As the Regular Force Cadet Schools prepare to celebrate their 75th anniversary during the weekend of 10 – 12 November 2023, it’s time to acknowledge the 240 Regular Force Cadets (RF Cadets) who, upon graduating, served in the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC).
Between 1948 and 1991, over 5,000 young New Zealanders undertook an extraordinary journey. Year after year, an average of 120 individuals entered the renowned Regular Force Cadet School, affectionately known as the “Club.” But here is the catch – less than 3% of those who aspired to join this elite institution met the stringent criteria. This institution welcomed recruits as young as 15, offering them a path into the military and a gateway to continued education, trade training, and apprenticeships.
These cadets, after reaching the age of 18, went on to play a pivotal role in the New Zealand Army, serving with distinction in various conflict zones worldwide, including Korea, Borneo, Malaya, Vietnam, Somalia, Bosnia, Timor-Leste and Afghanistan. Most notably, they served as Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs), the backbone of the New Zealand Army. Some even rose to earn commissions as officers, while others assumed essential roles across the New Zealand Army, including 239 who graduated into the RNZAOC.
Roll of RF Cadets who served in the the RNZAOC
This roll showcases the 240 RF Cadets who graduated and went on to join the RNZAOC. Additionally, it is essential to note that this list also includes RF Cadets who initially graduated into different corps but later transitioned to the RNZAOC, where they continued their military careers.
1954 Young Class
- Brian Lewis Crafts
1955 Shuttleworth Class
- Alan R Ferguson
- Ronald Leslie Cross
1957 Puttick Class
- Bryan Noel Lichtwark
- Derek John Keen
1958 Weir Class
- Manuao Kauahia Harry Hemana
- John Sydney Holley
1959 Kippenburger Class
- Brian Micheal Colbourne
1960 Russell Class
- Lance Justice Brown
1961 Stewart Class
- Te Ra Nui Paenga
1963 Bennett Class
- Michael Thomas Dance
- Joseph Seymour Bolton
- Kevin Matthew Boggs
- Ross Alan Bird
- D M Bird
1964 Parkinson Class
- William L Arlidge
- Robin Newland Turner
1965 Barrowclough Class
- Paul Edwin Dangerfield
- James Harvey
- William Johnson
- Kevin Anthony Joyce
- Kevin James Moore
- Paul Frederick Nielsen
1966 Andrew Class
- Keith John Boxall
- John Francis Cannell
- Phillip Baudinet Moore
- Warren Gerrard Varney
- R J Webster
1967 Crump Class
- Peter Francis Davies
- Robert J Isles
- Allan Edward Martin
- M J Mclean
- Wayne B Myers
- Francis Joseph Ryan
- Stewart R Seymour
- John Allen Shaw
1968 Ardagh Class
- Ronald Noel Bisset
- Paul Henry Heath
- Stuart Douglas Hopkins
- Glenn Alan Mccullough
- Douglas Mclean
- Michael Joseph Norgren
- Michael Joseph O’Brien
- Terrance Geoffrey Sharpe
1969 Weir Class
- Evan Ross Davidson
- Tamafaiga Jensen
- Edwin Donald Lee
- Peter William Mason
- S P Neels
- Anthony John Walker
1970 Ngarimu Class
- Joseph Miki Hori Clarke
- M A Corbett
- Anthony Brent Jobson
- Gregory Laurence Leslie
- James Thomas O’Brien
- Frederick Edwin Phillips
- Talaga Poka
- Derek Francis Prescott
- B J Taylor
- Tony Webb
- Grant Russell Wilson
1971 Upham Class
- William Ross Cooper
- Daniel John Bleasdale
- Barry Philip Boyes
- Graeme Maurice Langley
- John Cornelius Lee
- Barry Lepper
- Wayne Ronald Little
- Noel Charles Guthrie Mason
- Gregory James Meyers
- Ramon John Morrison
- Steven Craig Newland
- David Martin O’Shea
- Larry Kenneth Porter
- Colin George Scott
1972 Dittmer Class
- Nigel Stewart Anderson
- Andrew Paul Bowring
- Stephen James Driver
- David John Hill
- James Harry Mcculloch
- William Alexander Scobie
- Peter Allan Searle
- Murray John Smith
- Paul James Kelly Tocker
- Paul Sydney Witehira
1973 Hanson Class
- William Gary Anderson
- Stephen Geoffrey Crichton
- Mark Toke Heemi
- Graeme Douglas Joseph Keown
- David Wayne Knebel
- Neville Austin Lush
- Keith John Perry
1974 Burrows Class
- Robert James Easton
- Eamon Francis Fitzpatrick
