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THE MAORI WARS Prior to signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, 6th February 1840, the only show of military force was by visiting British warships. In 1837 H.M.S. RATTLESNAKE was despatched to the Bay of Islands where fierce intertribal wars threatened the lives of missionaries. The Treaty contained no specific arrangements relating to the defence of the Colony during the years 1840 to 1844. The only military forces in New Zealand were small detachments of Imperial Troops. Two of the reasons that initiated steps being taken to form a New Zealand Army were the Wairau massacre (1843) and the ransacking of Kororareka (Russell) (March 1845) by Hone Heke. Hone Heke gathered a large following and achieved considerable success. The flagstaff at Kororareka was cut down on four occasions and finally the settlement was sacked. It was here that the able bodied settlers co-operated with the Regulars for the first time against the Maoris. General alarm in Auckland and elsewhere at Hone Heke's rebellion led the Legislative Council to pass the first Militia Ordinance on 25th March, 1845. This provided for all able bodied men between the ages of 18 and 65 to hold themselves in readiness for service, and for a period of 28 days Annual Training. Under the 1845 Militia Act Battalions were raised in Auckland, Wellington and Nelson, and some training was carried out in Russell (Russell Rifles). The Militia Battalion in Auckland consisted of four Companies, each of eighty men. A small detachment of Volunteers (seventy) from this Battalion serves as Pioneers and Gunners with the British Forces in Engagements against Hone Heke at Puketutu (8th May 1845), Ohaeawai (1st July 1845), and Ruapekapeka Pa (Jan 1846).
Under section 24 of the Militia Act 1858 Volunteers became separate from the Militia. The Auckland Rifle Volunteers were formed in December 1859 and initially consisted of only two Companies. There were the Royal Company and the City Company. The Rutland Company (March 1860) and the Victoria Company (April 1860) later joined these two Companies. This Militia Act of 1858 was the origin of the volunteer system.
In January 1862 new Volunteer Regulations were gazetted which meant that all existing Volunteer Units were disbanded and re-raised. In October 1865 the Government passed a new Volunteer Act which was really the first attempt at proper organisation of the Volunteers. One of the Clauses of the Act required that all Corps must volunteer again within 60 days or be disbanded. It is from the dates of re-volunteering in 1866 that the seniority of the Units in New Zealand is now counted. The Auckland Rifle Volunteers were the third to reply, hence the descendent regiment became the 3RD Auckland Regiment.
WHANGAREI RIFLE VOLUNTEERS On 29th May 1879, the first Company of the Whangarei Rifle Volunteers was formed. The strength of the Unit was limited to 40 of the first man to enlist was Mr Alexander Gordon MacKenzie, a settler who lived at Mangapai, 20 miles away from the township. The Unit prospered and in 1890 the Volunteers paid for and helped build their own Drill Hall. The Drill Hall after many alterations and additions is today's Whangarei Army Office in Walton Street (Harding Hall). The Whangarei Rifle Volunteers were disbanded on 1st April, 1891 and were re-designated the Whangarei Defence Rifle Club until its title again became the Whangarei Rifle Volunteers in September 1900.
COLOURS His Worship the Mayor of Auckland, Mr P Dignan (also Lieutenant Colonel Dignan, the Honorary Colonel of the Battalion) Promised to provide a Regimental Colour for the Auckland Battalion when formed on the understanding that the Ladies of Auckland would present a Queens Colour. The Ladies Fund Raising Committee was so successful that they asked the Mayor if they could purchase both Colours. His worship the Mayor consented to this and the ladies asked the Governor General’s wife, The Countess of Ranfurly if she would honour them by presenting the Colours to the Battalion. The Countess of Ranfurly presented the Colours to the Battalion on Wednesday 24th May, 1899 at the Auckland Domain. As this day was the celebration of Queen Victoria’s 80th birthday, many Units were also on parade. Several thousand spectators observed the presentation of the Colours, Parade review and Salute to the Queen. The Queen’s Colour was the New Zealand Ensign – blue with four stars representing the Southern Cross, and with the Union Jack in the upper inner corner. In the centre of the Jack was the Crown over the Title of "Auckland Rifle Battalion" which encloses the crest of Lord Auckland’s Coat of Arms. Lord Auckland’s Motto "SI SISIT PRUDENTIA" was adopted by the battalion, the translation of which is "If there be Prudence". The Regimental Colours was a large Blue Flag, bearing in the upper corner the figure "1" and in the other three corners the letters NZ. In the centre is the name of the Battalion surrounding the crest of Lord Auckland’s Coat of Arms. Surmounted by a Crown and surrounded by a wreath. Underneath the wreath is a white scroll bearing in gold letters the inscription New Zealand.
