Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment

Last updated
The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment
Active1964–2012
CountryFlag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand
Branch Crest of the New Zealand Army.jpg New Zealand Army
TypeLine Infantry
RoleLight Infantry
SizeOne battlegroup
Garrison/HQRHQ Burnham
Motto(s)Ake Ake Kia Kaha (Forever and Ever Be Strong)
MarchQuick – The Hundred Pipers
Quick – Charles Upham March
Slow – Greensleeves
Mascot(s)The Ram
Anniversaries27 June 1942
Commanders
Current Commanding Officer (CO)Lt Col G.A. McMillian
Insignia
Unit Shoulder Flash 2CantUnitFlash.JPG
Abbreviation2CantNMWC
Queen's Colour 2CantQueensColour.JPG
Queen's Colour
Regimental Colour 2CantRegtColour.JPG
Regimental Colour

The Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment was a Territorial Force (Army Reserve) unit of the New Zealand Army.

Contents

Formation and recent history

The regiment was formed in 1964 during the reorganisation of the army by the amalgamation of two separate regiments: the Canterbury Regiment and the Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast Regiment. In turn, those two regiments had originally been formed from the 1st (Canterbury) and 2nd (South Canterbury) and the 12th (Nelson and Marlborough) and 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiments which had been initially raised in the early 1900s, following the formation of gazetted militia units in 1859.

The 1964 amalgamation saw the new Territorial Force battalion become the Second Battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. This was until the later reorganisation of 1999, which saw the Territorial Force battalions split from the RNZIR to become multi-function battalion groups. The 2nd Battalion (Canterbury, and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast) RNZIR became the 2nd Canterbury (Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast) Battalion Group, with the following sub-unit types:

Companies

Artillery

Engineers

Medical

Signals

Transport

Brass Band

In December 2012, 2nd Canterbury (Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast) Battalion Group merged with 4th Otago and Southland Battalion Group to form 2/4 Battalion.

Which now consists of three Companies:

Predecessor units

1845-Nelson

The Nelson Battalion of Militia was the first NZ Army Unit formed in the South Island and one of the first in New Zealand. The Battalion had two companied each of 50 min. the Commandant was Captain Donald Sinclair (Nelson Magistrate). His appointment and those of eight other officers was gazetted on 28 August 1845 (Gaz24/45 page 114). The Gazetted Officers were:

Captains

Lieutenants

Ensigns

Quartermaster

Adjutant

The Colonial Secretary's records show that Mr Fox was offered a Captaincy but declined as Mr Sinclair would be in command. Mr Joseph Ford Wilson was offered and accepted a commission as Surgeon on 9 June 1845 but for some reason this was not gazetted.

Hourly parades were held daily at 7 am, 10 am and 4 pm. Uniforms were supplied (blue shirt, sailor type pattern). Arms were old flint-lock muskets-the weapons that had been imported for bartering with the Maoris.

Dress distinctions

The Second Militia Act 1858

Volunteer Corps of Canterbury Rifles

On 28 June 1859, the Governor-in-Council, defined the military district of Christchurch and designated the force within the district to be a single Battalion. Captain Henry Arthur Scott was appointed Captain of the Volunteer Corps of the Canterbury Rifles. As the Units founding Officer-Commanding, he was given the responsibility of heading the volunteer movement within Canterbury. He lived in Glenmore and ran the Glenthorne Run. On 5 August 1859 Captain Scott convened a meeting in the Golden Fleece Hotel. It wouldn't be until April 1860 when 155 'would be' volunteers demanded another meeting, the next meeting was held in the Market Hotel on 19 April. In 1872, he returned to his native Wales.

On 8 April 1865 the Christchurch City Guards were formed. Then in 1911 it became the 1st Canterbury Regiment, thus providing an unbroken link.

Volunteer Corps of Nelson Rifles

On 9 June 1860, the Nelson Volunteer Rifles was officially established. In 1861 the NVR was Commanded by:

Marlborough Rifle Volunteers

The Marlborough Militia District was gazzetted on 27 February 1860, Captain W.D.H. Baillie was appointed to command the Marlborough Rifles Volunteers on 2 March 1861.

Nelson 1862

Eight Companies were reduced to five:

In Marlborough two Companies were reduced to one: the Marlborough Rangers.

Commanders

Canterbury District Commanders 1859–1910

1st Battalion Canterbury Rifle Volunteers

Canterbury Battalion and later North Canterbury Battalion

South Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers

1st North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry

2nd North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry

Nelson District Commanders 1860–1911

1st Battalion Nelson Infantry Volunteers

2nd Battalion Nelson Infantry Volunteers

Marlborough District Commander

Westland District Commander

Commanding Officers 1st NMWC 1923–1948

Commanding Officers 1st NMWC 1948–1964

Commanding Officers 1st Cant (1923–1948)

Commanding Officers 1st Cant (1948–1964)

Commanding Officers 2nd Cant NMWC 1964–2012

Commanding Officers of 2/4 Battalion RNZIR 2012–Current

Honorary Colonels

1911–1964

2nd Cant NMWC RNZIR Honorary Colonels 1964–2012

Chaplains of the Regiment

Battle honours

The regiment perpetuates the battle honours awarded to the 23rd, 26th, 30th and 37th Battalions, Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force.

1st Canterbury Regiment Battle Honours

1st Nelson Marlborough West Coast Regiment Battle Honours

Alliances

Freedoms

The regiment was granted the following freedoms: [1]

Notable members

Further reading

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References

  1. Thomas, Malcolm (1995). New Zealand Army distinguishing patches, 1911-1991, part 2. pp. 84–85.

First World War, 1914–1919;

Second World War, 1939–1945;

Other