carbine, nor was there a comparable arm in Imperial service. The New Zealand 1872 contract Tisdall Snider Carbine represents a uniquely New Zealand development, produced specifically to meet local operational requirements.

Description of the New Zealand Contract 1872 Tisdall Snider Carbine 

Overall Length: 37″
Barrel Length:18 ½”
Calibre: 25 bore     .577
Rifling:5 groove   1 in 48″
Lock Plate:Crown over 1872
Engraved:W. H. TISDALL 47 Whittall ST. BIRMINGHAM                                         
Breech:Mk III, Snider patent mark & logo
Sight:Ramp 100 to 300 yards. Leaf: 400 to 600 yards
Furniture:Brass
Barrell Retention:2 bands & breech tang screw
Stock:Stock to within 1 1/8″ of the muzzle
Butt Tang:N^Z issue number   

 

Both sides of the New Zealand Contract 1872 Tisdall Snider Carbine. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
New Zealand 1872 Tisdall Snider carbine, in service with Taranaki Armed Constabulary (Image source: Puki Ariki).  

3. New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider Short Rifle, Bar on Band

Among New Zealand Snider arms, the 1874 Snider Short Rifle, bar on band, remains one of the most enigmatic. Photographic evidence documents its issue and deployment with the Armed Constabulary in Taranaki, at Mount Cook in Wellington, and at Parihaka.

By August 1871, New Zealand held approximately 2,500 Sniders either on issue or in store.[16] In the same year, a new colonial order was placed through the War Office for 2,000 Snider short rifles with saw-backed bayonets.[17] The arrival of part of this order was reported and discussed in the 1875 Armed Constabulary Force Annual Report.[18]  For example, Lieutenant-Colonel William C. Lyon, Acting Commissioner of the Armed Constabulary, reported: “Seven hundred short Snider rifles with saw-backed bayonets have arrived, and are now being issued to the Force.”

Captain W. G. Stack, Instructor of Musketry, commented further: “The new rifles have one very noticeable defect as a military weapon, which is that, as they are stocked up to within one and a half inches of the muzzle, it is impossible to ‘pile arms’ with them. The short saw-backed sword bayonet, with which the new rifle is fitted, is much more suited to the requirements of the force than the old bayonet served out with the medium rifle…”

The 700 Snider short rifles referred to were bar on band rifles with brass furniture and locks dated 1874. The stock extended to approximately 1⅜” from the muzzle, a configuration that prevented the traditional military practice of ‘piling arms’, in which rifles are leaned together muzzle-up to form a stable pyramid when troops are at rest or at camp. The ‘short saw-backed sword bayonet’ issued with these rifles was the New Zealand contract 1874 18″ sawback bar on band bayonet.

The most obvious percussion precedent, the ordnance Pattern 1858 bar on band short rifle, was only experimentally converted to the Snider system and was neither accepted as a pattern nor entered service.[19] British ordnance Snider conversions were instead limited to the Pattern 1860 and 1861 bar on barrel short rifles with steel furnature, converted to Snider with Mk II** breech.[20]  New Zealand had in its possession 100 such rifles as part of the 2,000 Sniders loaned from England in 1869.  Once stocks suitable for conversion were exhausted, a new sealed-pattern Snider short rifle with Mk III breech, bar on barrel with steel furniture was adopted into Imperial service.

Contemporary criticism of the first portion of the New Zealand colonial order—namely, the 700 bar on band Snider short rifles—focused on their practical limitations. These concerns were addressed in the second portion of the order, which comprised 1,300 Snider short rifles in the standard bar on barrel configuration, fitted with brass furniture and issued with a matching New Zealand 18-inch saw-back bar-on-barrel bayonet. All subsequent shipments, totalling more than 6,000 Snider short rifles, followed the Imperial standard bar on barrel configuration with steel furniture. If bayonets were supplied, they were the yataghan sword bayonets.

Terminology:   

  • Bar on band refers to rifles stocked to within approximately 1⅜ inches of the muzzle, leaving very little barrel exposed (as illustrated in Image a). In this configuration, the bayonet bar (lug) is mounted on the forward barrel band.                                                                                                                                                                              
  • Bar on barrel describes rifles in which the stock terminates approximately 5⅜ inches from the muzzle, leaving a greater length of barrel exposed (as illustrated in Image b). In this case, the bayonet bar is mounted directly on the barrel.

Bayonets are not interchangeable between these two configurations. All ordnance Snider short-rifle conversions followed the bar-on-barrel arrangement. The terms bar on band and bar on barrel are descriptive model designations.

NZ 1874 Snider Short rifle – bar on band. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
NZ 1874 Snider Short rifle – bar on barrel. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer

The New Zealand 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on band, was a trade-made arm manufactured by the Birmingham Small Arms & Metals Company Ltd. It is fitted with a Mk III breech bearing Snider’s patent mark and logo. The lock plate is marked B.S.A. & M. Co. over the date 1874, without a crown. Proof and inspection marks are of Birmingham origin, and the hammer has a flat face.

Furniture is of brass and includes a short‑tang trigger guard, distinguishing the rifle from other contemporary Snider short rifles, which typically feature steel furniture and a long trigger guard. The rear sight has a fixed bed graduated from 100 to 400 yards, with a leaf graduated from 500 to 1,000 yards. The butt tang is stamped with NZ, a broad arrow, and an individual issue number, while the stock bears a cartouche of Bond & James, Birmingham.

Description of the New Zealand Contracy 1874 Snider Short Rifle, Bar on Band

Overall Length:48 5/8“
Barrel Length:30 5/8“
Calibre:25 bore     .577
Rifling:5 groove   1 in 48″
Lock Plate:B.S.A. & M. Co. over 1874 (no crown or VR)                                       
Breech:Mk III, Snider patent mark & logo
Sight:Ramp 100 to 400 yards. Leaf: 500 to 1000 yards
Furniture:Brass (Note: trigger guard, brass with no long tang)             
Barrell Retention:2 bands & breech tang screw
Stock:Stock to within 1 3/8” of the muzzle
Butt Tang:N^Z issue number   
Stock Cartouche:      Bond & James Birmingham
  
Bayonet:New Zealand 1874 18″ bar on band, sawback, trade-made MRD – 21 mm, blade 18” length 24 no NZ mark
Left Ricasso:Crown over A.S – Solingen inspector’s mark. Knight’s helm: Kirschbaum maker mark (See Section 5, image 2)           
Right Ricasso:Blank (no markings)
Both sides of the New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider Short Rifle, Bar on Band. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer

Summary: No Snider short rifle, bar on band rifles existed in Imperial service. The New Zealand contract 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on band, was issued to the Armed Constabulary, representing another uniquely New Zealand arm. Today, evidence of these rifles survives almost entirely in the photographic record, often shown alongside bar on barrel rifles. Taken together, the New Zealand contract 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on band, and its matching bayonet must rank among the scarcest of all New Zealand-issued arms.

 New Zealand 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on band with New Zealand 18″ sawback bar on band bayonet. Captain Morrison and Major Foster Goring (far right), in service with the Taranaki Armed Constabulary (Image source: Puki Ariki).

4. New Zealand Contract 1874 Short Snider Rifle, Bar on Barrel   

I have only observed a single example of the New Zealand contract 1874 Snider short rifle in the bar on barrel configuration. In my opinion, this example is representative of the 1,300 rifles in this contract, for which the New Zealand 1874 18″ sawback bar on barrel bayonet was produced.

The rifle is fitted with a Mk III breech bearing Snider’s patent mark and logo. The lock plate is marked TOWER over 1874 with a crown, but without a “VR”. Proof and inspection marks are of Birmingham origin, and the hammer is cupped. The furniture is of brass with a short-tang trigger guard. The rear sight comprises a fixed bed graduated from 100 to 400 yards, with a leaf graduated from 500 to 1,000 yards. The butt tang is stamped with “A”, a broad arrow, “NZ”, and the issue number, while the stock bears the cartouche of Bond & James, Birmingham. This Snider short rifle should not be confused with the ordnance produced Mk III Snider Naval rifle of 1870-71, of which only 17 were made. [21]

Description of the New Zealand Contract 1874 Dnider Short Rifle, Bar on Barrel

Overall Length: 48 5/8“
Barrel Length:30 5/8”
Calibre:25 bore     .577
Rifling:5 groove   1 in 48″
Lock Plate:Tower over 1874          Crown no V R                                                
Breech:Mk III, Snider patent mark & logo
Sight:Ramp 100 to 400 yards. Leaf: 500 to 1000 yards
Furniture:Brass (Note: trigger guard, brass with no long tang)    
Barrell Retention:2 bands & breech tang screw
Stock:Stock to within 5 3/8″ of the muzzle
Butt Tang:A ^  N Z     issue number   
Stock Cartouche:Bond & James Birmingham
  
Bayonet:New Zealand 1874 18″ bar on band, sawback. MRD – 21 mm, blade 18” length 24 ½” no NZ mark
Left Ricasso:Inverted broad arrows over WD, (sold out of service mark, unusual for a non-war department bayonet.[22] Crown over B, 21, Birmingham inspectors mark (see section 5, image 3).             
Right Ricasso:Knight’s helm, Kirschbaum maker mark (5 image 4).
Both sides of the New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider Short Rifle, Bar on Barrel. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer

Summary: The 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on barrel, fitted with brass furniture and paired with the 18″ sawback bar on barrel bayonet, represents another uniquely New Zealand contract combination issued to the Armed Constabulary.

New Zealand Contract 1869 Hay-Snider medium rifle. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
New Zealand Contract 1872 Contract Tisdall Snider carbine. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on band. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
New Zealand Contract 1874 Snider short rifle, bar on barrel. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
1874 Snider short rifle bar on band, and bar on barrel rifles, along with 1872 Tisdall carbines on issue with the Armed Constabulary in Taranaki (Image source:  Puki Ariki).

5. New Zealand Contract 1874 18” Sawback Bayonets

Development: The original precedent bayonet, an 18”sawback bar on band bayonet, was made for the Irish Constabulary carbine at Enfield in 1867.[23] A similar 18” sawback bar on band bayonet, also made at Enfield, and was used in the 1869 trials of the Martini- Henry long chamber rifle. Both these bayonets had smaller MRD than the New Zealand 18”sawback bayonets.

New Zealand 18” Sawback Bayonets: When New Zealand’s order for Snider short rifles and 18” sawback bayonets was actioned in 1873, the bayonets were not in production in England. Both contracts for these two 18” sawback bayonet variants were filled by  Kirschbaum of Solingen.[24] Documentation clearly shows that the 18″ sawback bar on band bayonet was produced for the 700 New Zealand 1874 dated Snider short rifle, bar on the band. These rifles were issued and in service in 1875. The remainder of the order, 1300 for the New Zealand 1874 dated Snider short rifle, bar on the barrel with an 18″ sawback bar on barrel bayonet, was on a different contract; it is not specifically recorded when they entered service.

Summary: The 18” sawback bayonets made for the New Zealand 1874 dated Snider short bar on band rifle and 1874 Snider short bar on barrel rifle are,

  • 1.  New Zealand contract 1874 18″ sawback bar on band bayonet.   
  • 2.  New Zealand contract 1874 18″ sawback bar on barrel bayonet.

The two 1874 New Zealand Snider Bayonet Variants

Upper – NZ contract 1874 18″ sawback bar on band, with an elevated 21mm muzzle ring. Total length of bayonet & scabbard, 24”

Lower – NZ contract 1874 18″sawback bar on barrel, 21mm muzzle ring in line with the grip. Total length of bayonet & scabbard, 24 ½”

Note: The bar on band scabbard is ½” shorter than bar on barrel scabbard. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
Relative elevation of the muzzle ring above the tang: bar on barrel (left), bar on band (right). Both bayonets have a 21mm MRD. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
Bar on band. Left side: Crown over A.S. (Solingen inspector’s mark); knight’s helm, maker’s mark of Kirschbaum. Right side: blank (not illustrated).Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
Bar on barrel. Left side: inverted broad arrows over WD (sold-out-of-service; unusual, non-War Department bayonet); Crown over 21; Birmingham inspection mark.Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer
Bar on barrel. Right side: Knight’s helm, the maker’s mark of Kirschbaum. Images of arms & bayonets – Paul Farmer

 Conclusion

The New Zealand Colonial Government commissioned four distinct Snider arms specifically for local service.

These comprised the following, and the number produced.

  • 500     1869 Hay–Snider Medium rifles
  • 600     1872 Tisdall Snider carbines
  • 700     1874 Snider short rifles, bar on band
  • 1,300  1874 Snider short rifles, bar on barrel

In total, 3,100 New Zealand contract Sniders were produced.

In addition, 2000 18″ sawback bayonets were manufactured for the New Zealand Snider short rifles, consisting of

700    18″ bar on band bayonets

1,300 18″ bar on barrel bayonets

These New Zealand contract Sniders and their associated bayonets are not British ordnance patterns. As a result, their absence or limited treatment in standard references on British ordnance Sniders and bayonets is unsurprising. The purpose of this article has been to document and clarify these uniquely New Zealand arms, allowing them to be more clearly identified and better appreciated within the broader history of the Snider arms system.

References

[1]  Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1870 Session I, A-09

[2]  Ian Skennerton. .577 Snider-Enfield Rifles & Carbines. 2003 Published Ian D Skennerton page 101

[3]  Papers Past NZ, Evening Post, Volume V,  issue 261, 16 Dec 1869, page 2

[4]  Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1885 Session I, H-04a

[5]  Ian D Skennerton & Robert Richardson. British & Commonwealth Bayonets. 1986 Published Ian D Skennerton  page 362

[6]  Ian D Skennerton & Robert Richardson. British & Commonwealth Bayonets. 1986 Published Ian D Skennerton  page 362

[7]  Robert McKie. Hay Pattern Rifles. ‘Lessons from History: New Zealand Procurement and Logistics 1857-1861’ -rnzaoc.com/tag/hay-pattern-rifles/Hayden

[8]  John Osborne, Hay Pattern Enfield Rifle, The Gazette NZAHAA June 2010 Vol. 30 No 2

[9]  Reference 1869/473. 1869 Army Department Inwards Correspondence Register nzpictures.co.nz

[10]   Papers Past NZ, New Zealand Herald, Volume. VI issue 1655 12 March 1869, page 2

[11]   Papers Past NZ. Evening Post, Volume V, Issue 261, 16 December Page 2

[12]   Ian D Skennerton & Robert Richardson. British & Commonwealth Bayonets. 1986 Published Ian D Skennerton  page 360

[13]   Ian Skennerton & Brian Labudda. British Commonwealth Bayonets and Fighting Knives Published in 2025 by Labudda Research / Arms & Militaria Press  page 389

[14]   Brian C Knapp, The Calisher & Terry in British and Colonial Military Service 1856 – 1900, 2021

[15]   John Osborne, NZ P1872 25  bore Snider Carbine, The Gazette NZAHAA Dec. 2007 Vol. 27 No 4

[16]   R McKie, NZ Defence Stores July 1870 – June 1871https://rnzaoc.com/2023/08/13/nz-defence-stores-july-1870-june-1871/

[17]   Armed Constabulary Force (Annual Report of Commissioner). Appendix to the Journals House of Representatives, 1875 Session I, H-10

[18]   Ian Skennerton. .577 Snider-Enfield Rifles & Carbines. 2003 Published Ian D Skennerton page 187

[19]   “Ibid., page 123

[20]   “Ibid., page 140

[21]   Brian C. Knapp, A Catalogue of British Military Longarms 1730 to 1930, Published Tower Heritage Publications, 2025, page 167

[22]   Ian D Skennerton & Robert Richardson. British & Commonwealth Bayonets. 1986 Published Ian D Skennerton  page 357

[23]  Ibid., page 243

[24]  Ibid., page 386

Saint Barbara’s Day: Honouring a Patron of Courage, Care, and Commitment

1 Comment

On 4 December each year, soldiers, gunners, and explosive specialists around the world pause to mark Saint Barbara’s Day. For New Zealand’s military ammunition community, the day has a special resonance. Saint Barbara was the patron saint of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC). Although the Corps was disestablished in 1996, she remains the spiritual patron of those whose work brings them closest to explosive risk, especially the current generation of Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR) Ammunition Technicians.

This commemoration is not about imposing religious belief or expecting devotion in a modern, pluralist Army. Instead, it is about recognising shared values. Saint Barbara’s story, whether read as faith, legend, or metaphor, offers a powerful way of talking about courage, duty of care, and professionalism in dangerous work.

From Heliopolis to the Ordnance Corps

According to tradition, Barbara lived in the late Roman Empire at Heliopolis in Phoenicia, now associated with Baalbek in modern Lebanon. Born into a wealthy pagan household, she questioned the gods she had been taught to worship when she looked out from the tower in which her father kept her secluded and reflected on the ordered beauty of the world around her. In time, she converted to Christianity in secret. When her father discovered this, he handed her over to the authorities and ultimately carried out her execution himself.

Her refusal to renounce her convictions, even under torture, and the lightning that, according to legend, later killed her father and the official who condemned her, led to Barbara being associated with sudden death, lightning, and fire. As warfare evolved and gunpowder weapons became central to battle, she was adopted as patroness of artillerymen, armourers, military engineers, miners, tunnellers, and anyone whose livelihood involved explosives and the possibility of instant, catastrophic harm. The Legend of Saint Barbara

When the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) adopted Saint Barbara as its patron, that tradition passed into the wider family of Commonwealth ordnance corps. The RNZAOC, with its own responsibility for ammunition supply, storage, and maintenance in New Zealand, in turn adopted her as patron saint.

Beyond 1996: Saint Barbara and the RNZALR

The disestablishment of the RNZAOC in 1996 and the formation of the RNZALR did not diminish Saint Barbara’s relevance to New Zealand soldiers. The work did not change; only the cap badge did. Ammunition Technicians, in particular, continue to live daily with the realities that made Barbara a symbolic figure in the first place: sudden danger, technical complexity, and the need for calm, disciplined action when things go wrong.

On paper, Saint Barbara is a figure from late antiquity. In practice, her patronage captures something very contemporary about the RNZALR Ammunition Technician trade:

  • Technical mastery under pressure – handling, inspecting, and disposing of explosive ordnance where a single lapse can have irreversible consequences.
  • Quiet, unshowy bravery – the kind that rarely makes headlines but underpins every live-fire activity, every range practice, and every deployment where ammunition is moved, stored, or rendered safe.
  • Duty of care to others – ensuring that everyone else can train and fight in relative safety because someone has accepted responsibility for the dangerous end of the supply chain.