Since the Countess of Ranfurly presented the Colours and expressed a desire that the Auckland Infantry Battalion be named after herself, the Battalion was therefore referred to as " 1st Battalion, Auckland Rifle Volunteers, The Countess of Ranfurly’s Own". This name was approved by the Governor General on 21st June 1899 and with effect from the 24th May 1899. A further name change occurred on 7th August 1899 when the name of the Battalion was changed to "1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Volunteers, Countess of Ranfurly’s Own".
In the Boer War (1899 –1902), members of the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Volunteers served as Mounted Infantry with the ten contingents that left New Zealand. Volunteers had to provide their own horse, equipment, and be a good shot and rider. There was no Unit identity but Volunteers were banded together to form "New Zealand Mounted Rifle Contingents". The 3rd and 4th Contingents were called the "Rough Riders" and the 5th Contingent was called the "Bushmen". The New Zealanders were brigaded with other forces throughout the war and were not employed operationally as a national entity. The Times historian wrote of the New Zealanders; "it would hardly be an exaggeration to say of the New Zealanders that after they had a little experience they were by general consent, regarded on the average, the best Mounted Troops in South Africa". General Sir Ian Hamilton said:
Those Volunteers from the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment earned the Unit its first Battle Honours. On 12th February 1907 the War office authorised the Battle Honours of "South Africa 1900" and "South Africa, 1901 – 1902: to be awarded to the Battalion. THE TERRITORIAL FORCE During 1909, the new Defence Act brought the volunteer system to an end. The Volunteers were replaced by compulsory training conducted in the recruits own town or territory, giving rise to the new name for the force of the "Territorial Force". New Zealand was formed into four Military Districts and each had four Infantry Regiments. The Auckland District consisted of 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry, (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) and was re-designated with effect 17th March 1911 3rd (Auckland) Regiment (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own). 6th (Hauraki) Regiment. 15th (North Auckland) Regiment formed with effect 17th March 1911 and with Headquarters at Whangarei. 16th (Waikato) Regiment. The new 15th (North Auckland) Regiment chose a button type badge with a centrepiece containing the number 15 in Roman Numerals (XV) surmounted by the crown and enclosed in fern leaves. The Motto "Pour Devoir" (For Valour and Right) above, and the words "North Auckland" below, surrounded the fern leaves.
World War One was declared on 4th August 1914. Lord Kitchener accepted the offer of a New Zealand Expeditionary Force and mobilization commenced at once. On 11th August 1914, Alexandra Park was opened as a Military Camp and the Auckland Infantry Battalion was formed. It was decided that the four Military Districts into which New Zealand had been divided under the Territorial scheme should each provide a composite Battalion and thus form the New Zealand Infantry Brigade. This Brigade would consist of the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago Battalions. This Infantry Brigade along with the Brigade of Mounted Rifles, Artillery and Divisional Troops formed the original New Zealand Expeditionary Force. In the Auckland region, the four Infantry Regiments (3rd (Auckland), 6th (Hauraki), 15th (North Auckland) and 16th (Waikato) each provided a Company, and certain specialists, to form a Battalion for overseas service. The four Company’s of the Battalion thus formed retained the names and badges of the Territorial Regiments from which they were drawn.
This Battalion sailed from Wellington on the 16th October 1914 and was the first New Zealand Unit into Battle at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. In the Gallipoli campaign 19 Officers and 410 NCO’s and men were killed from the Auckland battalion. In March 1916, the 2nd New Zealand Infantry Brigade was formed which contained the 2nd Auckland battalion. It was modelled on the 1st Auckland Battalion, with the same Companies and wearing the same badges. It was found necessary to devise some method of distinguishing between the Battalions so a patch system was devised. The colours of the Auckland battalion were red and black and the first patch was a red diamond on a black square. Worn by the 2nd Auckland Battalion. The 1st Auckland Battalion, the original Battalion, later adopted a patch of vertical stripes – black, red, and black. January 1917 saw a complete reorganisation of the 1st and 2nd Brigade. The North Island battalions now formed the 1st brigade and the South Island battalions, the 2nd Brigade. This new organisation bought the Battalions of the Regiments much closer together and the Brigade remained like this until the end of the War. On 15th March 1917, a 3rd Battalion was formed at Codford, England. It had the same Companies as the 1st and 2nd Auckland battalions and wore a patch of vertical stripes – red, black, and red. About one in six of the men who served with the Regiment lost their lives, 111 Officers and 2242 NCO’s and men were killed or died of wounds and disease.