- R Havill
- Phillip Esmond Holland
- Stuart Frazer Mcintosh
- Mark Melville Robinson
1975 Thornton Class
- Wayne Trevor Bray
- Peter John Finn
- Selwyn Austin Gooch
- Ian Trevor Jackson
- Paul Raymond Jensen
- Barry Charles Kearney
- Warwick Alexander Thomas
1976 Morrison Class
- Craig Murray Ballard
- Michael Paul Ballinger
- Timothy Edward Gibbons
- Martin Phillip Lawrence
- Anthony Gordon Orchard
- Kevin Samuel Prosser
- Kevin John Riesterer
- Roger Eric Rolston
- Anthony Paul Simpson
- Russell William Taylor
- Robert Gordon Trundle
- Terrance Frederick Walsh
1977 Page Class
- Colin James Thomas
- William Wayne Pollard
- Lawrence David Murch
- Barrie Robert James Law
- Richard George Fisher
1978 Hudson Class
- Terence William Shattock
- Keith James Pittams
- Erick David Jack
- William Holland Crosbie
- Stephen William Corkran
- Lance Richard Cleeve
- Wayne Peter Boustridge
- Richard Harry Ball
1979 McKinnon Class
- Peter Francis Welsh
- Murray Raymond Lee
- Antoni Charles Leatherby
- Tony John Harding
- Adrian Laurence Coombe
- David Raymon Pride Collins
- Russell Murray Clark
- Michael John Butler
- Hemi Biddle
- Graham Thomas Behrent
1980 Elliot Class
- Mark Milner Wilson
- Michael Alan Turner
- Paul George Topia
- David John Te Tairi
- Kevin Mark Swanson
- Stwven Gregory Morgan
- Brian Keith Gillies
- Charlton Blair Gawler
- Adrian Michael Gallichan
- Tony Patrick Flynn
- Ross Charles Fearon
- Mathew Gordon Lacey Crossan
- David Charles Cossey
- Gary Keith Carver
- Gary John Blade
1981 Morris Class
- Michael Stewart Wishart
- Andrew Arthur Welsh
- Stephen Charles Rose
- Mark Anthony Pihema
- Tony Ernest Norris
- Nigle Richard Nacdonald
- Steven William Mcrae
- Neil James Kearns
- Philip Leslie Innes
- Shayne Michael Gray
1982 Firth Class
- Steven Deane Tait
- Scott William Moses
- David Ringi Henry
- Andrew Grant Curtis
- Jose Ashley Cooper
- John William Coleman
- Michael David John Clements
- Richard Bruce Burnett
- Lyndsay Roe Bray
1983 Rennie Class
- David George Alexander
- Stephen Terry Brougham
- Timothy Charles Clarke
- John Christopher Flanagan
- Bruce Raymond Ford
- Michael John Kareko
- Andrew David Stephens
- Craig Seymour Trillo
- Geoffery Kenneth Walker
1984 Webb Class
- Anthony Russell Barnett
- John Patarana Brown
- Shayne Turei Browne
- Paul Robert Corke
- Tony John Garthwaite
- Grant Maui Hohua
- Michael Phillip Moran
- Jefferson Craig Sharp
- Paul Ian Woodward
1985 Pearce Class
- Dean William Brown
- Nicholas Paul Mannix
- David Michael Mcintosh
- William Michael Twiss
- Evert Hendrik Van Barneveld
- Gerald Gordon Leslie Wineera
1986 Thorpe Class
- Selwyn Lloyd Bennett
- Bevan Gerling
- Andrew James Keith
- Brett David Orme
- David Murray Verney
- Andrew Gordon True
1987- Taylor Class
- Mark William Birdsall
- Matthew Philip Coddington
- Paul Ian Dolden
- Matthew James Dyson
- David James Howorth
1988 Hasset Class
- Paul William Alexander
- Michael Ivan Francis Archer
- David John Hill
- Thomas Edwin Hoeft
- Mike Colin Hollway
- Andrew William Johnson
- Stewart Evan Jones
- Keith Richard Lewis
- Leslie Joseph Peachy
- John Richard Peel
- Darcy Hereward Smith
- Mark Robert Wilson
- Jason Ernest Woods
1989 Taylor Class
- Craig Robert Bennett
- Daniel James Bocock
- Bryce Paul Knight
- Arron Vaughan Matthews
- Robert Ryan Mckenzie
- Jason Robin Peterken
- Kevin Arthur George Purnell
- Wayne Edward Simeon
- Aaron Neil Smith
- Sean Campbell Stewart
- Shane Kylie Wills
1990 Burrows Class
• Shane Brian Baird
1991 Monks Class
- Vernon Jason Andrews
- Phillip Anthony Tioke
- Jason Victor Wise
1991 Williams Class
- Kylie Maree Craig
- Mark Andrew Hanson
In 1991, a significant turning point marked the closure of the Regular Force Cadet School. The end of the Cold War and evolving interpretations of international conventions concerning the use of child soldiers played a pivotal role in this decision. While the “Club” is no more, its impact and the individuals it nurtured continue to leave an indelible mark on the New Zealand Army and society.