In that sense, Saint Barbara’s Day is as much about the living as it is about any distant martyr. It is an opportunity for the wider Army to pause and acknowledge that the safe availability of ammunition, which is often taken for granted, depends on a small community of specialists and their support teams.

A Day Of Tradition, Not Testimony

In a modern New Zealand Army, not everyone is religious, and fewer still are likely to be familiar with the details of early Christian hagiography. That is not the point. Commemorations like Saint Barbara’s Day function as regimental and professional traditions, not as tests of personal belief.

Marking the day can mean different things to different people:

  • For some, it may be a genuine act of faith, honouring a saint whose story inspires them.
  • For others, it is a way of respecting the heritage of their trade and the generations of RNZAOC and now RNZALR personnel who have done this work before them.
  • For many, it is simply a moment to reflect on the risks inherent in explosive work, to remember colleagues injured or killed in training and operations, and to recommit to doing the job as safely and professionally as possible.

In that sense, the story’s religious origins are less important than the shared meaning it has acquired over time. Saint Barbara becomes a symbol of the values that matter in ammunition work: integrity, courage, vigilance, and loyalty to those you serve alongside.

Contemporary Relevance: Commitment In A Dangerous Trade

In the modern world, the management of ammunition and explosives is governed by detailed regulations, sophisticated science, and digital systems, ranging from hazard classifications and compatibility groups to electronic inventory control and safety management frameworks. Yet, at its core, it still depends on human judgment and ethical commitment.

Saint Barbara’s Day offers a valuable lens for talking about that commitment:

  • Commitment to safety – understanding procedures not as bureaucracy, but as the accumulated lessons, sometimes paid for in blood, of those who went before.
  • Commitment to team – recognising that no Ammunition Technician works alone, and that a strong safety culture depends on everyone feeling empowered to speak up, check, and challenge.
  • Commitment to service – remembering that, whether in training at home or on operations overseas, the work is ultimately about enabling others to succeed and come home alive.

When Ammunition Technicians and their colleagues mark Saint Barbara’s Day, they are not stepping out of the modern world into a medieval one. They are taking a moment within a busy, technologically advanced, secular military environment to acknowledge that some fundamentals have not changed: courage, conscience, and care for others still matter.

Keeping The Flame Alive

Although the RNZAOC passed into history in 1996, its traditions did not vanish. They were carried forward into the RNZALR and live on in the customs, stories, and professional identities of those who wear the uniform today. Saint Barbara is one of those enduring threads.

On 4 December, when a small group gathers in an Ammuniton depot, unit lines, a mess, or a deployed location to raise a glass or share a few words in her honour, they are standing in continuity with generations of ordnance soldiers, armourers, gunners, and explosive specialists across time and across the Commonwealth. They are also quietly affirming something vital about themselves.

In the end, Saint Barbara’s Day is less about religion and more about recognition: recognition of a demanding craft, of the people who practise it, and of the responsibility they carry on behalf of the wider Army. For the RNZALR Ammunition Technicians of today, as for the RNZAOC of yesterday, she remains a fitting patron for those who work, quite literally, at the explosive edge of military service.

New Zealand Military Armourers, 1840–1900

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Between 1863 and 1900, New Zealand’s military armourers underwent a profound transformation—from civilian gunsmiths and part-time artificers to disciplined professionals whose technical skills underpinned the readiness of the colony’s armed forces. More than any other in the nation’s military history, this period saw the most sweeping changes in firearms technology: the rapid evolution from flintlocks to breech-loaders, to magazine-fed rifles and early automatic weapons such as the Maxim gun. Armourers were not merely maintaining weapons but adapting to new mechanisms, materials, and tactical requirements with each generation of arms.

Colonial Armoury Display, National Army Museum Te Mata Toa

This era’s legacy lies in its pioneering spirit and institutional foundations. Figures such as Edwin Henry Bradford, David and George Evitt, and Edward Metcalf Smith developed inspection, repair, and local training systems that would provide the backbone for future professionalisation. By the end of the century, these homegrown innovations were complemented by the arrival of British-trained armourers and standardised practices, culminating in the creation of a professional and modern military technical trade. The adaptability and precision instilled during this foundational period remain central to the identity and function of New Zealand’s military armourers today.

Colonial Foundations and Early Supply (1840–1858)

New Zealand’s military logistics began ad hoc. The first militia units, raised in the 1840s to respond to local unrest, were equipped via commercial purchases, British Army stores, and Colonial Stores in Australia. In 1845, 500 flintlock muskets were issued to the militia; by 1852, percussion muskets were held in store, though outdated flintlocks remained in circulation.[1]

In 1856, a directive from the Secretary of State for War, Lord Panmure, tempered the colony’s reliance on British stores. This directive restricted supplies to colonies unless reimbursed. This prompted New Zealand to assume greater responsibility for its military logistics, laying the groundwork for a more self-reliant arms supply chain.[2]

The Rise of the Armourer (1858–1890s)

The 1860s marked a turning point in the adoption of new firearms technologies. In 1860, New Zealand was the first nation to adopt the Hay Pattern Rifle. This was followed by widespread conversion of muzzle-loaders to the Snider pattern and adoption of the Martini-Henry rifle. These technological shifts necessitated the appointment of trained personnel to oversee weapon maintenance.

Hay Pattern Rifle. Terry Shattock Collection
Cavalry Carbine. Terry Shattock Collection

In 1866, the government appointed Edwin Henry Bradford, a former Imperial armourer, as the Chief Armourer in Wellington. Bradford served in this role for 35 years, developing systems of maintenance, inspection, and repair that laid the foundation for the armourer profession in New Zealand.[3]

From 1868, Edward Metcalf Smith, a highly experienced, Imperial-trained armourer, supported Bradford. Smith resigned in 1872 to pursue experimental work in the processing of iron sands. He was succeeded by Walter Christie, who began his service as an arms cleaner and learned his trade as an armourer on the job. Christie remained as Assistant Armourer until 1903, when a new generation of armourers assumed responsibility, and his technical skills were no longer central to the department’s evolving needs.[4]

David Evitt—a former armourer with the British Military Stores and a skilled gunsmith—played a similarly foundational role in Auckland. Upon his death in 1872, he was succeeded by his son, George Evitt, who continued as the Armourer for Auckland. George held the position until 1888, when it was abolished due to public sector redundancies.[5]

These armourers maintained an expanding array of arms: carbines for cavalry, pistols for officers and artillery, bayonets and swords for all services, and early machine guns such as the Gardner and Maxim. The armourers’ responsibilities required broad expertise and tools to match the demands of each weapon type.

Expansion and Civil-Military Collaboration

As New Zealand’s military demands grew throughout the 19th century, so did the infrastructure required to support them. Regional appointments were made in centres such as Nelson and New Plymouth, and civilian gunsmiths were authorised to repair government-owned arms, many also serving as armourers for the Volunteer Corps. Full-time Arms Cleaners were employed in Auckland (until 1888) and Wellington, while part-time Arms Cleaners were often appointed in regional areas to help maintain the serviceability of weapons, working alongside the armourers. Arms Cleaners had first formally been employed as government staff in 1860, and some, such as John Penligen in Auckland, would serve for over 25 years.

Plan of the Auckland Defence Stores Armourers’ shop, 1883

By 1893, small arms inventories reflected the mix of ageing and modern equipment: 8,400 medium Snider rifles, 3,620 Snider artillery carbines, and 1,881 Snider cavalry carbines were still on issue. The poor condition of many weapons led to calls for more robust inspection and maintenance processes and, ultimately, the adoption of the Martini-Henry as a more suitable service rifle.

Transition Towards Professionalisation (1890s–1900)

By 1900, New Zealand’s armourers had progressed from informal civilian gunsmiths and part-time military artificers to indispensable professionals. Their expertise ensured that, despite a diversity of ageing weapon stocks, New Zealand’s forces were kept at a level of readiness that inspired confidence—on the rifle range and, from 1899, on the battlefields of South Africa.

In the final decade of the 19th century, New Zealand transitioned to newer weapons: the Remington-Lee rifle was introduced in 1887, followed by the .303 Martini-Enfield in 1898 and, soon after, the Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield bolt-action rifles. Armourers were required to master the maintenance of increasingly complex magazine-fed systems, raising the demand for skilled training. In response, Armourer Sergeants from the Army Ordnance Corps would soon be seconded to New Zealand (from 1901), signalling the beginning of a new professional era.

Government forces with a Maxim rapid-fire gun in Rawene, Northland for the 1898 Dog Tax Rebellion. Photo / Charlie Dawes, Auckland Libraries

Foundations of a Technological Profession

Compared with a similar 37-year period in the 20th century (1963–2000), the technological transformation between 1863 and 1900 stands out as significantly more profound. In that earlier period, armourers had to adapt to a wholesale revolution in firearms technology—from flintlocks and percussion muskets to breech-loaders, magazine-fed bolt-action rifles, and early automatic weapons such as the Gardner and Maxim gun. Each advance introduced new materials, mechanisms, and tactical demands, requiring armourers to reinvent their craft continually.

By contrast, the 1963–2000 era, though marked by notable refinements—including modular design, composite materials, optics, and electronic integration—did not witness such foundational changes. The key technologies of automatic weapons, metallic cartridges, and gas operation were already well established by the early 20th century. Later developments focused on improving standardisation, ergonomics, and user interfaces rather than redefining weapon function.

The foundations laid by 19th-century figures such as Bradford, Evitt, and Smith provided the institutional knowledge and organisational base for future professionalisation. This process was further formalised in 1901 with the arrival of British-trained armourers, who brought standardised training, inspection regimes, and technical doctrine shaped by the British Army. These innovations transformed the New Zealand armourer trade into a disciplined technical profession aligned with international military standards, culminating in establishing the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps in 1912.

New Zealand Defence Forces General Order 118, 1 May 1912

In summary, the period from 1863 to 1900 was the most revolutionary era in the history of New Zealand’s military armourers. It was a time of accelerated technological advancement and professional transformation—from gunsmith to technician. The enduring systems and standards first laid down in this era, along with the adaptability and ingenuity of its practitioners, continue to shape the trade to this day.

Armourer Profiles

Edwin Henry Bradford

Edwin Henry Bradford was born on 24 June 1829 in Westminster, Middlesex, England. Trained in the trade of gun manufacturing, Bradford dedicated his entire working life to the profession. He gained valuable experience at several prominent establishments, most notably spending several years employed at the renowned Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) at Enfield, a centre of British military firearms production during the 19th century.

Bradford married in London on 27 June 1858. A few years later, seeking new opportunities, he emigrated to New Zealand, a colony then facing growing defence requirements amid escalating tensions between Māori and Pākehā.

On 1 January 1864, Bradford was appointed the Government Armourer in Wellington. In this role, he was responsible for inspecting, maintaining, and repairing firearms issued to military and militia units in the region—a critical function at a time when conflict was a persistent threat.

Bradford’s skills were further called upon during Tītokowaru’s War, a key campaign of the New Zealand Wars that raged through South Taranaki from June 1868 to March 1869. During this time, he was appointed Armourer Sergeant to Colonel Thomas McDonnell’s Pātea Field Force. This position placed him at the heart of frontline logistics, where the reliable upkeep of arms was vital to the effectiveness and survival of the colonial troops operating in difficult terrain under constant threat.

Following this campaign, Bradford resumed his duties in Wellington, serving as Government Armourer through the final decades of the 19th century. He remained in this post until his death on 22 April 1901, passing away in Wellington at 71.

Edwin Henry Bradford’s long and steady service as a military armourer represents an essential, though often overlooked, element of New Zealand’s colonial defence infrastructure. His technical expertise and dedication contributed significantly to the operational readiness of the forces engaged in the turbulent era of the New Zealand Wars.

Edward Metcalf Smith

Edward Metcalf Smith was born around 10 January 1839 in Bradley, Staffordshire, England, to Charles Smith, a monumental sculptor, and Maria Joiner. His early exposure to Staffordshire’s iron industry shaped his career in metalwork and military service. Smith began his apprenticeship as a gunsmith at the Royal Small Arms Factories in London and Enfield, followed by advanced work at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich—centres of excellence in British arms manufacture.

In 1861, Smith became a Garrison Armourer for New Zealand field forces, arriving in Auckland aboard the African. That same year, on 24 December, he married Mary Ann Golding, daughter of army officer Nicholas Golding. Smith’s expertise quickly made him pivotal in colonial New Zealand’s military logistics and weapons maintenance.

During his early years in New Zealand, Smith worked in Auckland’s Military Store Department alongside armourers like David Evitt. A disciplinary incident in June 1863, where Smith assaulted Evitt over a disagreement in the armoury, resulted in his conviction and a two-month sentence of hard labour. Despite this setback, Smith’s technical skills and reputation persisted.

Returning briefly to England in 1864, Smith soon returned to New Zealand, settling in Taranaki with his wife’s family. He established a gunsmithing business on Devon Street, New Plymouth, and joined the Taranaki Militia and Taranaki Rifle Volunteers on 23 July 1864. Due to his recognised skills, he immediately rose to armourer sergeant.

Appointed Armourer at the Defence Store in Wellington on 27 December 1868, Smith continued to enhance New Zealand’s military infrastructure. Concurrently, he pursued industrial innovation to develop a local iron industry using Taranaki’s natural resources. Known as “Ironsand Smith,” he, Decimus Atkinson, and John Perry experimented with iron sand smelting processes. Smith resigned from the Defence Department in 1873 to focus on these industrial ventures.

His most ambitious project, the Titanic Iron and Steel Company, built a smelter at Te Henui in the mid-1870s. Despite significant effort, the enterprise failed commercially and dissolved in 1881. Smith remained committed to local steel production, advising on smelting projects and advocating for further research trips to Britain.

Entering politics in the 1880s, Smith was elected as the Member of the House of Representatives for Taranaki in 1890. He held the seat (except during 1896–99) until his death on 19 April 1907. Known for his eccentric dress and humorous speeches, he was a colourful figure in politics and industry.

Edward Metcalf Smith is survived by his wife Mary Ann, who passed away in 1923, and ten children, including Sydney George Smith, who also served as an MP for Taranaki.[6]

David Evitt

Born in 1817 in Armagh, Ireland, David Evitt emigrated to New Zealand in 1849 with his wife and young son George. They settled in Auckland, where he established a successful gunsmithing business in Barrack Street that later became Evitt and Son.

By 1853, David was joined in New Zealand by his half-brother, John Evitt, who opened the well-known Evitt Gunsmith shop in Queen Street. John’s son, David Evitt (1833–1888), would also enter the trade, working as an armourer for the Military Store Department at Britomart Barracks. John passed away in 1864.

From the early days of his time in New Zealand, David frequently undertook arms repair work for the government and was officially appointed Government Armourer in October 1866. Despite being unaided, he maintained all the arms of Auckland province in excellent order—a task requiring multiple armourers in other provinces. It was said that while Wellington Province required three armourers and still had to send hundreds of weapons to Auckland, Evitt managed alone.

In 1870, possibly due to the responsibility of his government armourer work, David and his son George’s partnership, Evitt and Son Gunmakers, was dissolved by mutual consent, with George taking over the business.

Yet, despite his dedication and effectiveness, he was not always treated with the respect he deserved—a fact that likely escaped the notice of senior authorities, though deeply felt by Evitt. Just a week before his passing, seriously unwell, he returned home. However, upon hearing that one rifle still required repair, he rose from his bed, completed the work, and only then returned home to die on 23 February 1872.[7]

Evitt was widely respected and admired by all who knew him. Through hard work, thrift, and quiet virtue, he amassed a modest amount of property, yet remained devoted to his workshop. He took great pride in keeping thousands of arms in serviceable condition, ready to be issued immediately in emergencies.

Those who knew him personally and appreciated his humble character and steadfast service deeply mourned his loss. His passing marked a significant loss to Auckland and the public service. His son, George Evitt, succeeded him as Government Armourer.[8]

George Evitt

George Evitt was born in Devonport, England, in 1841 and emigrated to New Zealand with his parents in 1849. He later served as a volunteer during the New Zealand Wars and remained active in the Volunteer Forces for many years. A skilled marksman, he earned a reputation as a crack shot, winning numerous prizes for his shooting.[9]

Following his father’s death in 1872, George Evitt was appointed Government Armourer—a position he held until 1888, when he was retired under the Cabinet’s retrenchment scheme. He then moved to Gisborne, where he lived for some time before relocating to Christchurch about eight years before his death. George Evitt passed away on 23 January 1905, aged 64.[10]

Notes

[1] Major of Brigade, Arms and ammunition issued for New Plymouth Militia are to be paid for, Archives New Zealand Item ID R24118692, (New Zealand Archives, 20 December 1858).

[2] Notice to Foreign Stations from War Department, 19 April 1856. Brigade, Arms and ammunition issued for New Plymouth Militia are to be paid for.

[3] Public Petitions Committee, Wellington Date: 27 September 1901 Subject: Petition of W H Bennett, as Trustee of late Armourer E. H. Bradford, for an allowance on behalf of Misses Bradford, Archives New Zealand Item ID

R24401715, (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 1863-1901).

[4] E M Smith Esq, MHR, Wellington Date: 28 October 1895 Subject: For a record of his service in the Taranaki Military Settlers and as Armourer in Defence Stores, Archives New Zealand Item ID

R24333406, (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 1892).

[5] “Reductions in civil service,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1888 Session I, H-30, 11 May 1888, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/parliamentary/AJHR1888-I.2.3.2.31

[6] E M Smith Esq, MHR, Wellington Date: 28 October 1895 Subject: For a record of his service in the Taranaki Military Settlers and as Armourer in Defence Stores.

[7] “Death of David Evitt,” Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 52 (Auckland), 2 March 1889, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18890302.2.48.

[8] “Sudden Death of Mrs Evitt,” New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6154 (Auckland), 8 August 1881, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18810808.2.22.

[9] George Evitt, Armourer, Auckland Date: 28 February 1888 Subject: As to compensation on account of his services being dispensed with, Archives New Zealand Item ID

R24324370, (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 1888).

[10] “Death of George Evitt,” Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10268, 28 January 1905, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/PBH19050128.2.25.

ANZAC Day Reflections: Honouring the Ordnance Soldier – Their Legacy Lives On in the RNZALR

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ANZAC Day is a sacred day of remembrance and gratitude in New Zealand. It is a day when we pause to honour the breadth of military service—those who stormed the beaches and scaled the ridgelines, and those who sustained them from behind the lines. Among these often-unsung heroes are the men and women of the Ordnance Corps. Ordnance soldiers have provided the New Zealand Army with the weapons, ammunition, equipment, and logistical support necessary to fight, survive, and succeed for over a century. Their role has always been vital, even if it has been carried out of the limelight.

