History
By 1939, the New Zealand Government was becoming increasingly concerned about the likelihood of war in Europe. It was therefore decided to expand the New Zealand Military Forces and in May 1939 a major reorganisation was undertaken. The territorial forces were expanded and a new reserve force called the National Military Reserve was formed. The National Military Reserve was to act as a pool of manpower for the Territorial Force in the event of war and also provide a force of less able men for menial work. Recruits were designated into three classes: [2]
- Class I: men aged 20–35 with two years experience in the territorial force
- Class II: men aged 35–55 with regular or NZEF experience
- Class III: any other men aged 33–55
With the out break of war on 3 September 1939, the National Military Reserve was activated. The majority of men in class I were immediately transferred to the Territorial Force, while the roughly 11,000 class II men were called up to provide garrison troops to defend ports and other key points in New Zealand. In July 1940, the National Military Reserve was organised into independent squadrons of mounted rifles, independent companies and battalions of infantry. Further units were raised throughout 1940 and 1941 and by January 1942 the establishment of the National Military Reserve was 21,261. New Zealand was suffering from manpower shortages and such a large fore could not be maintained. Consequently, 12 of the independent companies were disbanded, however a larger change soon followed. At the beginning of 1942 the New Zealand Home defence forces consisted of three organisations: the Territorial force, the National Military Reserve and the Home Guard. The government felt that this was too complicated and decided to simplify the home defence forces into two lines: the first line (i.e. the Territorial Force) of fitter men and the second line (i.e. the Home Guard). Consequently, the NMR was disbanded and its units transferred to the Territorial Force. The Territorial force itself was stood down in 1943 and by April 1944 all the former National Military Reserve units had been disbanded.
The Army Reserve is the active-duty volunteer reserve force of the British Army. It is separate from the Regular Reserve whose members are ex-Regular personnel who retain a statutory liability for service. The Army Reserve was known as the Territorial Force from 1908 to 1921, the Territorial Army (TA) from 1921 to 1967, the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) from 1967 to 1979, and again the Territorial Army (TA) from 1979 to 2014.
The New Zealand Army is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,659 Regular Force personnel and 2,122 Reserve Force personnel. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted by the New Zealand Army Act 1950. The New Zealand Army traces its history from settler militia raised in 1845.
The 3rd New Zealand Division was a division of the New Zealand Military Forces. Formed in 1942, it saw action against the Japanese in the Pacific Ocean Areas during the Second World War. The division saw action in the Solomon Islands campaign during 1943–1944, during which it undertook landings on Vella Lavella, the Treasury Islands and the Green Islands. Due to manpower shortages, for most of its existence the division consisted of only two infantry brigades in addition to support personnel, with its third brigade being disbanded shortly after formation. In 1944, manpower shortages in the New Zealand economy became acute led to the disbandment of the division. The majority of its manpower was returned to civilian employment, although around 4,000 men were sent to Italy to reinforce the 2nd Division, seeing further action before the end of the war in May 1945.
The 8th Brigade was a formation of the New Zealand Military Forces, which served during the Second World War as part of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Eventually forming part of the 3rd Division, the brigade served in the Pacific Ocean theatre of the war. Raised in late 1940, initially the brigade was employed on garrison duties on Fiji before returning to New Zealand in mid-1942. In December 1942, it was sent to New Caledonia where they remained until early September 1943, when they moved to Guadalcanal to prepare for operations in the Solomon Islands. The brigade's only combat operation of the war came in October–November 1943, when it captured the Treasury Islands. It was disbanded in late 1944 due to manpower shortages in the New Zealand economy.
The 1st Brigade is currently the largest unit of the New Zealand Army, and contains most of the army's deployable units. The brigade was formed on 13 December 2011 by amalgamating the 2nd Land Force Group and 3rd Land Force Group. Its establishment formed part of the 'Army 2015' package of reforms.
The 4th Infantry Brigade was a formation of the New Zealand Military Forces, active in both the First and Second World Wars. It was initially raised in England in 1917 for service with the New Zealand Division on the Western Front during the First World War. It only fought in one major engagement, the Battle of Broodseinde, although it was in reserve for two other significant battles, the Battle of Messines and the First Battle of Passchendaele. The brigade was disbanded in early 1918 due to a reorganisation of the New Zealand Division.
The 1st Division was one of three New Zealand Army home defence divisions formed during World War II. The unit was established on 1 November 1941 and was responsible for protecting the northern region of New Zealand's North Island from invasion. The 1st Division was placed on alert during the early months of the Pacific War, but no threat developed. The division was greatly reduced in size during 1943 and was disbanded on 1 April 1944.
The 4th Division was one of three home defence divisions of the New Zealand Military Forces formed during World War II. The unit was established on 1 November 1941 and was responsible for protecting the southern part of New Zealand's North Island from invasion. The division was greatly reduced in size during 1943 and was disbanded on 1 April 1944 without seeing combat.
The 2nd Infantry Brigade was a formation of the New Zealand Military Forces raised for service abroad with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War. As part of the New Zealand Division, it participated in several major battles on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918 before being disbanded in 1919. There was also a 2nd Infantry Brigade in the New Zealand Territorial Force that existed from 1924 to 1964.
The 1st New Zealand Army Tank Brigade was an armoured unit of the New Zealand Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in New Zealand during 1941 to provide the 2nd New Zealand Division with armoured support in North Africa. The outbreak of the Pacific War led to it being retained in New Zealand. The 1st Army Tank Brigade was disbanded in 1942, with most of its personnel being used to establish the 4th New Zealand Armoured Brigade in Egypt.