SERGEANT SAMUEL FORSYTH VC Sergeant Samuel Forsythe, an engineer, attached to 15th North Auckland Company, 2nd Auckland Battalion showed conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in the attack on Grevillers on 24th August 1918. He captured 3 machine gun positions, located other machine gun positions to which he guided a tank for engagement and when the tank was put out of action led the crew and several other men to an outflanking position. From this position he directed fire that caused the enemy to retire and for the advance to proceed. He was later killed in the same action by a sniper. SERGEANT REGINALD STANLEY JUDSON VC DCM MM Sergeant Reginald Stanley Judson, DCM, MM whilst serving with the 15th North Auckland Company, 1st Auckland battalion showed most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in attack on enemy positions south of Bapaume, on 26th August 1918, he led a small bombing party and captured an enemy machine gun post. He then carried on alone to bomb three more enemy machine gun positions. Jumping out of the trench he ran ahead of the enemy. Then, standing on the parapet he ordered the party consisting of two Officers and ten men to surrender. They instantly fired on him, but he threw a bomb and jumped down amongst them killed two, put the rest to flight and thus captured the machine gun.Sergeant Judson won all of his decorations over a six week period which is thought to be feat never equalled. PRIVATE JAMES CRIGHTON VC
BETWEEN THE WARS In 1921 the Territorial Force was re-organised and the force reduced to 13 Infantry Battalions. The four Military Districts were reduced to three and called Commands. The Northern Command consisted of four Regimental Districts each supplying one Infantry Battalion as follows;
These Units were further re-designated in 1923 to;
BATTLE HONOURS AWARDED For services in the Great War, the following Battle Honours were conferred upon the Auckland and North Auckland Regiments in General Order No 398 from General Headquarters, Wellington in 1926.
PRESENTATION OF NEW COLOURS New Colours were presented to the 1st Battalion, The Auckland Regiment (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) at the Auckland Domain by the Governor General, Sir Charles Fergusson, Bt, GCMB, GCB, DSO,MVO on 21st April 1929. On this parade the original Colours presented 30 years earlier were given their final trooping before being laid up. The new Kings Colour was a Union Jack fringed with gold. At the center was the Lord Auckland crest surrounded by the words "Auckland Regiment NZ Infantry". All surmounted by the Crown. The Regimental Colour had the Regiment badge in the centre surrounded by laurel leaves and surmounted by the crown. The words "Countess of Ranfurly" were under the laurel leaves. The Battle Honour "South Africa 1900-02" (top centre) and the words "First Battalion" (bottom centre) and the ten World War 1 Battle Honours (5 each side were in scrolls of gold. Each Battalion was entitled to ten Battle Honours on their Regimental Colour and the 1st Battalion, Auckland Regiment (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) selected the following;
In 1937, the 1st Battalion, The North Auckland Regiment conducted their Annual Camp at Dargaville, marching into Camp on 23rd April. During this camp, their Colours were presented by His Excellency, the Governor General, Viscount Galway, CGMG, DSO, OBE at the Rugby park on Sunday, 2nd May 1937. The Kings Colour was a large Red Cross on a white field with the Regimental Badge in the centre, surrounded by a fern with the motto "Pour Devoir" below, and all surmounted by the crown. The Roman Numeral I is in the upper inner corner and the following ten World War One Battle Honours are evenly spaced each side of the centre emblem
Composite Battalion During 1937, having found that the voluntary system of recruiting was not producing the number of volunteers to keep exiting regiments up to strength the government decided to form Composite Battalions in each Military District. As a result of this change 1st North Auckland became an integral part of the 1st Composite Battalion with the 1st Waikato’s and the 1st Hauraki’s which was formed on the 1st September 1937. World War II On 3rd September 1939 New Zealand’s declaration of war on Germany was announced simultaneously with that of Great Britain at 2130 hours. Recruits for the infantry were drawn from 11 Regiments, issued with a universal badge, and placed in district Battalions. The numbering of the Division followed on from the 1st NZEF in World War I as follows 2 NZEF
Reinforcements on arrival were trained in these Battalions prior to posting to their district Battalions. Later the 3rd Division was established and the 29th Battalion of the 8th Infantry Brigade was also formed from the soldiers of the Auckland District. For the whole of the War most Battalions in the Expeditionary Force retained their numerical identities until the end hostilities. The 4th Infantry Brigade was disbanded on 13th September 1942 and re-designated the 4th Armoured Brigade, 2nd New Zealand Division. The 18th Battalion at the disbandment had 209 men posted to the 24th Battalion and the remaining 350 formed the 18th New Zealand Armoured Regiment of the 4th Armoured Brigade. BATTLE HONOURS As no Unit of the 2nd NZEF had been recruited or enlisted as complete Territorial Force Units, the awarding of Battle Honours for WW II was a complicated task and took many years. It was decided to make the awards on an inheritance basis in which every post war unit was given a choice of battle and theatre honours worked out according to the percentage of men from the district who served with the various Expeditionary Force units. Both the Auckland and North Auckland Regiments took their honours from those granted to the 18th Battalion (until it became the 18th Armoured Regiment), 21st and 24th Battalions of the 2nd Division and from the 29th Battalion of the 3rd Division (who served in the Pacific). The New Zealand Army Order 48/57 dated 08 September 1957 from Army Headquarters granted the Regiment the following Battle Honours
1945 – 1964 From 1945 – 1948 there was no territorial training. In 1949 the Territorials were reactivated under a Compulsory Military Training scheme. Only the following ten regiments from the original 17 were re-raised.