But what exactly is an Ordnance soldier?

At their core, Ordnance soldiers are Logistics Specialists and Ammunition Technicians—responsible for ensuring that every frontline soldier has what they need, when they need it. They manage everything from the smallest screw in a field weapon to the vast stocks of food, clothing, and ammunition that sustain entire armies. Their work includes storage, distribution, accounting, repair, salvage, and technical inspection. In short: if it moves, fires, feeds, or protects, it likely passed through the hands of Ordnance personnel.

The roots of military ordnance stretch deep into history. The first recorded Ordnance Officer in the British military was appointed in 1299 to manage siege equipment, such as catapults and battering rams. Over time, these responsibilities evolved into a professional and structured system of military storekeeping and supply, one that reached New Zealand in the 1840s with the arrival of British Imperial forces.

By the 1860s, as the Imperial presence waned, the responsibility for military logistics was gradually handed over to New Zealand personnel. The Defence Stores Department was formally established in 1869 to oversee the nation’s military stores. This marked the beginning of New Zealand’s independent ordnance tradition. In 1917, during the First World War, the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (NZAOC) was officially formed, taking over duties from the Defence Stores Department. The Corps provided critical support throughout the war and maintained the Army through the interwar years.

With the Second World War outbreak, the Ordnance Corps expanded dramatically. To support 2NZEF, the New Zealand Ordnance Corps (NZOC) was raised for overseas service, while a separate NZOC served as the NZAOCs Territorial element. In 1942, the engineering and maintenance functions of the NZOC operating in the Middle East were separated to form the New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (NZEME). This change was mirrored in New Zealand in 1946, when workshops were transferred from the NZAOC to the newly created NZEME.

In recognition of its wartime service, King George VI granted the “Royal” prefix to the Corps on 12 July 1947, making it the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC). That same year, the territorial and regular elements were merged into a single corps that would serve with distinction for the next half-century.

Every ANZAC Day, we reflect on the legacy of the Ordnance soldier—from the dusty cliffs of Gallipoli and the battlefields of North Africa to the supply depots of World War II, the jungles of Southeast Asia, and the humanitarian missions of the late 20th century. Their story did not end with the close of the Cold War. In 1996, the RNZAOC was amalgamated with the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport (RNZCT) and the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME) to form the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR)—a unified, modern logistics formation designed to meet the evolving demands of military operations in the 21st century.

The legacy of the Ordnance soldier lives on today in every RNZALR Logistic Specialist and Ammunition Technician. Their story is not just a historical record—it is the very foundation of the RNZALR. Their values of resilience, quiet courage, and professional excellence continue to shape the New Zealand Army’s ability to sustain and succeed at home and abroad.

Gallipoli and the First World War: The Storekeeper on Anzac Beach

The story of the New Zealand ordnance soldier begins amid the brutal landing at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. Captain William Beck, a New Zealand Staff Corps officer, was appointed Deputy Assistant Director of Ordnance Services (DADOS) for the New Zealand and Australian Division. According to several accounts, Beck was the first New Zealander ashore at ANZAC Cove, leading the landing of Godley’s divisional headquarters under intense fire.

His task was immense. Amid the beachhead’s chaos, confusion, and carnage, Beck quickly set about establishing a makeshift ordnance dump right on the shoreline—improvising with salvaged crates, scattered supplies, and a growing stream of urgently needed materiel. As soldiers surged inland and casualties mounted, Beck and his small team organised the distribution of ammunition, rations, clothing, and basic field stores to units already under fire in the hills above. Without shelter, maps, or proper infrastructure, this operation became a lifeline to the forward troops.

Supplies on the beach at ANZAC Cove 1915. Athol Williams Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library

Beck worked under relentless fire, including from a remarkably accurate Turkish artillery piece that pounded the beachhead daily. Nicknamed “Beachy Bill” by the troops, the gun became infamous for zeroing in on the supply areas, and Beck’s improvised depot was one of its most frequent targets. The name, according to some accounts, was given in ironic tribute to Captain Beck himself, whose unwavering presence under fire seemed to draw the enemy’s attention as reliably as the tides. Despite the danger, Beck remained calm and courteous, continuing to perform his duties in conditions that would have driven many to cover. His efforts earned him the enduring moniker “the brave storekeeper on Anzac Beach.” He became a quiet legend among his peers. General Sir William Birdwood, commanding the ANZAC forces, was said to personally check on Beck during his rounds, out of admiration and concern. Beck’s courage and composure under fire became emblematic of the Ordnance Corps’ ethos: professionalism in adversity, and mission before self.

Though he was later evacuated due to illness caused by the stress of battle in August 1915, Captain Beck’s role at Gallipoli demonstrated how critical logistics were to the survival and sustainment of fighting troops—and that the Ordnance soldier was not a rear-echelon presence, but a frontline enabler in every sense.

Following the Gallipoli campaign, the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was reorganised and redeployed to the Western Front in France and Belgium, as well as to the Sinai and Palestine campaigns in the Middle East. What began in 1914 as a two-man effort—Beck and Sergeant Norman Levien—expanded rapidly into a structured logistics organisation. In 1917, the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (NZAOC) was formally established as a dedicated branch of service, recognising its work’s increasingly specialised and essential nature.

On the Western Front, Ordnance personnel established and managed supply dumps and armourers’ workshops across the scarred landscapes of the Somme, Messines, and Passchendaele. They worked in trenches, mud, and snow—often within range of enemy artillery—ensuring that troops had the bullets, boots, tools, and trench stores required to sustain a static war of attrition.

Their responsibilities went well beyond basic supply. Ordnance units also operated salvage sections to recover, repair, and repurpose battlefield equipment—a critical function in conserving resources and maintaining operational tempo. They ran mobile repair facilities and oversaw essential services like bath and laundry units, which not only preserved hygiene in the harsh conditions of trench warfare but also boosted morale and prevented disease. These services reflected the Ordnance Corps’ holistic approach to sustaining soldiers, not just with materiel, but with cleanliness, comfort, and care in brutal circumstances.

In the Middle East, NZAOC detachments supported mounted operations across the harsh deserts of Sinai and Palestine. Operating in support of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, Ordnance soldiers adapted their methods to suit long, exposed supply lines and the mobile nature of desert warfare. They managed camel trains, improvised field depots, and operated forward repair points—often little more than canvas shelters in the sand—to keep men and animals in the fight. Salvage and maintenance tasks were equally essential here, where resupply could be days away and every item had to be made to last.

By the end of the First World War, the NZAOC had grown into a compact, disciplined, and highly respected corps. From the mud of Flanders to the sands of Beersheba, their work underpinned New Zealand’s military effort. Though rarely seen in official war photographs or commemorated in mainstream histories, their contributions were vital. They demonstrated that logistics was not a sideline to combat—it was its backbone. They also laid the foundation for a professional military logistics tradition in the RNZALR today.

The Second World War and Beyond: Backbone of the Battlefield

During the Second World War, the NZAOC matured into a seasoned and indispensable pillar of military capability. Whether supporting the fight abroad or maintaining the war effort at home, Ordnance personnel were the engine behind the Army’s ability to project and sustain force across multiple theatres of war.

North Africa and Italy: Desert Sands and Mountain Passes

In the North African campaigns of 1941–42, Ordnance units operated across Egypt and Libya’s vast, unforgiving deserts, supplying the 2nd New Zealand Division during pivotal battles such as Operation Crusader and El Alamein. Supply depots were often under canvas, exposed to enemy air raids and desert winds. Light Aid Detachments worked tirelessly in the blistering heat to keep tanks, trucks, and artillery in the fight, repairing on the move and recovering damaged equipment under fire.

A dedicated Ordnance Convoy Section was raised to support the increasing volume and complexity of operations. Its task was to move stores and equipment from rear areas to forward supply points, filling a critical gap when the New Zealand Army Service Corps (NZASC) could not meet demand. These convoys ensured a continuous flow of tools, spare parts, and personal equipment to the front, often through contested or poorly marked desert tracks.

The NZ Divisional Salvage Company also operated until late 1941, recovering and repurposing valuable battlefield materials—everything from damaged vehicles to discarded equipment. This function saved resources and contributed to operational sustainability by rapidly recycling assets back into the supply chain.

Ordnance support also extended to troop welfare. Mobile Bath and Laundry Sections accompanied the Division to provide frontline hygiene services, which were essential in preventing disease, exchanging clothing, maintaining morale, and improving the force’s overall combat effectiveness. Their presence in forward areas helped ensure that troops remained as healthy and combat-ready as conditions allowed.

Fred Kreegher, New Zealand Ordnance Field Park, sorting out stores in the rear of his Bin Truck. The Noel Kreegher collection

When the Division redeployed to Italy in late 1943, the harsh desert gave way to snow-covered mountains and treacherous river valleys. But the demands on Ordnance personnel did not ease. During gruelling campaigns at Monte Cassino and through the Po Valley, the NZOC once again delivered. Ordnance Field Parks and dumps were established within range of enemy guns, and equipment was recovered, repaired, and reissued under complex and often perilous conditions.

These layered capabilities—convoy operations, salvage and recovery, technical maintenance, and personal support—ensured the Division could manoeuvre and fight confidently, knowing its logistical tail was secure. The Ordnance Corps wasn’t simply supporting the fight—it was integral to sustaining it.

The Pacific Theatre: Islands of Sustained Effort

While New Zealand’s main expeditionary force focused on Europe and the Mediterranean, many New Zealand troops were also deployed to the Pacific. Here, the NZAOC supported the 3rd New Zealand Division across island bases in New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Fiji. These were remote and logistically challenging environments—characterised by tropical diseases, heavy rain, mud, and dense jungle.

Ordnance detachments established supply points, maintained stores, repaired equipment, and ensured operational readiness across scattered islands. These locations often lacked established infrastructure, requiring personnel to be resourceful and adaptable. Camp maintenance, local procurement, and even salvaging enemy materiel became part of the day-to-day tasks.

Although the 3rd Division never saw major set-piece battles like those in North Africa or Italy, it did undertake several opposed amphibious operations and complex island-clearing operations, most notably in the Solomon Islands campaigns at Vella Lavella, Treasury Islands, and Green Island. These landings were tactically complex and logistically demanding, requiring close coordination between combat troops and supporting elements. The Division’s presence helped safeguard New Zealand’s Pacific interests and contributed meaningfully to the broader Allied campaign in the South-West Pacific Area. The Ordnance Corps was instrumental in keeping this contribution viable—its soldiers operated under arduous conditions, far from public view but never from operational necessity.

The Home Front: Sustaining the War Machine

Back in New Zealand, the Ordnance Corps played an equally vital—if often overlooked—role in sustaining the nation’s war effort. Depots at Trentham, Hopuhopu, Burnham, Palmerston North and Waiouru became crucial hubs for receiving, inspecting, storing, and distributing supplies to deployed units. The scale of this effort was immense: weapons, uniforms, vehicle parts, ammunition, and medical supplies flowed in and out of these depots on a daily basis.

Ordnance staff oversaw procurement, stock accounting, and quality control, ensuring that New Zealand’s contribution to the global conflict was met efficiently and precisely. In addition to servicing the expeditionary forces, these depots supported the Home Guard, Territorial units, and mobilisation centres. When new battalions were raised or re-equipped, Ordnance issued the kit and ensured everything was fit for purpose. This included the units of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force deployed overseas, as well as the three Divisions and supporting arms raised for home defence. These domestic formations—charged with protecting New Zealand from possible invasion—required full logistical support, from uniforms and webbing to weapons, ammunition and transport. Ordnance Corps personnel were central to ensuring these forces were ready to respond, maintaining a continuous flow of supplies while adapting to changing wartime demands.

“Repairing despatch riders’ motor-cycles. Photo of mechanics and motorcyclists repairing motorcycles at a field workshop during military manoeuvres in Northland.” Auckland Weekly News, 23 December 1942, p.14 Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections AWNS-19421223-14-03

The wartime workforce also included women, with members of the New Zealand Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (NZWAAC) taking on duties in Ordnance depots, handling clerical tasks, managing stores, and supporting logistics operations nationwide. Their involvement further highlights the adaptability and inclusivity of the Ordnance mission in meeting the demands of total war.

Post-war Transition

Post-war deployments saw Ordnance personnel serve in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and beyond—often integrated within British, Australian, or Commonwealth logistics formations. Though New Zealand’s contribution to these conflicts was modest in size, the professionalism and impact of its Ordnance soldiers were significant. In the Korean War (1950–53), New Zealand’s primary combat force—16th Field Regiment—was supported by a small but capable number of logistics specialists. Ordnance staff embedded within allied supply chains, managing stores, issuing ammunition, and repairing equipment under the demanding conditions of the Korean Peninsula’s harsh winters and mountainous terrain.

During the Malayan Emergency (1948–1960) and the subsequent Indonesian Confrontation (1962–1966), New Zealand troops operated in dense jungle environments that tested their combat and logistics capabilities. Ordnance soldiers were seconded as individuals to the New Zealand Battalion or British units, where they maintained supply lines through monsoon rains, oppressive humidity, and remote jungle bases. Their tasks ranged from maintaining small arms and issuing jungle kit to managing the complex movement of stores between staging areas and patrol bases—a vital function in an environment where regular resupply was challenging and sometimes depended on airdrops or riverine transport.

Although New Zealand did not deploy a complete Ordnance unit in Vietnam, RNZAOC personnel were seconded individually to Australian and United States forces. These included roles such as supply officers, ammunition controllers, and non-commissioned officers (NCOS) stationed at key logistics hubs like Nui Dat and Vung Tau. Working in a high-tempo combat zone, they handled everything from weapons and clothing to fuel, spare parts, and ammunition—often under the threat of enemy attack. The complexity of the Vietnam conflict demanded rapid response times, adaptability, and technical proficiency, all of which the Ordnance soldiers delivered in spades.

Beyond direct deployments, Ordnance personnel were also deeply involved in supporting the considerable effort required to sustain a deployable division maintained under New Zealand’s national service and conscription scheme during the Cold War. This mobilisation model meant that the RNZAOC was responsible for equipping, maintaining, and provisioning a standing force-in-being that could be rapidly expanded in times of crisis. Warehouses and mobilisation stores across the country were stocked with weapons, webbing, clothing, communications equipment, and general supplies—ready to be issued to citizen-soldiers if called upon. The planning, accounting, and logistical foresight required to maintain this latent capability were immense, and it stood as a testament to the professionalism of the Corps.

Across these theatres and responsibilities, Ordnance personnel served in austere and unpredictable environments. Whether embedded with an allied supply unit in the jungle or managing stockpiles for national mobilisation, they maintained the flow of materiel that kept New Zealand’s military effort credible and ready. Though they rarely received public recognition, their contribution was the vital connective tissue that made readiness a reality.

Peacekeeping and Modern Missions: From Mogadishu to the Pacific

In the late 20th century, as New Zealand’s defence priorities shifted toward peacekeeping and international humanitarian support, Ordnance soldiers once again rose to meet the challenge—this time under the flag of the United Nations. The 1992 deployment to Somalia marked a pivotal moment in New Zealand’s operational history and the modern evolution of the RNZAOC. In response to a deteriorating humanitarian crisis fuelled by civil war and famine, the UN launched a multinational intervention to secure aid routes and stabilise the region. New Zealand’s initial contribution to this effort—the New Zealand Supply Detachment—consisted primarily of 28 RNZAOC personnel, marking the first time in decades that an Ordnance-led contingent was deployed operationally in its own right.

Arriving in Mogadishu in December 1992 as part of the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the detachment was tasked with establishing a functioning logistics capability in a highly hostile and volatile environment. Somalia’s capital had no functioning government, no stable infrastructure, and was riddled with armed factions. Despite the risks, the RNZAOC personnel immediately began establishing supply chains, securing local procurement channels, and distributing food, water, and stores to support the broader UN mission. They set up New Zealand’s main camp at the now well-known base called “Taniwha Hill,” which would symbolise Kiwi resilience amid chaos.

New Zealand soldiers leave their camp to conduct a patrol. NZDF Offical

Working out of hastily converted shipping containers and tents in the sweltering heat, the team operated under constant threat of gunfire, looting, and militia activity. Despite the mission’s peacekeeping label, it quickly became apparent that they were operating in a conflict zone. Convoys were escorted, personal weapons were always carried, and supply runs often meant travelling at high speed through hostile streets to avoid ambush. One RNZAOC NCO recalled travelling with a rifle propped between his knees, ready to return fire if necessary—a stark contrast to the logistics roles typically performed at home.

As the situation deteriorated, a second and larger contingent of 43 logistics personnel (including reinforcements from the RNZAOC and other corps) deployed in 1993 as the New Zealand Supply Platoon. This platoon was accompanied by an infantry protection element from 1 RNZIR, marking New Zealand’s first combat deployment of infantry since the Vietnam War. This reinforced the seriousness of the mission and highlighted the increasing danger and the blurred lines between combat and combat service support. Operating as an integrated platoon, the team performed with professionalism and efficiency, earning the respect of allied forces for their adaptability, calm under pressure, and ability to keep essential supplies flowing under fire.

The New Zealanders remained through some of the mission’s most violent episodes, including the events surrounding the infamous “Black Hawk Down” incident in October 1993. Positioned nearby, the RNZAOC soldiers bore witness to the heavy fighting yet carried on their duties with unwavering determination. When many international contingents began withdrawing, the New Zealand logistics team continued to operate until mid-1994, one of the last Western elements to depart the theatre.

The Somalia deployment reaffirmed the modern Ordnance soldier’s place at the heart of New Zealand’s deployable military capability. It demonstrated that RNZAOC personnel were not only logisticians, but also frontline enablers—capable of operating in fluid, high-risk environments and delivering under extreme pressure. “Taniwha Hill,” New Zealand’s base in Mogadishu, was regularly subjected to gunfire and mortar attacks, and Kiwis operated in volatile zones with little margin for error. Yet the RNZAOC platoon carried out their duties with quiet professionalism and resolve, ensuring UN and coalition forces remained supplied and mission capable.

This ongoing legacy of service continues under a new banner. In 1996, the RNZAOC was formally disestablished as part of an Army logistics reorganisation. Its personnel, functions, and traditions were integrated into the newly formed RNZALR, uniting the RNZAOC, RNZCT, RNZEME, and Quartermaster staff into a single, cohesive regimental structure. This transformation ensured that the enduring values and capabilities of the Ordnance Corps would carry forward into a modern, agile logistics force aligned with contemporary operational requirements.