The 10th Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the New Zealand Military Forces formed on two separate occasions during the Second World War. The brigade was first formed as part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, just prior to the Battle of Crete. It consisted of a variety of New Zealand artillery and support units operating as Infantry, as well as two Greek Infantry regiments. The 10th Brigade was absorbed by 4th Brigade part way through the battle. The 10th Brigade was formed for the second time in New Zealand as a territorial force formation in November 1941 and became part of the 5th Division. By 1944 the threat of Japanese invasion was perceived to be minimal and the 10th Brigade was disbanded.
The Taranaki Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the New Zealand Military Forces. The regiment traced its origins to the Taranaki Volunteer Rifle Company, a volunteer corps formed in 1858 and which saw service in the New Zealand Wars. The volunteer corps also provided men to the New Zealand contingents sent to South Africa during the Second Boer War and in 1911 became the 11th Regiment . During the First World War, the regiment provided a company to each of the battalions of the Wellington Infantry Regiment and saw combat at Galipolli and on the Western Front. After the war the regiment was renamed the Taranaki Regiment and remained in New Zealand for home defense during the Second World War. Men from the regiment, however, served with the 19th, 22nd, 25th and 36th Battalions of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. In 1948, the Taranaki Regiment was amalgamated with the Wellington West Coast Regiment and became the Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Regiment.
The Wellington Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the New Zealand Army. The regiment traced its origins to the Wellington Veteran Volunteer Corps, a volunteer corps formed in 1867 and which would later amalgamate with other volunteer corps to form the 5th (Wellington) Regiment in 1911. During the First World War, the regiment was first sent to capture German Samoa in August 1914 and was later affiliated with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade which saw combat on the Western Front. After the war, the regiment was renamed the Wellington Regiment and remained in New Zealand for home defence during the Second World War. Men from the regiment, however, served with the 19th, 22nd, 25th and 36th Battalions of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. In 1964, the Wellington Regiment was amalgamated with the Hawke's Bay Regiment to become 7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
The 2nd Māori Battalion was a territorial battalion of the New Zealand Military Forces during the second world war. The battalion was formed in February 1942 as the 3rd battalion, North Auckland Regiment by converting a battalion of the National Military Reserve. The 2nd Māori Battalion garrisoned fortress areas in Northland and also provided training for personnel who would be latter posted overseas with 28th (Māori) Battalion. It was disbanded in 1944 along with most other territorial units.
The Hawke's Bay Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the New Zealand Military Forces. The regiment traced its origins to the Napier Rifle Volunteer Rifles, a volunteer corps formed in 1863 and which would later amalgamate with other volunteer corps to form the 9th Regiment in 1911. During the First World War, the regiment provided a company to each of the battalions of the Wellington Infantry Regiment and saw combat at Galipolli and on the Western Front. After the war the regiment was renamed the Hawke's Bay Regiment and remained in New Zealand for home defense during the Second World War. Men from the regiment, however, served with the 19th, 22nd, 25th and 36th Battalions of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The regiment had a close relationship with the Ruahine Regiment, which was detached and reabsorbed by the Hawke's Bay regiment on two separate occasions. In 1964, the Hawkes Bay regiment was amalgamated with the Wellington Regiment and become the 7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment
The Ruahine Regiment was a Territorial Force Infantry Regiment of the New Zealand Military Forces. It was briefly raised in the 1910s and saw service in the First World War as part of the Wellington Infantry Regiment. It was formed for a second time during the Second World War and was deployed overseas as part of the 3rd Division but never saw combat.
The New Zealand Scottish Regiment was a regiment of the New Zealand Army. It was formed in 1939 as an infantry regiment and raised two battalions during the Second World War. Although the 1st Battalion was sent overseas during the war as part of the 3rd Division, it never saw combat. The regiment was reformed in 1948 as a reconnaissance regiment of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps, but by the 1960s had been reduced to two independent squadrons. Various armoured vehicles were utilized by the regiment including Daimler Dingo Scout Cars, Daimler Armoured Cars, Ferret armoured cars and M113a1 armoured personnel carriers. The regiment was eventually disbanded in 2013.
The Wellington West Coast Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the New Zealand Military Forces. The regiment traced its origins to the Wanganui Rifle Volunteers, a volunteer corps formed in 1860. The volunteer corps provided men to the New Zealand contingents sent to South Africa during the Second Boer War and in 1911 became the 7th Regiment. During the First World War, the regiment provided a company to each of the battalions of the Wellington Infantry Regiment, which saw combat at Galipolli and on the Western Front. After the war the regiment was renamed the Wellington West Coast Regiment and remained in New Zealand for home defence during the Second World War. Men from the regiment, however, served with the 19th, 22nd, 25th and 36th Battalions of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. In 1948, the Wellington West Coast Regiment was amalgamated with the Taranaki Regiment and became the Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Regiment.
The Waikato Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the New Zealand Military Forces. The Regiment was formed in 1911 as the 16th (Waikato) Regiment and provided service companies to the Auckland Infantry Regiment during the First World War. Men from the Regiment also served with the 18th, 21st, 24th and 29th battalions of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the Second World War. The regiment was absorbed by the 1st Armoured Regiment (Waikato) of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps in 1950
The Northland Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the New Zealand Military Forces. The Regiment was formed in 1911 and provided service companies to the Auckland Infantry Regiment during the First World War. Men from the Regiment also served with the 18th, 21st, 24th and 29th battalions of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the Second World War. The regiment was amalgamated with the Auckland Regiment in 1964, becoming 3rd Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
New Zealand