Since then, RNZALR Logistic Specialists and Ammunition Technicians have continued to support peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in theatres such as Bosnia, the Sinai, East Timor, and Afghanistan. During the East Timor operation (1999–2002), logistics units played a crucial role in sustaining one of New Zealand’s largest overseas deployments since the Korean War. Their work—whether managing supply convoys, setting up field depots, or coordinating humanitarian assistance—underscored the critical importance of logistics as an enabler and a key factor in mission success.

Domestically, RNZALR Logistics personnel have remained indispensable. From supporting civil defence during the Canterbury earthquakes to managing logistics and providing personnel to support Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and maintaining daily sustainment across Defence camps and bases, they remain central to New Zealand’s readiness and resilience. In every setting, whether at home or abroad, the legacy of the Ordnance soldier lives on through the actions and professionalism of the RNZALR.

Roll of Honour: Service Remembered, Sacrifice Recognised

The story of the Ordnance Corps is also one of loss. The New Zealand Ordnance Roll of Honour lists 63 names of those who died while serving in our logistics and stores organisations—from the Defence Stores Department of 1862 to the RNZAOC’s integration into the RNZALR in 1996. Among them:

  • Captain Sam Anderson (1899), Defence Storekeeper
  • Captain Arthur Duvall (1919), New Zealand Army Ordnance Department
  • Temporary Major William Knox (1941), Divisional Ordnance Field Park, North Africa
  • Private Russell John Casey (1994), 1 Logistic Regiment, RNZAOC

Each of these individuals—and the many others on the Roll—represents a life dedicated to service, often given in conditions far from home and with little fanfare.

Remembrance and Honour

Each ANZAC Day, we renew our vow: “We will remember them.” In remembering, we broaden our gaze to include those who served without seeking recognition—those who issued the boots, drove the convoys, repaired the radios, and ensured that the warriors had their arms.

The Ordnance Corps soldiers were not mere auxiliaries but the enablers of victory, the sustainers of peace, and the standard-bearers of discipline and duty. Their legacy is not just one of historical interest, but a living ethos that endures in the RNZALR.

As the Last Post echoes and the nation falls silent, let us remember the battles won and the thousands of acts behind the lines that made those victories possible. The story of the Ordnance soldier is one of dedication, innovation, and unheralded bravery.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning—
We will remember them.
Lest we forget.

Sua Tele Tonanti

New Zealand Army Stores Accounting: 1845-1963: Part 1 -1845 -1918

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The evolution of New Zealand Army stores accounting from 1845 to 1963 reflects the broader transformation of the nation’s military logistics from its colonial origins to a modern, structured system. This study is not a deep dive into the intricate details and complexities of New Zealand military stores accounting but rather an introductory overview of a system that has incrementally evolved over 180 years.

Initially modelled on British military accounting principles, New Zealand’s unique defence requirements—shaped by its geographical isolation, force structure, and operational demands—necessitated continuous refinement. Accounting practices have continuously evolved since the first musket was issued to the militia in 1845. However, it wasn’t until The Public Stores Act of 1867 that structured inventory control and accountability measures were formally introduced. This legislation laid the foundation for military store accounting, marking a significant step towards the professionalisation of the Defence Stores Department. These measures ensured crucial oversight and efficiency in military logistics, particularly highlighted by the demands of the South African War and the two World Wars, underscoring the need for a robust and adaptable system capable of sustaining large-scale military operations.

By the mid-20th century, New Zealand had developed a sophisticated store accounting framework. The introduction of NZP1: Volume I—Stores Accounting in 1951 marked a milestone, formalising the policy regulating the army’s store management. The subsequent 1962 revision further streamlined procedures, ensuring the system remained relevant amid evolving logistical complexities.

New Zealand’s innovations in stores accounting did not go unnoticed. In 1963, the Australian Army sought guidance from New Zealand to modernise its system, acknowledging the effectiveness of the NZ Army’s approach. This recognition underscored New Zealand’s competence in military logistics, demonstrating that despite its smaller size, its expertise had broader strategic significance.

Structure of this Study

  • Part One will examine the period from 1845 to 1918, tracing the evolution of New Zealand’s military stores accounting system from its British colonial origins to a structured, modern framework comparable to those of New Zealand’s allies by 1914. The demands of the First World War tested the system’s efficiency and resilience, exposing strengths and weaknesses that would shape post-war reforms.
  • Part Two will cover the period from 1918 to 1945, during which the lessons learned from the First World War were applied to improve inventory control, procurement efficiency, and financial oversight. Economic constraints of the interwar years prompted refinements to stores accounting, leading to the introduction of cost accounting in 1921 and the formalisation of logistical procedures in 1927. The rapid mobilisation for the Second World War tested these systems on an unprecedented scale, accelerating the adoption of modernised inventory tracking and decentralised supply chain management. By 1945, these wartime adaptations had laid the foundation for a more sophisticated and accountable military logistics system.
  • Part Three will examine the period from 1946 to 1963, focusing on the transition from wartime supply chains to a peacetime military logistics infrastructure. The post-war period saw efforts to streamline surplus disposal, re-establish long-term procurement strategies, and integrate emerging technologies into stores accounting. By 1963, the system had matured into a mature manual store accounting framework, ensuring greater efficiency, accountability, and interoperability.

Military Stores Accounting and Its Distinctions from Commercial Stores Accounting

The primary goal of military stores accounting is to ensure that soldiers on the frontlines, tradesmen in workshops, and medical staff in field hospitals have the necessary tools and equipment to carry out their duties effectively. This involves managing administrative burdens through the command and supply chains and ensuring all required controls are in place for the long-term sustainment and capability maintenance.

Military stores accounting is a specialised system designed to manage and track the acquisition, storage, distribution, and disposal of military supplies. Unlike commercial stores accounting, which primarily focuses on cost control and financial profitability, military stores accounting prioritises accountability, operational readiness, and the efficient utilisation of resources to meet operational outputs.[1]

Differences Between Military and Commercial Stores Accounting

FeatureMilitary Stores AccountingCommercial Stores Accounting
ObjectiveEnsuring operational readiness and accountabilityMaximising profit and minimising costs
Nature of InventoryIncludes depreciable assets, expendable, consumable, repairable, and non-expendable itemsPrimarily consumable and depreciable assets
Accounting SystemUses strict regulatory frameworks and controlled issue systemsFocuses on balance sheets and profit margins
Lifespan of ItemsItems can remain in service for decades with periodic refurbishmentItems are typically depreciated and replaced
ValuationBased on operational utility rather than market priceBased on market valuation and depreciation
Security and ControlStrict control due to security concernsLess stringent control mechanisms

Classification of Military Stores

Military stores are classified into several categories based on their usage, longevity, and maintenance requirements:

  1. Expendable Stores – Items that are used once and cannot be reused (e.g., ammunition, medical supplies, fuel). These are issued as required and accounted for under strict consumption controls.
  2. Consumable Stores – Items that are used over time and require replenishment (e.g., rations, lubricants, batteries). While they are used up gradually, they still require accountability and stock rotation.
  3. Repairable Stores – High-value equipment that, when damaged or worn, can be repaired and reissued rather than disposed of (e.g., weapons, radios, vehicles). These items are often tracked using maintenance logs and servicing records to maximise their lifespan.
  4. Non-Expendable Stores – Permanent assets that remain in service for extended periods (e.g., buildings, infrastructure, large-calibre weapons). These items require detailed asset management and condition assessments.

The Long-Term Use of Military Equipment

Unlike commercial organisations, where items are often replaced once they end their economic life, military assets— from clothing to high-value or technologically complex equipment—are maintained, refurbished, and upgraded to extend their service life. For example:

  • Small Arms: Some rifles and sidearms remain in service for decades through regular maintenance and upgrades.
  • Vehicles: Military transport vehicles, such as trucks and armoured vehicles, can be refurbished multiple times before decommissioning.
  • Aircraft and Naval Assets: Large defence assets, including ships and aircraft, are often modernised with new technology and systems rather than being replaced outright.
  • Uniforms and Gear: Certain clothing items and equipment are subject to phased replacement cycles, where only components are updated as needed.

The Importance of Accountability in Military Stores Accounting

Military regulations are always subservient to Government legislation and regulations, especially Treasury rules regarding the expenditure of public monies. Military stores accounting is not a single system, but a collection of specialised accounting frameworks developed to manage different commodities such as ammunition, rations, fuel, vehicles, and technical spares. As military technology has advanced, these systems have evolved parallel to meet modern armed forces’ complex logistical demands.

Accountability is central to military stores accounting, ensuring that every piece of issued equipment is tracked to guarantee:

  • Proper usage and maintenance,
  • Prevention of loss or theft,
  • Compliance with operational requirements,
  • Efficient resource allocation during deployments.

Military store personnel are responsible for maintaining detailed records, conducting audits, and ensuring strict adherence to regulations. These rigorous accounting and inventory control measures ensure that military resources remain available and serviceable when required. Beyond merely tracking financial transactions, military stores accounting is a critical function that underpins military operations’ effectiveness, security, and sustainability.

Early Developments in Stores Accounting

From 1845, Quartermaster staff managing militia stores and then Volunteer stores from 1858 followed British military procedures. The Defence Stores were formally established in 1862, predating Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gorton’s appointment as Inspector of Defence Stores in 1869. Although Gorton assumed leadership in 1869, the Defence Stores had already been functioning, supporting the colonial military effort.[2]

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gorton

The 1867 Public Stores Act, implemented under Gorton’s administration, introduced structured accounting procedures.[3]  The Defence Stores Department issued circulars and administrative guidelines to ensure proper accountability and management of military supplies. Gorton’s rigorous approach laid the foundation for the 1871 Public Stores Act, which regulated government-wide stores management and standardised accounting practices.[4]

1870-ammunition-stocktake

Despite Gorton’s achievements in strengthening accountability, his strict enforcement and meticulous oversight drew criticism, leading to the abolition of the Stores Inspection Department in 1877.[5]  However, his Defence Stores procedures remained robust, and a culture od accountability was established within Defence Stores. Thirty years later, Colonel George Macaulay Kirkpatrick of General Kitchener’s staff validated them in 1910, finding them comparable to British military standards.

Stores records were maintained by a system of indents and vouchers, with balances maintained in ledger books. The Defence Stores were required to provide annual reports of stocks on an annual basis, ensuring accountability and transparency in military logistics. These practices laid the foundation for the modern systematic inventory control and efficient stores management.

Example of a Ledger book

Development of the Artillery Stores (1880s Onwards)

As New Zealand expanded its Garrison Artillery and introduced new guns, equipment, and ammunition, additional accounting and management procedures became necessary. This was beyond the scope of the existing Defence Stores Department, requiring the expertise of military professionals.

In conjunction with Defence Storekeeper Captain Sam Anderson, Sergeant Major Robert George Vinning Parker, formerly of the Royal Garrison Artillery, developed a system of Artillery Stores Accounting. Parker was in charge of artillery ledgers and stores at Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton, ensuring the proper tracking and maintenance of artillery supplies. He continued in this role until 1889 when he was reassigned to Dunedin.[6]

Replacing Parker as the Artillery Ledger Keeper was Regimental Sergeant Major and Instructor in Gunnery Frederick Silver. Silver’s expertise in artillery logistics positioned him as a key figure in the continued refinement of artillery accounting systems. Following the death of Captain Sam Anderson in December 1899, Silver applied for the role of Ledger Keeper in the Defence Stores. Given his extensive experience and close working relationship with Anderson, Silver believed he was the ideal candidate.[7] However, due to his seniority, James O’Sullivan, the Chief Clerk of the Defence Stores, was awarded the role of Defence Storekeeper.[8]

Despite this, Silver was appointed as a temporary clerk in the Defence Stores, transitioning from the Permanent Militia on 25 June 1900. While his new role introduced additional responsibilities, Silver managed Artillery Ledgers seamlessly within the Defence Stores framework.[9]

The relationship between the Defence Stores and the Artillery was cooperative, with both functions operating as a single organisation. The Defence Stores was crucial in supporting the artillery’s logistical needs, ensuring that munitions, equipment, and essential supplies were readily available. The interconnected nature of these two functions allowed for a streamlined approach to military logistics, where artillery-specific requirements were integrated within the broader supply framework managed by the Defence Stores.

This integration led to an efficient system that balanced military necessity with stringent logistical oversight.

Organisational Reforms and the Defence Council (1906)

With the passage of the Defence Act Amendment Act 1906 on 28 October 1906, the Defence Council was established, providing the New Zealand Military Forces with a structured headquarters for the first time. The Act introduced specific staff functions, including:

  • Director of Artillery Services (Ordnance): Responsible for artillery armament, fixed coastal defences, and ordnance supplies.
  • Director of Stores: Responsible for clothing, personal equipment, accoutrements, saddlery, harnesses, small arms, ammunition, machine guns, transport, vehicles, camp equipment, and all stores required for the Defence Forces.[10]

As part of this reform, James O’Sullivan was confirmed as Director of Stores for New Zealand and appointed Quartermaster and Honorary Captain in the New Zealand Militia. Silver was designated as Assistant Defence Storekeeper, continuing to oversee Artillery Ledgers, which—despite falling under the purview of the Director of Artillery Services (Ordnance)—remained under Defence Stores control.

Despite these improvements, officers and Quartermaster staff in volunteer units were still elected annually, leading to inconsistency in stores management. Many units functioned more like social clubs than military organisations, resulting in disorganised stores accounts. This led to frequent discrepancies between supplies provided by the Crown and actual inventory.

The continued reliance on part-time and volunteer Quartermasters highlighted the need for further professionalisation of the quartermaster within the New Zealand Military, a challenge that would persist as the New Zealand Military transitioned into the modern era.

The Defence Act 1909 and the Transition to a Citizen Army

The Defence Act 1909 marked a significant transformation in New Zealand’s military organisation, laying the groundwork for a citizen-based Territorial Army and ending the Volunteer System.[11] This fundamental shift required extensive adjustments within the Defence Stores Department to support the expanding force structure.

For O’Sullivan, Silver, and the Defence Stores Department, the challenge was to continue modernising stores and logistics to meet the demands of a rapidly growing army. As the Territorial Force expanded, so did the logistical requirements, necessitating a more structured and professional approach to store management.

On 1 June 1910, Silver’s position was redesignated as Assistant Director of Military Stores, and he was appointed a Quartermaster with the rank of Honorary Lieutenant in the New Zealand Militia. His expertise and leadership played a crucial role in ensuring the Defence Stores Department could support the evolving needs of the New Zealand Military.

Guidance on the duties related to the management of stores

In 1910, Lord Kitchener, renowned as “The Empire’s foremost soldier,” visited New Zealand and thoroughly reviewed its military forces.[12]  His assessment led to significant reforms within the NZ Military, including establishing the New Zealand Staff Corps (NZSC) and the New Zealand Permanent Staff (NZPS) in 1911. These changes aimed to create a professional cadre of officers (NZSC) and enlisted personnel (NZPS) capable of providing expert guidance and efficient administration to the Territorial Force units.

Lord Kitchener’s visit critically evaluated the military’s capabilities, revealing deficiencies in equipment care, maintenance, and overall responsibility. The existing Regimental Quartermaster Sergeants (RQMS) lacked the necessary skills, underscoring the need for a professional RQMS cadre.

The Regulations (Provisional) for the Military Forces of New Zealand, which came into effect on 5 May 1911, established the command and administrative structure of the Forces.

The overall responsibility for military stores and equipment was placed under the Commandant of the Forces, with specific duties delegated to key officers and commanders at various levels.

Senior Officers Responsible for Stores and Equipment

  • Quartermaster General
    • Managed mobilisation stores, including policies on reserves of clothing, equipment, and general stores.
    • Determined scales of clothing, equipment, and stores needed for troops.
    • Oversaw mobilisation arrangements for food, forage, clothing, stores, and equipment.
  • Director of Supplies and Transport
    • Managed the supply of food, forage, fuel, and lighting.
    • Responsible for Army Service Corps technical equipment.
  • Director of Equipment and Stores
    • Oversaw clothing, equipment, and general stores.
    • Managed supplies of stationery, forms, and books.
    • Provided vehicles and technical equipment, except those for Artillery and Engineers.
    • Supervised the storage and distribution of small arms and ammunition.
  • Director of Ordnance and Artillery
    • Established reserve scales for arms, ammunition, and technical equipment for Artillery and Engineer units.
    • Managed the provision and inspection of guns, small arms, and ammunition.
    • Oversaw machine guns, Artillery and Engineer vehicles, and technical stores.
  • Director of Medical Services
    • Provided advice on and inspected all medical equipment to ensure it met operational standards.
  • Director of Veterinary Services
    • Provided expert advice on veterinary stores and equipment.

District and Unit Responsibilities

At a regional level, Commanders of Districts were responsible for maintaining the efficiency of forts and armaments, including all associated buildings, works, stores, and equipment. They also played a key role in ensuring financial prudence by overseeing officers responsible for spending and stores management.

At the unit level, the Commanding Officer had a broad set of responsibilities, including:

  • Maintaining discipline, efficiency, and proper administrative systems within the unit.
  • Ensuring accountability for public equipment, clothing, and stores.
  • Overseeing the maintenance and cleanliness of all issued arms.
  • Managing the proper receipt and distribution of rations and fuel.
  • Ensuring daily ration inspections were conducted in the presence of an officer.

Other Regimental Officers, such as Company Commanders, even those in temporary appointments, were also responsible for:

  • The equipment, ammunition, clothing, and stores assigned to their company.
  • Ensuring soldiers maintained personal cleanliness and proper care of their uniforms, arms, and accoutrements.
  • Supervising the quality and adequacy of rations provided to troops.

Finally, the 1911 Regulations clearly stated that any officer or individual responsible for public stores was strictly forbidden from lending any article under their charge unless expressly sanctioned by their Commanding Officer (CO). This regulation reinforced strict accountability and control over military stores, ensuring that all equipment, clothing, and supplies were used solely for authorised military purposes. [13]

To maintain proper accountability and management of military stores, Defence Stores personnel and unit Quartermasters followed detailed policies and procedures outlined in official publications, including:

  • Regulations (Provisional) for the Military Forces of New Zealand
  • Financial Instructions and Allowances Regulations for NZ Military Forces
  • Regulations for Clothing and Equipment of NZ Military Forces
  • NZ Dress Regulations
  • Prices Vocabulary of Stores
  • NZ Mobilisation Regulations

Additional guidance was also found in operational reference materials, such as:

  • Field Service Regulations
  • Training Manuals
  • Field Service Pocket Books

The responsibilities established in 1911 laid the foundation for the structured management of military stores, setting a precedent for all future stores accounting procedures. These early frameworks ensured accountability, efficiency, and operational readiness, embedding core logistical principles underpinning military supply chain management today. While titles and organisational structures have evolved, the fundamental tenets of logistical oversight, resource management, and financial accountability have remained steadfast. Successive iterations of Defence Orders, regulations, and policies have refined and expanded these responsibilities, ensuring their continued relevance and adaptability to the evolving operational and strategic needs of the New Zealand Defence Force in the modern era.

Standardising Stores Management and Training

In November 1911, thirty young men from military districts attended an intensive three-week training course at the Defence Stores Department in Wellington to address this. This comprehensive training, overseen by O’Sullivan, included:

  • Weapon storage, inspection, maintenance, and accounting
  • Storage, inspection, and maintenance of leather items (e.g., saddlery and harnesses)
  • Storage and upkeep of canvas and fabric equipment
  • Packing procedures for stores
  • Maintenance of records and documentation

The candidates successfully passed the examinations and were appointed as RQMS under General Order 112/10. Notably, this was the first military trade-related stores course conducted in New Zealand.

“Staff of the Quarter-master General—men who passed as Quarter-master instructors and are being drafted to the various districts, Colourised by Rairty Colour

To ensure consistency across districts, a conference of District Storekeepers was held in Wellington in August 1913. O’Sullivan noted their dedication to maintaining accountability for government property, highlighting their investment in their work.

Historically, annual military camps were managed ad hoc with inconsistent equipment scales. With the establishment of the Territorial Army, the Defence Stores Department introduced standardised camp equipment requirements in 1913.

To streamline supply chain management, temporary Ordnance Depots were established at brigade camps in 1913. Personnel received training under the Director of Equipment and Stores, and roles were assigned as follows:

  • Ordnance Officer: District Storekeeper Auckland (Lieutenant Beck)
  • Two clerks
  • Four issuers

Following the success of the 1913 camps, the system was expanded in 1914, with each regional storekeeper acting as an Ordnance Officer and staff numbers increasing to six clerks and twelve issuers.

Takapau Divisional Camp, 1914. Te Papa (1362454)

Strategic Assessment, Preparedness and Mobilisation

In early 1914, General Sir Ian Hamilton inspected New Zealand’s forces, assessing approximately 70% of personnel. He noted that the Territorial Force was “well-equipped and well-armed” but recommended looking to Australian models for future Ordnance development. O’Sullivan’s annual report for 1914 confirmed that the Defence Stores Department was in a strong position, with ample stocks of small arms, ammunition, clothing, and web equipment.

The 1914 mobilisation was the first test of the reorganised and reequipped New Zealand military forces since the South African War. The challenge was immense: raising, equipping, and dispatching an expeditionary force while maintaining the coastal defence garrisons and the Territorial Army for homeland security. O’Sullivan’s Defence Stores supported this effort, which, under his leadership, played a crucial role in successfully mobilising the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF).

The groundwork for the NZEF was laid in March 1914 when General Alexander Godley issued mobilisation regulations, adapted from British Army directives, to guide the formation of an expeditionary force. New Zealand’s commitment to supporting Britain in the event of war had been reinforced at the 1907 and 1911 Imperial Conferences, yet it was only in 1912 that Godley, confident in the growth of the Territorial Army, shifted focus to preparing for an overseas force.

As part of this preparation, Godley identified three likely tasks for the NZEF:

  1. Seizure of German Pacific possessions.
  2. Deployment to protect Egypt from a Turkish attack.
  3. Fighting in Europe alongside British forces.

By mid-1914, New Zealand’s military reorganisation was three years into an estimated seven-year process.

Although at full operational strength, confidence in the military’s preparedness was high. Annual training camps had been completed, and unit stores had been restocked. A major stocktake was planned for August 1914—marking the first such effort in two years, as the 1913 stocktake had been postponed due to industrial strikes.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand on 28 June 1914 set off a chain of events leading to war. On 30 July, Defence Headquarters instructed District Headquarters to begin precautionary war preparations. By 1 August, partial mobilisation schemes were underway, and further instructions on the composition of the NZEF followed on 2 August.

Each military district contributed a fully equipped infantry battalion, a mounted rifle regiment, artillery, engineers, and medical subunits. These units were to be drawn from the permanent forces, Territorial Force, and reserves. District Storekeepers supported by unit Quartermasters were critical in equipping these units with stores drawn from existing regiments and regional mobilisation depots.

On 3 August, Quartermaster General (QMG) Colonel Alfred William Robin issued detailed instructions regarding individual equipment. Territorial soldiers were to report with their complete kit, while reservists would collect theirs from their regiments. Quartermaster staff were given guidance on recording the transfer of equipment in regimental ledgers.

With war declared, New Zealand’s government announced on 7 August that an Expeditionary Force of 7,000–8,000 men would be mobilised. The response was overwhelming, with thousands of volunteers rushing to enlist. Having had several days’ notice, District Headquarters swiftly implemented mobilisation plans.

Godley’s assumption that the NZEF’s first task would be the seizure of German Pacific territories was proven correct. By 11 August, the New Zealand force for German Samoa—comprising 1,413 personnel—was fully equipped by the Defence Stores and ready for deployment. Additional stores were assembled at Wellington’s wharf for embarkation. The force landed on 29 August, securing Samoa without resistance.

Meanwhile, mobilisation camps were established across New Zealand:

  • Auckland (Alexandra Park) – District Storekeeper Captain William Thomas Beck set up a mobilisation store, assisted by Sergeant Norman Joseph Levien.
  • Christchurch (Addington Park) – Captain Arthur Rumbold Carter White managed the Canterbury District mobilisation store.
  • Dunedin (Tahuna Park) – Captain Owen Paul McGuigan handled equipping recruits, many of whom had no prior military training.
  • Wellington (Awapuni Racecourse) – The Defence Stores in Wellington directly supported the mobilisation effort.

As the central hub for Defence Stores, Wellington managed the receipt and distribution of equipment nationwide. Public appeals were made for short-supply items like binoculars and compasses. On 14 August, approval was granted for each soldier to receive a second pair of boots—typically, the second pair had to be purchased at a reduced rate.

Mobilisation was not simply a matter of sending troops overseas; it also involved ensuring the ongoing reinforcement of the NZEF and maintaining the Territorial Army at home. Planning for NZEF reinforcements commenced alongside the main mobilisation effort to sustain the force in the field. It was determined that 20% reinforcements would be provided six weeks after the NZEF’s departure, with a further 5% arriving monthly thereafter.

Trentham Camp was selected as the primary training and equipping centre for reinforcement drafts, where the Camp Quartermaster Stores, under Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Thomas McCristell, played a critical role in ensuring personnel were properly outfitted before deployment. The scale of this task was immense, with store personnel working late into the night to issue uniforms and equipment to the steady stream of reinforcements. While the focus remained on sustaining the NZEF, efforts were also required to maintain the Territorial Army at home, ensuring a trained force remained available for local defence and future deployments. Mobilisation was not a single event but a continuous process that demanded careful logistical planning and execution to sustain the war effort.

Beyond issuing equipment, the Camp Quartermaster Stores also served as a training ground for new Quartermasters destined for overseas service. Selected candidates underwent instruction in key logistical functions, including clothing and equipping troops, managing camp equipment, organising ammunition supplies, and overseeing water distribution and field kitchen setup. This training ensured that reinforcements were well-equipped and supported by skilled personnel capable of sustaining operations in the field.

By September 1914, the Defence Stores had successfully equipped the NZEF. On 24 September, General Godley thanked the Defence Stores staff for their efforts, acknowledging their crucial role in the mobilisation process. However, controversy soon followed.

On 26 October, after ten days at sea, Godley sent a note to Minister of Defence Colonel James Allen, alleging irregularities in Defence Stores operations and implying that O’Sullivan and his staff might be engaging in misappropriation. Despite recognising O’Sullivan’s significant contributions, Godley recommended auditing the Defence Stores’ accounting systems. This unfounded allegation ultimately led to O’Sullivan’s resignation, overshadowing the department’s achievements in successfully mobilising and equipping both the Samoa Expeditionary Force and the NZEF.

New Zealand’s largest military deployment to date placed immense logistical demands on the Defence Stores. The department leveraged pre-war procurement contracts while employing competitive tendering to secure uniforms, equipment, and supplies. This approach facilitated rapid expansion, with Buckle Street in Wellington emerging as a key logistical hub. However, the sheer volume of supplies soon exceeded capacity, necessitating the leasing of commercial storage facilities beyond the department’s central depots in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.

As military activity intensified, the establishment of the Palmerston North District Store in early 1915 significantly enhanced logistical capabilities, particularly for units stationed in the lower North Island. This expansion underscored the growing need for decentralised supply operations, improving the efficiency of equipment distribution.

The rapid wartime expansion placed immense strain on both personnel and logistics. Despite increasing responsibilities, the department received only minimal increases in permanent staff, forcing heavy reliance on temporary workers to meet operational demands.

As the war progressed, concerns over procurement methods and accounting procedures led to mounting external scrutiny. In 1915, a Commission of Inquiry was launched to examine the Defence Stores’ business practices, financial controls, and purchasing procedures. While the Commission found no evidence of misconduct, it recommended procedural improvements to enhance transparency and efficiency. In response, the government established the Ministry of Munitions, which took over procurement and supply chain management, streamlining logistical operations..

Supporting the NZEF (1915–1921)

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) formed its own New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (NZAOC) in 1915, recognising the need for a more structured military logistics system. This corps provided dedicated logistical support for the NZEF and residual units until 1921. This development was critical as the demands of modern warfare required a more organised and professional approach to supply chain management, equipment maintenance, and ordnance distribution.

Initially, the NZEF relied heavily on British supply lines and logistical structures, with Quartermasters embedded within units managing day-to-day supply requirements. However, as operations expanded and the need for self-sufficiency grew, the establishment of the NZAOC provided a more formal system of procurement, storage, distribution, and maintenance of military stores. The Centre of mass for the NZAOC within the New Zealand Division was the Assistant Director of Ordnance Stores (DADOS) and his staff, who operated in concert with regimental quartermasters, who remained responsible for issuing and maintaining personal and unit equipment at the frontline.

Quartermasters played a pivotal role in ensuring that troops were properly equipped, fed, and clothed and worked closely with the NZAOC to ensure seamless logistical support across different theatres of war, from Gallipoli to the Western Front and the Middle East.

By 1918, the NZAOC had become a critical component of the NZEF’s supply chain, with depots in the UK and the DADOS operating dumps in key operational areas. As the war concluded, the Corps played a crucial role in the demobilisation process, managing the return of surplus equipment, disposal of unserviceable stores, and redistributing serviceable assets to remaining military units and government departments.

The NZAOC continued to support New Zealand’s post-war military commitments until 1921. The lessons learned during the Great War laid the foundation for future developments in ordnance and supply management, shaping the logistics framework of the post-war army.

The role of Quartermasters and the NZAOC in supporting the NZEF between 1915 and 1921 was instrumental in ensuring that New Zealand troops remained equipped and operationally effective throughout the war. Their contributions sustained the force in combat and established enduring logistical principles that continued influencing military store management in the following decades.

Home Service Stores Accounting

On the home front, military authorities pushed for the complete militarisation of stores accounting, aiming to align New Zealand’s system with British Army Ordnance practices. This led to a significant leadership change in 1916, with Major Thomas McCristell replacing James O’Sullivan as Director of Equipment and Stores. Under McCristell’s leadership, the department underwent a comprehensive reorganisation, transitioning into a formal military structure.

By 1 February 1917, the home service New Zealand Army Ordnance Department (NZAOD) and NZAOC were officially established, replacing the Defence Stores Department. This milestone ended 48 years of civilian-led military logistics, marking a shift towards a fully integrated, military-controlled Ordnance service.

Concurrent with the establishment of the Home Service NZAOC, formal Ordnance Procedures were published, and the Regulations for the Equipment of the New Zealand Military were updated. These replaced all previous instructions and formed the foundation for New Zealand’s modern military logistics system.

Conclusion: Towards a Modern Military Stores Accounting System

The period from 1845 to 1918 laid the foundational principles of New Zealand Army stores accounting, evolving from ad hoc militia supply practices to a structured, professional system aligned with British military standards. Early efforts, such as the 1867 Public Stores Act and the establishment of the Defence Stores Department, introduced much-needed oversight and accountability, ensuring military forces were adequately equipped for colonial conflicts and later global engagements.

The early 20th century saw increasing refinement in stores management, with greater formalisation under the Defence Act 1909, the creation of a structured supply organisation, and the introduction of rigorous accounting and inventory control measures. The mobilisation for World War I tested these systems on an unprecedented scale, demonstrating their strengths and the need for further development. The establishment of the NZEF NZAOC in 1915 and the home service New Zealand Army Ordnance Department and Corps in 1917 signified a pivotal transformation, shifting military logistics from civilian oversight to a dedicated military-run system. The experiences of World War I reinforced the importance of accurate, efficient, and adaptable stores accounting systems, setting the stage for continued evolution in the interwar and post-World War II periods. The next part of this study, New Zealand Army Stores Accounting: 1919–1945, will examine how the lessons learned from wartime operations influenced peacetime logistics, the modernisation of accounting frameworks, and the growing role of technology and centralised control in military supply chain management.

Notes

[1] Australian Defence Force, “Logistics Series – Supply,” Australian Defence Doctrine Publication 4.3  (2004): 1.1-1.16.

[2] “Colonial Defence Force Act 1862,” ed. General Assembly of New Zealand (1, Wellington, 1862). http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/cdfa186226v1862n32291/.

[3] General Assembly of New  Zealand, “The Public Stores Act 1867,”  (1867), http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_bill/psb1867831178.pdf.

[4]“The Public Stores Act 1871,” ed. General Assembly of New Zealand (Wellington, 1871).;”Lieut-Colonel Edward Gorton,” New Zealand Gazette, Issue 1, 26 January 1872, 619.

[5] “Reductions,” Thames Advertiser, Volume XI, Issue 2938, 30 May 1878, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THA18780530.2.10.; “The Government Brander,” Saturday Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 130 (Wellington), 5 January 1878, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SATADV18780105.2.13.

[6] Archives New Zealand, “Robert George Vining Parker,” Personal File, Record no R23513898 (Wellington) 1885-1925, https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE18683088.

[7] Archives New Zealand, “Frederick Silver,” Personal File, Record no R23513983 (Wellington) 1976-1900, https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE19149654.

[8] “Defence Storekeeper Appointed,” New Zealand Gazette No 98 p. 2154., 29 November 1900, 4.

[9] Archives New Zealand, “Frederick Silver.”

[10] “Defence Act Amendment Act 1906 (6 EDW VII 1906 No 41),” 1906, accessed 30 December 2021, http://www.nzlii.org/nz/legis/hist_act/daaa19066ev1906n41250/.

[11] Peter Cooke and John Crawford, The Territorials (Wellington: Random House New Zealand Ltd, 2011), 153.

[12] Paul William Gladstone Ian McGibbon, The Oxford companion to New Zealand Military History (Auckland; Melbourne; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000, 2000), 369.

[13] “Regulations (Provisional) for the Military Forces of New Zealand “, New Zealand Gazette 5 May 1911.;

NZ Defence Stores July 1870 – June 1871

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Head Office – Wellington

  • Inspector of Stores – Edward Gorton
  • Clerk – George Simpson Lockie

Wellington Defence Stores -Mount  Cook Depot, Buckle Street

  • Storekeeper – Henry Elmhirst Reader
  • Clerk – Alexander Crowe
  • Armourer Edward Metcalf Smith
  • Armourer – Edwin Henry Bradford
  • Arms Cleaners
    • William Warren
    • John Shaw
    • James Smith
    • Walter Christie
  • Magazine Keeper –  William Corliss

Auckland Defence Stores – Albert Barracks

  • StoreKeeper – William St Clair Tisdall
  • Clerk – John Blomfield
  • Clerk – John Price
  • Armourer – George Evitt
  • Arms Cleaners
    • Thomas Gibbins
    • Charles Phillips
    • William Cook Rockley
    • John Penligen
  • Magazine Keeper – John Broughton

District Sub Storekeepers

District Sub Storekeepers at:[1]

  • Hamilton
  • Tauranga
  • Opotiki
  • Te Wairoa (Rotorua)
  • Tauranga
  • Napier
  • Marton
  • Wanganui
  • Patea
  • New Plymouth
  • Blenheim
  • Nelson
  • Christchurch
  • Hokitika
  • Dunedin
  • Invercargill

Defence Stores Stock Holdings

As of 17 August 1870, Small Arms, Ordnance and Ammunition in military use in New Zealand consisted of:[2]

In Store

Small Arms

  • Snider (All Patterns)  2293
  • Medium Hay Pattern                                                                   7726
  • Enfield Pattern 1853                                                                   1460
  • Rifle Breech Calisher & Terry                                                       26 
  • Rifle Sword Short Enfield Pattern 1853                               33
  • Rifle Spencer                                                                                     4
  • Rifle Mont Storm                                                                              5
  • Percussion Muskets Pattern 1839                                    222
  • Carbine Breech Calisher & Terry                                                284
  • Carbine Muzzle Enfield Artillery Carbine                                 67
  • Carbine Revolver Colt                                                                     4
  • Carbine Percussion Various Types                                             12
  • Revolvers, Various types                                                               215
  • Swords Cavalry                                                                                  153

Ordnance

  • RBL 40 Pounder                                                                                2
  • RBL 6 Pounder                                                                                  2
  • 24 Pounder Howitzer                                                                     3
  • 42/5 inch Mortars                                                                            11
  • 6 Pounder Carronade                                                                     1
  • 3 Pounder Smooth Bore                                                                 1

Small Arms Ammunition

  • Snider                                                                                                   470228
  • Enfield                                                                                  1804983
  • BL Carbine                                                                          251324
  • Revolver                                                                              287148
  • Precussion Muisket                                                         160152

Ordnance

  • Cartridge                                                                             14145
  • Shot/Shell                                                                           22806

On Issue

Small Arms

  • Snider (All Patterns)                                                       208
  • Medium Hay Pattern                                                      9263
  • Enfields Pattern 1853                                                      6473
  • Rifle Breech Calisher & Terry                                       7
  • Rifle Sword Short Enfield Pattern 1853                     224
  • Rifle Spencer                                                                      4
  • Percussion Muskets Pattern 1839                              1007
  • Carbine Breech                                                                  1271
  • Carbine Muzzle Enfield Artillery Carbine                 218
  • Carbine Revolver Colt                                                     2
  • Carbine Percussion Various Types                             267
  • Revolvers, Various types                                               934
  • Swords Cavalry                                                                  903

Ordnance

  • RBL 12 Pounder                                                                6
  • RBL 6 Pounder                                                                  4
  • 6 Pounder Brass Gun                                                      1
  • 24 Pounder Howitzer                                                     7
  • 32 Pounder Iron Guns                                                    3
  • 24 Pounder Iron Guns                                                    8
  • 12 Pounder Iron Guns                                                    5

By August 17, 1870, the inventory of Camp Equipment, Implements, and Saddlery utilised by the New Zealand Military comprised the following items:

In Store

  • Tents, Circular                    326
  • Tents, Indian                      30
  • Tents, F.O Marquee        13
  • Waterproof Sheets         523
  • Blankets                               647
  • Axe Felling                          166
  • Axe Pick                               1036
  • Hook Fern                           115
  • Hook Bill                               91
  • Spade                                   1298
  • Shovel                                  1214
  • Wheel Barrow                   413
  • Mattocks                             111
  • Cross Cut Saw                    41
  • Saddle Riding                     285
  • Bridles                                  262
  • Pack Saddles                      101

On Issue

  • Tents, Circular                    130
  • Tents, Indian                      14
  • Waterproof Sheets         58
  • Blankets                               275
  • Axe Felling                          235
  • Axe Pick                               239
  • Hook Fern                           90
  • Hook Bill                               35
  • Spade                                   400
  • Shovel                                  291
  • Wheel Barrow                   85
  • Mattocks                             18
  • Cross Cut Saw                    14
  • Saddle Riding                     48
  • Bridles                                  48
  • Pack Saddles                      47[3]

Inspections

While not a comprehensive compilation, Gorton, in his role as Inspector of Stores, carried out inspections during the specified period at the following locations:

  • July 1870, Auckland
  • August 1870, Wanganui and Napier
  • December 1870, Wanganui and Auckland
  • April 1871, Christchurch
  • May 1871, Dunedin
  • June 1871, Auckland, Tauranga, Thames

Mount Albert Powder Magazine

In February of 1871, newspapers carried reports about a rumour circulating regarding the arrest of an individual suspected of attempting to ignite the powder magazine at Albert Barracks. These allegations’ accuracy remained uncertain, spurring a call to implement strict measures to safeguard the magazine from potential incidents. Interestingly, changes had occurred after the British Garrison’s departure; formerly, not even a lit pipe or cigar would have been permitted past the vigilant sentry at the gates. However, the entry regulations had since been relaxed, even allowing for firing rockets within the Barrack-square on multiple occasions. This alteration raised concerns about the decline in vigilance.[4]

Adding to the discomfort was the realisation that the amount of powder stored within the Albert Barrack magazine exceeded the quantity recorded in official documents. The concern stemmed from the potential for an explosion capable of causing catastrophic damage to Auckland, resulting in the loss of numerous lives across a wide area. Given the magazine’s central location within a densely populated city, urgent appeals were directed towards the authorities, urging them to exercise the utmost caution and explore the possibility of relocating the magazine to a safer site.. Satisfyin the demand of the local population, an announcement was made in March that the Powder Magazine was to be transferred from Albert Barrack to Mount Eden.[5] In May of 1871, the process of soliciting bids for the construction of a powder magazine at Mount Eden was initiated.[6]

Rifle Sights

After a thorough inspection of a batch of rifles by the armourers revealed unauthorised modifications to the sights, Gorton issued a directive in November 1870. This directive brought attention to the fact that specific rifles had been subject to unauthorised alterations to their back sights. Gorton’s instruction explicitly stated that any rifles found to have been altered should be immediately returned to the stores. Additionally, he warned that volunteers using the modified rifles during Government prize competitions would be disqualified.

Iron Sand Experiments

Armorurer and Artificer Edward Metcalf Smith had amassed several years of experience in the iron industry before commencing a gunsmith apprenticeship at the Royal Small Arms factories in London and Enfield, followed by a tenure at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. Arriving in New Zealand in 1861 as the Garrison Armorer, he progressed to the role of armourer for the Taranaki Militia and Taranaki Rifle Volunteers in 1864. While in Taranaki, he developed a keen interest in establishing a viable iron industry using Taranaki iron sands.[7]

By 1871, Smith had relocated to Wellington, assuming the position of Defence Armourer. Leveraging the resources of the Armourers shop, he persisted in refining his iron sand smelting process through experimentation and innovation.[8]

Notes

[1] District Sub Storekeepers roles encompassed dual responsibilities. These holders often held other functions, such as Militia Drill Instructors or Sub Storekeepers for the Public Works Department. In certain instances, Armed Constabulary Sub-Storekeepers also undertook the role of District Sub Storekeepers.

[2] Inspector of Stores Edward Gorton, Reporting on system of Store Accounts and with returns of Arms Ordnance Ammunition ans various Stores, Archives New Zealand Item ID R24174887, (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 17 August, 1870).

[3] Edward Gorton, Reporting on system of Store Accounts and with returns of Arms Ordnance Ammunition ans various Stores.

[4] “The Power magazine  “, New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2196 (Auckland), 8 February 1871, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18710208.2.11.

[5] “Local Epitome,” New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 22i8 (Auckland), 6 March 1871, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18710306.2.5.

[6] “The Power magazine  “, New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2278 (Auckland), 15 May 1871, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18710515.2.14.

[7] “Edward Metcalf Smith,” NZETC.victoria.ac.nz. , 1993, accessed 9 April, 2023, https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/2s31/smith-edward-metcalf.

[8] “Experiments with Iron Sand,” Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4901, 27 May 1871, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18710527.2.19.

Auckland Defence Store, 1861 – 1903

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Throughout the early 1860s, elements from the Militia and Volunteers supported the Imperial troops undertaking the bulk of the military operations in the early years of the New Zealand Wars. In 1861 as George Grey assumed the role of Governor for a second term, Grey undertook a policy of conciliation while also preparing for war.  As General Cameron built up his Imperial forces, Gray reviewed and overhauled the citizen forces of New Zealand. In January 1862, new regulations for the volunteer force were issued, followed on 18 September by the Colonial Defence Act of 1862.  This Act saw the formation of the Colonial Defence Force, the first regular Force in New Zealand. Under the Quartermaster General of the Colonial Defence Force, Captain Robert Collins, the Colonial Store Department and the Militia Store Department assumed the store’s responsibility for the Militia, Volunteer and Regular Forces of New Zealand.

In Auckland, the Colonial Store Department and the Militia Store Department initially operated out of offices on Princes Street. However, approval was granted in October 1863 for the erection of a store adjacent to the Imperial Armoury near the Symonds street entrance to the Albert Barracks.[1]  The two Store Departments essentially carried out the same functions, and in 1865 the post of Superintended of Militia Stores held by Mr E.D King was disestablished with the responsibility for colonial defence stores centralised under the Colonial Storekeeper, Captain John Mitchell.

Military Store Albert Barracks 1871

A review of colonial defence with a reliance on local forces taking over from Imperial Forces saw the passing of the Armed Constabulary Act of 10 October 1867. This Act combined police and military functions into the regular Armed Constabulary (AC) Force. The AC Force was supported by Maori loyal to the crown, Militia and Volunteer units, with Defence Storekeepers in Auckland, Whanganui and Wellington providing the required logistic support.[2]

In April 1869, Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gorton was appointed as the Inspector of Defence Stores, establishing his office at Molesworth Street in Wellington, bringing all New Zealand’s Defence storekeepers under his control.  By January 1869, as the withdrawal of Imperial units became imminent, the dismantling of their central logistic hub at Auckland’s Fort Britomart and Albert Barracks had commenced, with military stores, including guns and ammunition that were not auctioned off to the public or purchased by the New Zealand Government, shipped to the United Kingdom. The departure of the British Military Storekeeper Joseph Osbertus Hamley in July 1870 marked the final withdrawal of Imperial Forces from New Zealand, with the Auckland Defence Store taking over ownership of the Armoury and Magazines located in Albert Barracks.

In May 1869, Captain John Mitchell was suspended as the Auckland Storekeeper due to unauthorised absences. Resigning in July, Major William St Clair Tisdall replaced Mitchell as acting Storekeeper. A small staff assisted Tisdall, some of whom had served in the stores since 1861, including

  • John Blomfield, Clerk
  • John Price, Clerk
  • David Evitt, Armourer Sergeant
  • Arms Cleaners
    • Mr’s F Gibbons,
    • J Penligan and
    • C.C Rockley

Following the departure of Imperial units, the future of Albert Barracks came under debate. In addition to the Defence Stores, the only other military use of the former barracks was by the local Militia and Volunteers, who retained a drill hall and utilised the parade round. The Auckland Improvement (Albert Barrack Reserves) Act of 1872 repealed previous Acts relating to the status of Albert Barracks and placed responsibility for the management and disposal of the land under the Auckland Improvement Commissioners.[3] The Auckland Improvement Commissioners drew up and oversaw plans to develop the bulk of the Barracks into a recreational reserve, with other areas subdivided into roads and plots of land for further development.

By 1871 the growth of Auckland now placed the ageing powder magazine in the centre of a built-up area, raising concerns about its safety. New powder magazines were constructed at Mount Eden, with the first stocks transferred from Albert Park to Mount Eden in September, following which the Albert Barracks magazines were demolished.[4]  With the Auckland district’s supply of ammunition now safely stored at Mount Eden under the care of the Defence Stores magazine keeper, Tisdall and the remaining staff of Storemen and Armourers remained at Albert Barracks.[5] Initially located in the old Imperial Armoury building at the Symonds Street entrance of Albert Barracks, it was considered an obstruction to the Commissioner’s projected improvements.[6] To allow the extension of Princes Street and subdivision of the land between Princes and Symonds Street, in July 1873,  the Defence Stores had been moved into the well-constructed stone building that had previously been the Barracks hospital.[7] The new building included ample accommodation for warlike stores, including small workshops and a forge.[8] The only remnant of the site of the old Armoury were two Russian 18-pounder guns taken at the Crimea and presented by the Imperial Government to the colony of New Zealand in the late 1850s.[9]

The Defence Stores building in Albert Park was described by the Auckland Star as the “hideous eyesore in Albert Park’ and considered a blight on the skyline as it obstructed the view from the park that had been established to replace the Barracks.[10]  By 1883 an agreement was reached between the Auckland Council and the Government, with a plot of land in O’Rourke Street provided to allow the relocation of the Defence Stores.[11] 

Queen St with Albert Barracks on the left hillside C1870-1979. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections 898-9969

When the proposal was first mooted to relocate the Defence Store, plans were prepared in the Auckland Public Works office for a three-storied building equal in space to the present location. However, as it intended to centralise the operations of the Defence Stores in Wellington, the original design was countermanded with a design for a smaller building substituted. Tenders for the erection of the new Defence Stores building were published on 10 May 1883 for a building meeting the following specifications,

  • to be constructed of brick, two storeys in height, with a concrete foundation,
  • to have a frontage of 25 feet with a depth of 36 feet.
  • the ground floor was to have
    • a passage seven feet wide,
    • two 18×18 apartments,
    • a staircase leading from the ground floor to the upper storey
  • The upper floor subdivided into
    • An 18×8 office, compartment with lift,
    • a 14 x18 room
    • an 11 x 18 room
  • To the rear of the building
    • a 14×25 shed with an asphalted floor for gun carriages
    • a 6×14 coal shed,
    • a 14×20 Armourer’s shop.

Due to the considerable amount of material accumulated in the old Defence Stores over its many years of operation, Captain Sam Anderson, the Chief Defence Storekeeper, assisted in a stocktake of the old store as it was decommissioned, ensuring only essential materials were transferred to the new building.  Surplus stores were disposed of by tender or redistributed, including over 2000 obsolete muzzle-loading muskets relocated to the Defence Store in Wellington.[12] The old Stores building was soon demolished with much of the material used in the construction of the new building, with the only reminder of the military’s residence of Albert Park being a small portion of the Barracks wall and a few old cannons on display in the new ornamental gardens.

The New Defence Store in O’Rourke Street was one of the earliest purpose-built Storehouses built for New Zealand’s Military. Up to this period, many of the buildings utilised by the Defence Stores were inherited from the Imperial Forces or requisitioned commercial premises.

By 1888, the cost of maintaining a peacetime military had reached the point where cutbacks and savings across the Defence budget had to be made. As part of several reductions across the Defence Department, the Auckland Defence Store was drastically downsized, resulting in the retirement or redundancy of most of the staff. The closure of the Auckland Defence Stores was met with dismay, with the press questioning it as an absurd decision, with the New Zealand Herald noting in an editorial that the closure of the Auckland Defence Store was” solely arising from the Wellington authorities having want of local knowledge and of the requirements of the place.” This pushback on the closure of the Auckland Defence Store resulted in a short reprieve for  James Bloomfield, the Defence Storekeeper in Auckland, who had served since 1861, was granted a reprieve from redundancy and allowed to extend his tenure, retiring in December 1888, handing over the responsibilities of Defence Storekeeper for Auckland to Major John William Gascoyne of the New Zealand Permanent Militia.[13] Following Gascoyne’s departure in 1891, the responsibilities of Auckland Defence Storekeeper were assumed by the Adjutant of the Auckland Brigade Office, who oversaw the duties of the Magazine Keeper at Mount Eden, Mr J Hawthorn.[14]

Concurrent with the Adjutant taking over the Defence Storekeepers’ responsibilities, the Auckland Brigade Office was moved from its offices in the Auckland Supreme Court into the Defence Store O’Rourke Street building, from where the Adjutant conducted his duties related to the Auckland Volunteers and the Defence Stores.[15] This shared arrangement remained in place into the early years of the twentieth century and even saw a telephone installed in 1902.

Routine activities conducted by the Auckland Defence Stores in O’Rourke Street included various tenders to provide uniforms and repair equipment. Following the bloodless Dog Tax War of 1898, the Defence Store in O’Rourke street took custody of the surrendered arms, including [16]

  • one Winchester repeating rifle
  • one Winchester carbine
  • two Green’s American patent Snider breech-loading rifles
  • one Snider rifle
  • one muzzle-loading carbine
  • one Lee Bolt shotgun, single barrel
  • three breech-loading single-barrel guns.
  • three double-barrel breech loaders (nearly new)
  • ten double-barrel muzzle-loading guns
  • two single-barrel guns
  • four bundles of ammunition (various)

 In 1903 the Police expressed an interest in taking over the building as accommodation for the Auckland Police Commissioner. Following an inspection by the Defence Storekeeper, Mr James O’Sullivan, arrangements were made to transfer the Defence Stores from the O’Rourke Street Property to Mount Eden and hand the building over to the Police.[17] In 1904, the Defence Stores building handover to the Police was concluded, ending the sixty-year relationship between Auckland’s Albert Park and the Military.

The Police fully refurbished the former Defence Store Building into a residential villa. The building survived into the 1960s when it was demolished to allow the construction of Auckland University.

1905 view of the refurbished Defence Store building(Center of the photo next to Police Station)

Despite the construction of new buildings for the Defence Stores in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin during the early 1900s, no new permanent buildings were constructed for the Auckland Defence Stores as the existing powder magazines at Mount Eden, constructed in 1871, were deemed sufficient to meet current and projected needs. Following the transition of the Defence Stores into the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps in 1917, a new Ordnance Depot was constructed for the Northern Region to replace the infrastructure at Mount Eden in the late 1920s. However, it was not in Auckland but at Hopuhopu in the Waikato. Temporary Ordnance Stores were established in Auckland during World War Two, utilising rented commercial premises.  In the post-war era, ordnance warehouses established at Syliva Park utilised buildings constructed for the United States Forces. Besides Explosive Store Houses at Ardmore, no permanent dedicated storage infrastructure was ever constructed for the RNZAOC in Auckland. 

The significance of the Defence Store building in O’Rourke Street is that, excluding smaller unit storehouses and ammunition storehouses, it remains the only purpose-built military warehouse constructed for the New Zealand Army in Auckland.

Notes

[1] Queen’s Redoubt Assistant Military Secretary, “Correspondence Stating That There Is No Objection to the Erection of a Store for Colonial Purposes Adjoining Armoury Albert Barracks,” Archives New Zealand Item No R24075932 (1863).

[2] M. R. Wicksteed, The New Zealand Army: A History from the 1840s to the 1980s ([Ministry of Defence, 1982), Non-fiction, 2-3.

[3] Under the provisions of the Public Domains Act 1860, the Auckland Military Reserves Act 1871 established the land that Albert Barracks occupied as Crown land.

[4] “New Power Magazine at Mount Eden,” New Zealand Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 2377, 7 September 1871.

[5] The Magazine Keeper was Mr J Broughton; Tindall’s other staff consisted of his Clerk Mr J Blomfield. Armourer Mr D Evitt and Three Arms Cleaners Mr’s F Gibbons, J Penligan and C.C Rockley. “D-13 Nominal Roll of the Civil Establishment of New Zealand on the 1st July 1872,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives (1872); “Nominal Return of Officer in Defence Department and Armed Constabulary Force on 1 July 1872,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1873 Session I, H-24a (1872).

[6] “Deputation from the Auckland Improvement Commissioners,” New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2859, 28 March 1873.

[7] “Militia Store Move,” Auckland Star, Volume IV, Issue 1087, 17 July 1873.

[8] “Wooden Building in Albert Barracks,” New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 09, 30 September 1873.

[9] “Russian Guns,” New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3927, 13 June 1874.

[10] “Albert Park Armoury,” Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3523, 22 November 1881.

[11] Linking Princes and Symonds Streets, O’Rourke Street is now occupied by Auckland University, Captain Anderson, “Old Defence Store to Be Sold by Tender, All the Muzzle Loading Rifles to Be Sent by “Hinemoa”,” Archives New Zealand Item No R24280543 (1883).

[12] “Flashes,” Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5047, 27 April 1883.

[13] “Reductions in Civil Service,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1888 Session I, H-30, 11 May 1888.

[14] A. H. McLintock, ” Frederick John William Gascoyne,” http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/gascoyne-or-gascoigne-frederick-john-william.

[15] “Volunteer Gossip,” Observer, Volume XI, Issue 656, (1891).

[16] “The Maori Trouble,” Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 114, 16 May 1898.

[17] Wellington Defence Storekeeper, ” Subject: Report of Inspection of Defence Stores Auckland. Again Urges Removal of Store from O’Rourke [O’rorke] Street to Mount Eden Cost to Be Met by Police Department ” Archives New Zealand Item No R24743403 (1903).

Principle posts of the RNZAOC and its predecessors

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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
Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gorton

Defence Storekeeper (Defence Stores)

  • Capt S.C Anderson                                                                9 Jan 1877 – 7 Dec 1899 (Deceased in office)
Captain Sam Anderson
  • Mr J O’Sullivan                                                                  7 Dec 1899 – 1 Jan 1907
CAPTAIN O’SULLIVAN (Storekeeper Defence Department, Wellington).,NZ Truth, Issue 304, 22 April 1911

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

The Royal NZ Artillery established an Ordnance Section in 1915 to maintain and manufacture artillery ammunition. 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          
Major Thomas James McCristell, Director of Equipment and Ordnance Stores, 10 April 1916 – 20 January 1920.

Director of Ordnance Stores (NZAOC)

  • Lt Col H.E Pilkington                                                        30 Jan 1920 – 1 Oct 1924
Lt Col H.E Pilkington, CBE. Director of Ordnance Services, 30 Jan 1920 – 1 Oct 1924
  • Lt Col T.J King                                                                     1 Oct 1924 – 6 Jan 1940
Brigadier T J King, CBE, RNZAOC Regimental Colonel 1 Jan 1949 – 31 Mar 1961. RNZAOC School
  • 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
Major H.E Erridge
  • 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 A.H Andrews. OBE, RNZAOC Director of Ordnance Services, 1 Oct 1947 – 11 Nov 1949.
  • Lt Col F Reid                                                                       12 Nov 1949 – 31 Mar 1957
Lt Col F Reid, OBE. Director of Ordnance Services 12 Nov 1949 – 31 Mar 1957
  • Lt Col H Mck Reid                                                             1 Apr 1958 – 11 Nov 1960
Lt Col H McK Reid, Director of Ordnance Services , 1 Apr 1957 – 11 Nov 1960
  • Lt Col E Whiteacre                                                           12 Nov 1960 – 24 May 1967
Lt Col E Whiteacre, OBE, 12 Nov 1960 – 23 May 1967
  • Lt Col J Harvey                                                                 24 May 1967 – 28 Aug 1968
Lt COl J Harvey, Director of Ordnance Services, 24 May 1967 – 28 Aug 1968.
  • Lt Col G.J.H Atkinson                                                     29 Aug 1968 – 20 Oct 1972
Lt Col G.J.H Atkinson, Director of Ordnance Services. 29Aug 1968 – 20 Oct 1972.
  • Lt Col M.J Ross                                                                 21 Oct 1972 – 6 Dec 1976
Lt Col M.J Ross, Director of Ordnance Services, 21 Oct 1972 – 6 Dec 1976.
  • Lt Col A.J Campbell                                                          7 Dec 1976 – 9 Apr 1979
Lt Col A.J Campbell, Director of Ordnance Services, 7 Dec 1976 – 9 Apr 1979.
  • Lt Col P.M Reid                                                                 10 Apr 1979 – 25 Jul 1983
Lt Col P.M Reid, Director of Ordnance Services, 10 Apr 1979 – 25 Jul 1983.
  • Lt Col T.D McBeth                                                            26 Jul 1983 – 31 Jan 1986
Lt Col T.D McBeth, Director of Ordnance Services , 26 July 1983 – 31 Jan 1986.
  • Lt Col G.M Corkin                                                             1 Feb 1986 – 1 Dec 1986
Lt Col G.M Corkin, Director of Ordnance Services, 1 Feb 1986 – 1 Dec 1986.
  • Lt Col J.F Hyde                                                                   2 Dec 1986 – 31 Oct 1987
Lt Col J.F Hyde, Director of Ordnance Services, 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 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF)  

Officer Commanding NZEF NZAOC

  • Capt W.T Beck,                                                                  3 Dec 1914 – 31 Jan 1916
William Thomas Beck Circa 1921
  • Lt Col A.H Herbert,                                                          1 Feb 1916 – 31 Mar 1918
Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Henry Herbert, NZAOC. aucklandmuseum/Public Domain
  • Lt Col H.E Pilkington, RNZA                                           30 Jun 1918- 22 Jan 20
  • Temp Capt W.H Simmons,                                             20 Feb 20 – 13 Oct 1920

During the Second World War, all the Ordnance functions of the 2nd NZEF were organised as the New Zealand Ordnance Corps (NZOC).

Officer Commanding 2nd 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 2nd 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
Lieutenant-Colonel Stanley Arthur Knight
  • Lt Col M.S Myers                                                              8 Jan 1942 – 24 Apr 1944
  • Lt Col S.A Knight                                                             24 Apr 1944 – 30 Oct 1944                                           

Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps

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In British and Commonwealth military doctrine, there has long been a separation of responsibility for Supplies and Stores.

  • Supplies – The provisioning, storing, and distributing of food for soldiers; forage for animals; Fuel, Oil, and Lubricants (FOL) for Tanks, Trucks, and other fuel-powered vehicles and equipment; and the forward transport and distribution of ammunition. In the NZ Army, Supplies were managed by the New Zealand Army Service Corps (NZASC) from 1911 to 16 October 19789.
  • Stores – The provisioning, storage, and distribution of weapons, munitions, and military equipment are not managed by RNZASC. Stores were the Responsibility of the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC) until 1996.

Despite the separation of responsibilities, the RNZASC and RNZAOC would have a long and cooperative relationship for most of their existence.

During the early colonial days, the early actions of the New Zealand Wars proved that the New Zealand bush and the elusive tactics of the Maori presented new problems in supply and transport. An Imperial Supply and Transport Service was established and operated with the Imperial troops.

From the end of the New Zealand Wars until 1910, there was no ASC unit in New Zealand, with the supply functions required by the New Zealand Military provided by the Defence Stores Department.

After the conclusion of the South African War, the Military Forces in New Zealand embarked on a series of reforms to enhance the organisation and capability of the nation’s military, enabling it to contribute effectively to a broader Imperial Defence scheme. In 1910, at the request of the New Zealand Government, Field Marshal Viscount Kitchener inspected New Zealand’s Forces. Kitchener provided several recommendations concerning the ongoing reforms, emphasising the need for a professional Staff Corps to administer the force and confirming the requirement for a New Zealand ASC, which was gazetted on 12 May 1910 (backdated to 6 May 1910) as a designated component of the Territorial Forces of New Zealand.

The momentum for these reforms gained further impetus with the appointment of Major General Alexander Godley as the New Zealand Military Forces Commandant in December 1910. Godley was pivotal in revitalising New Zealand’s military organisational framework in his first year, making critical command and staff appointments, promulgating the (Provisional) Regulations for the Military Forces of New Zealand, and making plans to build up the NZASC, which up to this time had remained a paper corps.

Acknowledging the highly specialised nature of ASC duties, distinct from combatant staff and regimental officers, and the absence of suitably qualified officers in New Zealand, Godley recommended to the Minister of Defence on 4 January 1911 the lending of services of an experienced Imperial ASC Senior Captain or Major to organise and train New Zealand’s transport and supply services for three years. The Minister of Defence endorsed this recommendation with the Prime Minister cabling the New Zealand High Commissioner in London on 10 January 1910 to approach the Army Council for the following:

Services of experienced Army Service Corps major or senior captain required to organise New Zealand Army Service Corps. Engagement for three years. Salary £600 a year consolidated. Pay to include house allowance. Travelling allowance of 12/6d a day and allowance for one horse if kept, will also be granted. 

Within two months of receiving New Zealand’s request for an ASC Officer, the Army Council promptly and affirmatively responded to the call. Having already sanctioned nine additional officers to assist Godley, the Council selected Knox, who then served in C (Depot) Company ASC at Aldershot for service in New Zealand to organise the NZASC.

Under the guidance of New Zealand Adjutant and Quartermaster-General Colonel Alfred Robin, Knox assumed his duties as the New Zealand DST at the Army General Staff Offices on Wellington’s Buckle Street. His responsibilities encompassed a wide range of functions, including quarters, tender and contracts, personal and freight movement, and presidency on two standing committees related to Drill sheds and the storage and distribution of clothing and equipment to the forces.

Recognising Knox’s extensive duties, he was granted the Temporary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel on 6 September 1911. With Colonel Robin’s appointment as the New Zealand representative at the War Office in London in 1912, Knox assumed the additional role of Quartermaster General (QMG). Despite Knox diligently fulfilling the role of QMG and DST, progress on the formation of the NZASC was slow.

By 1914, Knox had established 16 NZASC companies of approximately 30 men each across the four New Zealand Military Districts, with imported ASC officers serving as Assistant Directors of Supply and Transport (ADST) in each District Headquarters.   Although Knox had departed by the time of the 1914 divisional camps, the Inspector General of Imperial Forces, General Sir Ian Hamilton, noted following his inspection that:

The very highest credit is due to the Army Service Corps officers and their men. They have done a first-class service, although as a rule undermanned to an extent that would fill a labour union with horror. When the Army Service Corps units are up to their normal strengths, a suitable system of calling the men up to camp in relays will enable the necessary duties to be carried out as efficiently and with much less strain on the personnel.

During World War One, New Zealand ASC units fulfilled crucial functions. ASC Companies supported the Territorial Infantry and Mounted Rifle Brigades. At the same time, Supply and Transport Units aided mobilisation camps within New Zealand. Overseas, the NZASC operated across all New Zealand theatres of war, delivering indispensable services. At its zenith, it managed the NZ Divisional Train, five ASC Companies, five Depot Units of Supply, the NZ Field Bakery, the NZ Field Butchery, and the NZ Motor Transport Workshop. Notably, the NZASC and NZAOC frequently shared personnel, facilities, and transportation, especially in the conflict’s early years.

In 1917 the NZAOC was established as a permanent component of the New Zealand Military Forces, however, it would not be until 1924 that the Permanent NZASC was formed.

Post-war, under the leadership of Captain Stanley Herbert Crump, the NZASC transitioned to a peacetime establishment comprising a Headquarters and three depots (Northern, Central, and Southern). In 1924, the Permanent NZASC (PNZASC) was established as part of the permanent Military Forces. Additionally, in 1925, an alliance between the NZASC and the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was ratified.

The RASC has its roots in history that are much more profound. Up to the time of Cromwell, armies mainly lived by plunder. The RASC came into being in 1888. but the work it now performs was being done long before that.

Cromwell and then the Duke of Marlborough, and later Napoleon, organised a system of civilian commissaries. The Duke of York established the Corps of Royal Waggoners in 1794. This purely transport organisation continued until 1869 under various names, eventually as the Military Train, fighting as light cavalry in the Indian Mutiny.

The birth of the Supplies and Transport Service dates from 1869. when supplies and transport, along with the Military Stores Department, came under one department called the Control Department, it remained for General Sir Redvers Buller in 1888 to organise the first Army Service Corps. Since its formation, the RASC has been a combatant one. Trained and armed as infantry and responsible for its own protection. Considerd a more technical Corps, the RAOC was not granted combatant status until 1942.

In 1931, under Crump’s continued leadership, the NZASC underwent a reorganisation into three Composite Companies. Each company comprised seven officers, four warrant officers, and 99 other ranks, establishing a solid foundation from which the NZASC could readily expand to meet the demands of future conflicts.

During World War Two, numerous units and establishments represented the NZASC across all New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) theatres. Similar to the previous World War, the NZASC maintained a collaborative relationship with New Zealand Ordnance Corps (NZOC) Ammunition Examiners (AEs) in the establishment of NZASC Ammunition platoons. At times, NZASC Warrant Officers were attached to the NZ Divisional Ordnance Field Park (OFP) to offer technical advice on vehicle spares. In recognition of the NZASC’s service during WW2, the title “Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps” was conferred in 1946.

In the post-war era, the NZASC and from 1946, the RNZASC would serve with distinction J Force in Japan and then contribute the second-largest New Zealand contingent to K Force in Korea by providing 10 Transport Company. Playing a pivotal role in sustaining the morale and effectiveness of New Zealand forces during these conflicts

Until 1947, NZASC units primarily handled baking bread, butchering meat, and procuring and distributing fresh and packaged provisions to frontline units, while regimental cooks and stewards were responsible for cooking and serving meals. To enhance and standardise cooking practices throughout the army, the Supplies and Transport Catering Group (STCG) was established on 15 February 1948 with the following objectives:

  • Training and provision of unit cooks and kitchen hands.
  • Instruction and supervision of the management of the Army ration scale.
  • Improvement of food preparation and cooking standards.
  • Advice on the installation and operation of cooking appliances and kitchen equipment.
  • Guidance on the layout of mess buildings.

In September 1948, all Regimental catering staff, except those of the New Zealand Women’s Army Corps, were transferred into the RNZASC. Throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the RNZASC played a vital role within the New Zealand Army, encompassing a wide range of functions. These included everyday tasks such as cooking and serving food, as well as more complex operations like air supply drops. To manage the procurement, storage, transportation, and distribution of essential supplies such as food, fuels, and oils for a modern Army, the RNZASC operated Supply Depots and employed various tradespeople, including butchers. Supply Depots were strategically located in Papakura, Waiouru, Linton, Trentham, and Burnham, where bulk supplies were stored and distributed as needed. Additionally, every Army camp featured a section of the RNZASC, along with smaller supply and transport depots, which were responsible for handling goods from central supply depots and providing drivers and transport services for various purposes. These smaller depots were situated in Devonport/Fort Caultley,

ANZUK Supply Platoon, Singapore – 1972 Standing L to R: Cpl Parker, RAASC. Cpl Olderman, RAASC, Cpl Mcintyre, RAOC. Sgt Frank, RAOC. Cpl Rangi, RNZASC. Sgt Locke, RNZASC. Sgt Bust, RAOC. Pte Mag, RAASC. Cpl David, RAASC. Sitting L to R: Sgt Kietelgen, RAASC. WO2 West, RAOC. Capt Mcnice, RAOC. Maj Hunt, RAASC. Lt Fynn, RAASC. WO2 Cole, RAASC. WO2 Clapton. RAASC

Following the Macleod report that recommended the streamlining of logistic support for the British Army, the RASC merged in 1965 with the Royal Engineers’ Transportation and Movement Control Service to form the Royal Corps of Transport (RCT). This would see the RASC Supply functions transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC). In 1973, following the British lead, the Australians also reformed their Royal Australian Army Service Corps (RAASC) into the Royal Australian Army Corps of Transport (RAACT).

Acknowledging the British and Australian experience, the RNZASC underwent a similar transition—operational command of the Supply function transferred to the RNZAOC on 16 October 1978. On 12 May 1979, the RNZASC ceased to exist: Supply personnel formally transferred to the RNZAOC, while Transport, Movements, and Catering were re-formed as the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport (RNZCT)..

The RNZASC supply function would be integrated into the RNZAOC, with the Camp Supply Depots becoming NZAOC Supply Platoons numbered as.

  • 14 Supply Platoon, Papakura/Hopuhopu
  • 24 Supply Platoon, Linton
  • 34 Supply Platoon, Burnham
  • 44 Supply Platoon, Waiouru
  • 54 Supply Platoon, Trentham
  • NZ Supply Platoon, Singapore

In recognition of its long RNZASC service, 21 Supply Company was retained as a Territorial unit, initially as the Territorial element of 4 Supply Company in Waiouru and later as the Territorial element of 2 Supply Company, Linton. Today, 21 Supply is the principal North Island Supply unit of the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR).

For a short period following the RNZAOC assumption of Supply functions, some RF and TF RNZAOC would periodically be employed within the RNZCT transport Squadrons’ Combat Supplies sections.

The RNZAOC Butcher trade inherited from the RNZASC would be discontinued in the mid-1980s, with the last of the butchers reclassifying as RNZAOC Suppliers. By the mid-1990s, it was decided as a cost-saving measure to allow the RNZCT catering staff to order directly from commercial foodstuff suppliers, effectively ending the RNZAOC foodstuffs speciality. The only RNZASC trade speciality remaining in the RNZAOC after its amalgamation into the RNZALR was that of Petroleum Operator.

The Royal NZ Army Service Corps & Corps of Transport, like the RNZAOC, have passed their combined responsibilities to the RNZALR. However, the Royal NZ Army Service Corps & Corps of Transport maintain a strong association that provides many benefits and opportunities for comradeship to RNZASC/CT Corps members and past and present members of the RNZALR. Another role of the RNZASC/CT association is to ensure that the rich and significant history of the RNZASC/CT is not lost to future generations of the RNZALR.

Copies of the RNZASC/CT association newsletter can be viewed here

NZ Defence Stores July 1869 – June 1870

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Military Storekeeping has been a feature of New Zealand’s military experience since 1840, and it is well known within the military storekeeping fraternity how Governor Hobson appointed Henry Tucker as the Colonial Storekeeper.  From 1840 to 1845, Tucker, as Colonial Storekeeper, managed the Ammunition, Arms and accoutrements for the Militias hastily organised in the early days of colonial New Zealand. However, it is not until 1917, and the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps formation that New Zealand Military Storekeeping’s history begins with the period from 1845 to 1917 remaining as an empty void in the histography of New Zealand’s Military Storekeeping.  In this article, the period from July 1869 to June 1870 is examined. In this specific period, as New Zealand’s military “Self-Reliance” policy reached its culmination with the final Imperial Forces withdrawing from New Zealand and conflict that had raged since 1860 in its last throes. The conflict had placed an enormous financial burden on the young nation as it formed and equipped Regular, Militia and Volunteer units and as the country looked forward, the Defence Stores Department was formalised as a component of the New Zealand Forces to manage the large amount of war material that had been acquired.

Initially, Militia units in New Zealand were raised and equipped under the auspice of the Colonial Secretary. As Militia units could only be used for local defence, the Militia Act of 1858 allowed Volunteer Units to be formed for service anywhere in the colony. Like Militia units, Volunteer units were administered and equipped by the Colonial Secretary.  As conflict increased in the early 1860s with Imperial troops undertaking the bulk of the military burden, a call for the colony to take on more responsibility was advocated by Francis Weld, a member of the House of Representatives. Weld’s position became known as the “self-reliant” policy.

As Weld’s “self-reliant” policy gained traction, New Zealand’s Military Forces’ shape and how they were administered and equipped undertook a transformation with the reliance on Imperial Forces gradually decreasing until they were fully withdrawn in 1870.  A regular New Zealand Military Force was initiated with the passing of the Colonial Defence Force Act 1862 by the Government in 1863. This Act created a small Regular Force and formalised the Defence Minister’s role and created a Defence Department to administer the colony’s Defence Forces. The Colonial Store Department and Militia Store Department’s role and responsibilities were formalised, maintaining the separation between the Regulars and the Militia and Volunteers.  

In 1865 with local units taking on more of the defence burden with the scaling down and withdrawal of Imperial units well underway, a review of colonial defence proposed that the shape of New Zealand’s Military be changed to an Armed Constabulary Force supported by friendly natives with Militia and Volunteer units providing additional support when required. In October 1867 the Colonial Defence Force was disbanded by the Armed Constabulary Act 1867 with the regular members of the Colonial Defence Force transferred to the Armed Constabulary.[1]  Concurrent to implementing the Armed Constabulary Act 1867, the New Zealand Government also passed the Public Stores Act of 1867. The Act provided for the first time a comprehensive policy on the responsibility for the management of Government Stores, which as Government entities the Armed Constabulary, Militia and Volunteers were required to adhere too.[2]

With the Imperial withdrawal almost completed and military operations ongoing across the North Island, the first significant changes in stores’ management did not occur until 1869 when the entire Defence Stores Structure undertook substantial changes. One of the significant changes was recognising the Defence Stores as a permanent component of the Military.  Allocated a budget as part of the Militia, Volunteer and Armed Constabulary vote in the 1870 Government Estimates passed by Parliament in 1869, the Defence Stores were budgeted to function as follows;[3]

  • Head Office, Wellington
    • Inspector of Stores @ £500 PA
    • Inspector of Stores, Clerk @ £150 PA
  • Auckland
    • Storekeeper @ £250 PA
    • 2 x Clerks @ £160 PA ea.
    • Armourer @ £182 PA
    • 4 x Arms Cleaner @ £109 PA ea.
  • Wellington
    • Storekeeper, Armed Constabulary @250bPA
    • Storekeeper, Militia and Volunteers @ £100 PA[4]
    • Clerk @ £150 PA
    • Armourer@ £182 PA
    • 4 x Arms Cleaner@ £109 PA
  • Wanganui
    • Storekeeper@ £100 PA[5]
    • Clerk @ £130 PA
  • Patea
    • Sub-Storekeeper @150 PA (from Jan 1870)[6]

With only a skeleton staff in the Auckland, Wellington and Wanganui, the Defence Stores had no presence in many parts of the nation and faced many challenges supporting its nationwide dependency.

Armed Constabulary

As of 15 June 1870, the Armed Constabulary was organised into six districts supported by a depot in Wellington.[7]

Sam Cosgrave Anderson, a clerk in the Defence Stores, was appointed as the Armed Constabulary Storekeeper late in 1869, a position equal in grade and pay to the Defence Storekeepers in Auckland, Whanganui and Wellington.

  • Waikato with 108 men, dispersed across seven stations at;
    • Hamilton
    • Cambridge
    • Ngāruawāhia
    • Kihikihi
    • Alexandra
    • Raglan
    • Auckland
  • Taranaki with 170 men, dispersed across eleven stations at;
    • Wai-iti
    • Mimu
    • Urenui
    • Tupari
    • Takapu
    • Taipikiri
    • New Plymouth
    • Tikorangi
    • Okato
    • Te Arei
    • Waitara
  • Hawke’s Bay with 273 men dispersed across six stations and a Transport Corps at;
    • Opepe
    • Napier
    • Runanga
    • Tapuarharuru
    • Tarawera
    • Te Haroto
  • Turanganui (Poverty Bay) with 95 men dispersed across four stations
    • Turanganui (Gisborne)
    • Ormond
    • Te Wairoa
    • Te Kepa
  • Wanganui-Patea, with 199 men dispersed across seven stations
    • Patea
    • Manutahi
    • Waihi
    • Hawera
    • Werorou
    • Wanganui
    • Wairoa (Waverley)
    • Wanganui
  • Bay of Plenty with 157 dispersed across seven stations
    • Tauranga
    • Maketu
    • Whakatane
    • Kaiteriria
    • Opitiki
  • Wellington Depot with 82 men.
New Zealand Armed Constabulary garrison at Ōpepe, near Taupō, early 1870s. Alexander Turnbull Library, Reference: 1/2-003116-F Artist: Samuel Carnell.

Militia and Volunteers

The Militia and Volunteers force was organised into districts and allocated a small permanent military staff to administer both the militia and volunteer units. Depending on the District’s size and the Militia and Volunteer units within the district, the permanent Military Staff consisted of an Officer Commanding or Adjutant, a Sergeant Major or Sergeant and a Bugler. Responsibility for stores issued to the Militia and Volunteers was assumed by an officer in the district appointed as Quartermaster in addition to their existing duties. In Some districts, the District Quartermaster was responsible for the Armed Constabulary, Militia and Volunteer Stores.

Militia

The Militia Act of 1870 obliged all male inhabitants of New Zealand between the ages of seventeen and fifty-five liable for service in the Militia.[8] However, due to the many exemptions allowed under the Act, the actual number available for call-up was limited, with few undertaking the necessary short training periods.  As of June 1870, approximately four thousand militiamen had been called up and participated in actual service or training. Militia Districts were.

  • Mongonui District
  • Bay of Islands District
  • Hokianga District
  • Kaipara District
  • Mangawhai District
  • Whangarei District
  • Auckland District
  • Wairoa District
  • Waiuku District
  • Wkangape District
  • Rangiriri District
  • Hamilton District
  • Raglan District
  • Alexandra District
  • Cambridge District
  • Thames District
  • Coromandel District
  • North Shore District
  • Tauranga District
  • Matala District
  • Opotiki District
  • White Cliffs District
  • New Plymouth District
  • Cape Egmont District
  • Patea District.
  • Whanganui District
  • Rangitikei District
  • Otaki District
  • Wellington District
  • Grey town District
  • Masterton District
  • East Coast (Native) District
  • Wairoa (Hawke’s Bay) District
  • North Napier District
  • South Napier District
  • South and Stewart Island District
Private of the New Zealand Militia in campaign dress. Harding, William James, 1826-1899 :Negatives of Wanganui district. Ref: 1/4-006785-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22807152

Volunteer Corps

Volunteer Corps were more established and drilled and met regularly and at times, deployed on operations. As of 31 May 1870, the Volunteer Corps was reorganised into Calvary, Artillery, Engineer, Rifle, Naval and Cadet Corps.

Auckland Province

2600 men organised into 40 Adult and 13 Cadet Corps located at;

  • Auckland
    • 4 Cavalry Corps
    • 1 Artillery Corps
    • 1 Engineer Corps
    • 9 Rifle Corps
    • 2 Naval Corps
    • 11 Cadet Corps
  • Wairoa
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 2 Rifle Corps
  • Waiuku
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 6 Rifle Corps
  • Waikato
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
  • Thames
    • 1 Engineer Corps
    • 5 Rifle Corps
    • 1 Naval Corps
    • 2 Cadet Corps
  • Bay of Plenty
    • 2 Cavalry Corps
    • 1 Rifle Corps
  • Poverty Bay
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 1 Rifle Corps

Taranaki Province

166 men organised into 4 Adult Corps located at

  • New Plymouth
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 1 Rifle Corps
  • Patea
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 1 Rifle Corps

Wellington Province

1821 men organised into 39 Adult and 8 Cadet Corps located at

  • Wanganui
    • 4 Cavalry Corps
    • 3 Rifle Corps
  • Rangitikei
    • 4 Cavalry Corps
    • 6 Rifle Corps
    • 2 Cadet Corps
  • Wellington
    • 1 Artillery Corps
    • 13 Rifle Corps
    • 5 Cadet Corps
  • Greytown
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 2 Rifle Corps
    • 1 Cadet Corps
  • Masterton
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 2 Rifle Corps

Hawkes Bay Province

304 men organised into 4 Adult and 1 Cadet Corps located at

  • Napier
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 1 Artillery Corps
    • 1 Rifle Corps
    • 1 Cadet Corps
  • Wairoa
    • 1 Rifle Corps

Nelson Province

295 men organised into 3 Adult and 3 Cadet Corps

  • Nelson
    • 1 Artillery Corps
    • 2 Rifle Corps
    • 3 Cadet Corps

Marlborough Province

235 men organised into 5 Adult and 2 Cadet Corps

  • Marlborough
    • 5 Rifle Corps
    • 2 Cadet Corps

Canterbury Province

710 men organised into 13 Adult and 5 Cadet Corps

  • Canterbury
    • 1 Cavalry Corps
    • 3 Artillery Corps
    • 2 Engineer Corps
    • 7 Rifle Corps
    • 5 Cadet Corps

Otago and Southland Province

1303 men organised into 18 Adult and 3 Cadet Corps

  • Otago
    • 1 Artillery Corps
    • 13 Rifle Corps
    • 2 Naval
    • 2 Cadet Corps
  • Invercargill
    • 1 Rifle Corps
    • 1 Cadet Corps
  • Riverton
    • 1 Rifle Corps

Westland Province

207 men organised into 3 Adult Corps

  • Hokitika
    • 1 Rifle Corps
  • Ross
    • 1 Rifle Corps
  • Greymouth
    • 1 Rifle Corps

Defence Store Department

The Defence Stores was not a new organisation but an amalgamation of the Militia Stores Department and the Colonial Stores Department, which had both been created in the early 1860s. The notable change was the appointment in April 1869 of Lieutenant Colonel, Edward Gorton as Inspector of Stores. [9] Appointed as Inspector of Stores at the age of Thirty-One, Gorton had come to New Zealand with the 57th Regiment where he had spent time as Cameron’s aide-de-camp. Taking his release from Imperial service in 1863, Gorton was appointed as Major in the Militia assuming command of the Wellington Militia District. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, Gorton was placed in command of the Whanganui and Rangitikei Militia Districts and served as Quartermaster to General Whitmore during the Tītokowaru War of 1868/69.[10]

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Gorton

Establishing his office in Wellington, Gorton was assisted by a Clerk, Mr C.S Lockie. Shortly after his appointment, Gorton drafted new rules and regulations for keeping store accounts and the proposed forms to the defence minister for approval.[11]

Auckland Defence Stores

Located at Albert Barracks, the Auckland Defence Store was the most extensive and principal Defence Store in New Zealand.  Although the Storekeeper in Auckland was Capitan John Mitchell, he had been suspended as Colonial Storekeeper in May 1869 due to a dispute about some absences.[12] Mitchell resigned on 5 July 1869, with and Major William St Clair Tisdall was appointed as acting Sub-Storekeeper of the Auckland Defence Stores.[13]

Major Tisdall was assisted by a small, long-serving and experienced staff consisting of;[14]

  • John Blomfield, Clerk
  • John Price, Clerk
  • David Evitt, Armourer Sergeant
  • 4 x Arms Cleaners
    • Thomas Gibbons
    • Charles Phillips
    • William Cook Rockley
    • John Penligen
  • J Broughton, Magazine keeper Appointed Jan 1870

Wellington Defence Stores

The Wellington Defence Store located at Mount Cook was divided into two functions.

  • The Armed Constabulary Stores
  • The Defence Store

Storekeeper Sam Anderson controlled the Armed Constabulary Stores. Anderson’s position was paid from within the Armed Constabulary budget and, as part of the Armed Constabulary Depot, was technically not part of the Defence Store organisation. However, records indicate that the two organisations were closely associated.

The Wellington Defence Store was under Lieutenant Colonels HE Reader’s supervision who as the Commander of the Wellington District Militia was also the Wellington Defence Storekeeper. In his Defence Store duties Reader was assisted by;[15]

  • Sergeant Alexander Crowe, Clerk
  • Armourer Sergeant Edwin Henry Bradford, Armourer
  • 4 x Arms Cleaners, including
    • Mr John Shaw
    • Mr James Smith
    • Mr Walther Cristie
    • Mr W Warren
  • Magazine Keeper, W Corliss, Appointed in January 1870

Whanganui Defence Stores

Due to the Tītokowaru War, Whanganui had been a significant military hub, with the Defence Store post graded as one requiring a Storekeeper assisted by a Clerk. The Storekeeper position was filled by the Officer Commanding and Adjutant of the Wanganui Militia and Volunteers, Major Chas Chalkin. In January 1870, the military situation had changed, and the Storekeeper position in Whanganui was downgrade to that of Sub-Storekeeper.

Patea Defence Stores

With the cessation of hostilities after the Tītokowaru War, Patea prospered and became a significant regional hub. A Sub-Storekeeper was appointed to manage Defence Stores affairs in the area in January 1870

Tours of Inspection

Gorton had a tremendous job ahead in organising and transforming the Defence Stores into an effective organisation. Since 1860 the New Zealand Government had purchased thousands of weapons such as Enfield, Terry and Snider rifles and carbines, and the associated sets of accoutrements from Australia and the United Kingdom to equip the various New Zealand Forces. All this war material needed to be accounted for and redistributed to the Armed Constabulary and Volunteer units or placed into Militia storage.

Gorton was a hands-on leader and during his first year, conducted several tours of inspection to inspect the stockpiles of military material distributed across New Zealand. On one such outing, Gorton left Auckland on the Friday 13 November 1869 on the NZ Government Paddle Steamer Sturt to inspect the military depots and garrisons on the East Coast of the North Island.  Landing at Port Charles, Tauranga, Opotiki, Hicks Bay, Port Awanui, Tūpāroa, Tologa Bay, Poverty Bay Gorton found many stores that had been stockpiled as part of the recent East Coast campaign but not utilised. Gorton took the opportunity to revise the holdings at each location and redistribute as necessary, handing over the balance to Captain Bower, the District Quartermaster at Napier.[16]

The Imperial Withdraw

Since 1842, an Imperial Storekeeping organisation was based in New Zealand with the Ordnance Department establishing Store’s offices in Auckland and Wellington. The Ordnance Department was then reorganised into a new organisation called the Military Store Department on 1 February 1857. With its primary location at Fort Britomart in Auckland, the Military Store Department principal role was to support the Imperial Garrison, with support provided to colonial forces when necessary.  By 1866 the conflict in New Zealand had reached a stage where with the “Self-reliance” policy the colonial forces had reached a level of independence allowing them to conduct the bulk of military operations, resulting in a drawdown and withdrawal of Imperial units. As the Imperial commitment decreased with the departure of five Imperial Regiments in 1866, the Military Store Department also had to reduce and optimise its operations.

Further reductions of Imperial troops necessitated the closing of its regional Depots such as the Depot in Whanganui in March of 1867.[17] With the departure of four more regiments in 1867, the Tauranga Depot closure soon followed.[18]  The final Imperial Regiment departed New Zealand in February 1869.[19]

Fort Britomart’s dismantling had commenced in January 1869, with all the military content of Fort Britomart and Albert Barracks belonging to the Imperial Government, such as guns, ammunition and stores shipped to the United Kingdom on the SS Himalaya.[20]  With the withdrawal of Imperial Forces completed by July 1870.[21] Although the Military Store Department had provided valuable support and advice to the Colonial Defence Force over the years and had provided a useful logistic backstop, the New Zealand Defence Stores under Gorton were now required to stand alone.

Burglary from Wellington Militia Store

A testament to the importance and accuracy of Gorton’s stocktaking endeavours was demonstrated in August 1869. Gorton had finalised a stocktake and reorganisation of the Wellington Militia Store on 29 July 1869. Two days later the Militia Store was broken into and several items of clothing stolen. On discovery of the break-in, a quick inventory by Sergeant Crowe was able to identify the nature and quantity if the stolen items and an accurate report provided to the Wellington Police. Within a short time, the thief and his accomplices were apprehended while wearing some of the stolen items.[22]

Gorton faced many challenges in establishing Defence Stores as an organisation. Active Military Operations were still being undertaken along with a sizeable force of Militia, Volunteers and Armed Constabulary positioned in redoubts and blockhouses in the frontier regions, with each of these presenting unique logistical challenges. Concurrently the Defence Stores were required to manage Militia and Volunteers units’ stores and equipment in all parts of the country to allow them to maintain their efficiency status. However, Gorton had come into the job with the Defence Stores’ foundations already established with staff who had learned military storekeeping skills through the busy conflict years of the 1860s. To complement his team’s existing experience and strengthen to the Defence Stores’ effectiveness, early in his tenure, Gorton set new rules, regulations, and forms for keeping store accounts, beginning the journey to professionalise New Zealand’s Military Storekeeping.

Notes

[1] General Assembly of New  Zealand, “Armed Constabulary Act 1867,”  (1867).

[2] “The Public Stores Act 1967,”  (1867).Notes

[3] “Estimates for General Government Services for the Year Ending  30th June, 1870, as Voted by the General Assembly,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1869, Session I, B-01d  (1869).

[4] The Storekeeper in Wellington was also the Officer Commanding and Adjutant of the Wellington Militia and Volunteers with salaries for these duties covered under another allocation of the Defence vote

[5] The Storekeeper in Wanganui was also the Officer Commanding and Adjutant of the Wanganui Militia and Volunteers with salaries for these duties covered under another allocation of the Defence vote

[6] Nominal Roll of Officers in the Store Department – August 1870 – for Printing, Item Id R24174657, Record No Cd1870/2744 (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 1870).

[7] “Papers and Reports Relating to the Armed Constabulary,” Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1870 Session I, D-07  (1870).

[8] General Assembly of New  Zealand, “The Militia Act 1870,”  (1870).

[9] “Estimates for General Government Services for the Year Ending  30th June, 1870, as Voted by the General Assembly.”

[10] “Colonel Gorton,” Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 1072, Page 2, 31 December 1909.

[11] Edward Gorton, Forwarding Rules and Regulations for Keeping Store Accounts, Also Proposed Forms for Approval of Defence Minister, Item Id R24142601 Record No Cd1869/2900               (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 1869 ).

[12] Suspension of Captain Mitchell Colonial Storekeeper for Absence from Duty. Major Tisdall Is Placed in Temporary Charge of Stores, Item Id R24175550 Record No Cd1869/2824 (Wellington: New Zealand Archives, 1869).

[13] Gorton, Forwarding Rules and Regulations for Keeping Store Accounts, Also Proposed Forms for Approval of Defence Minister.

[14] Nominal Roll of Officers in the Store Department – August 1870 – for Printing.

[15] Ibid.

[16] “Arrival of the P.S. Sturt.,” Hawke’s Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1103, 23 November 1869.

[17] “Wanganui,” Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3003, 11 March 1867.

[18] “Page 2 Advertisements Column 5,” New Zealand Herald, Volume IV, Issue 1079, 30 April 1867.

[19] A. H. McLintock, “British Troops in New Zealand,”  http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/british-troops-in-new-zealand; “The Troops and the Home Government,” Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3643, 23 March 1869.

[20] “Dismantling of Fort Britomart,” Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3616, 19 February 1869.

[21] “Projected Departure of Mr Hamley,” Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 4007, 25 June 1870.

[22] “Supreme Court, Criminal Sittings,” Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2885, Page 6, 4 September 1869.