On 17th August 1951 the North Auckland Regiment was renamed the Northland Regiment to conform to the new geographical name of the Province. The Regiments badge was changed in a minor form by replacing the words "North Auckland" with "Northland". The Auckland (CRO) Regiment was granted a charter and the freedom of the City of Auckland on 9th November 1952. Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Northland regiment on 16th February 1958. The Compulsory Military Training scheme remained until 1959, when a volunteer system was introduced. Although retaining their identity, unit strengths were poor and remained this way until the commencement of National Service training in 1962. The National Service Training provided a continuing supply of soldiers to maintain the Territorial Force at its operational strength. ROYAL NEW ZEALAND INFANTRY REGIMENT On 1st April 1964, the ten Regiments of the infantry were amalgamated into one Regiment of seven Battalions known as the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. The numbering of these battalions were as follows:
The 3rd Battalion was formed from the amalgamation of the Auckland and Northland Regiments. The RNZIR Badge was worn by all the Battalions of the Regiment. The Badge is a silver kiwi on a scarlet background with a circle of quarter blue inscribed "Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment", the whole enclosed by fern fronds and surmounted by a crown. A scroll below "Onward".
The City of Whangarei granted a charter and the freedom of the city to the 3rd Battalion on a parade in Whangarei on the 15th July 1964. The ceremony of handing over the charter was held on the Boys High School playing fields, and was the finale of the Whangarei City status celebrations week. The charter was to have been given to the Northland Regiment, however the new organization of the RNZIR saw the charter given to the 3rd Battalion. Because the Northland Regiment should have received the charter, and the new 3rd battalion did not have its own colours, the Northland Regiments colours were carried on this parade. The charter and freedom of the City of Auckland, was granted to the 3rd battalion on a parade in Queen Street on the 9th of March 1966. The Auckland Regiments colours were paraded for this occasion. Colonel-in-Chief Her majesty the Queen, Elizabeth 2nd, was appointed Colonel in Chief of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment on the 6th of August 1964.
In late 1972 the regimental belt was introduced and was worn until a slight change in pattern occurred in 1998. The colours of the 1972 belt of Post Office red over the jet black over the white in three one inch bands were derived from the colours of the 3rd Auckland (red and black) and 15th Northland (black and white) Regiments. In 1998 there was modification made to the belt where the background became jet black with an upper and lower band of red over white. This belt was continued as the regimental belt when the 3rd battalion of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment was merged into the new organisation of the Auckland and Northland Regiment in late 1998. Colours The 3rd Battalion was presented with its colours by his excellency the Governor General, Sir Dennis Blundell, KCMG, KBE on the Auckland Domain, on Monday the 26th February 1973. The Queens Colour has the Union flag, bearing in the centre a circlet inscribed royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment and within the circlet the battalion numeral III. The centre circlet surmounted with a King Edward Crown. The royal blue Regimental Colour has in the centre the regimental crest over the top of the regimental motto onward. Both within the national wreath of Pohutukawa, Kowhai, and the New Zealand Fern and the whole surmounted with St. Edward’s Crown. In the upper canton (quarter) are the battalion III and in the upper outer canton the 3rd Auckland Countess of Ranfurly’s Regiment badge and in the law canton the 15th Northland Regiment badge. Emblazoned on the regimental colour are 21 battle honours won by the antecedent regiments. The 10 World War I battle honours on the inner side, the Boer war battle honour low centre, and the 10 World War II battle honours on the outside.
Prior to the consecration and presentation of a units new colours, the units old colours are trooped for the last time and marched off. As the 3rd Battalion had not been previously presented colours, the two sets of colours of the antecedent Regiments, 1st Battalion Auckland Regiment Countess of Ranfurly’s Own, and 1st Battalion, North Auckland Regiment were trooped and marched off. The colours of the Auckland and the North Auckland Regiments were laid up in the World War II hall of memories at the Auckland Museum on the fourth of March 1973 but its set of colours were displayed together and both sets of Regimental Colours were emblazoned with their World War II battle honours. The Auckland Museum was never to be the final resting place of the Auckland Regiment colours. They were to be re-laid up in Northland when an appropriate place was constructed. On the tenth of November 1994, the colours were handed to the curator of the new Northland Regional Museum in Whangarei. At this small parade the guidon of the North Auckland Mounted Rifles was also presented to the Museum. The colours and guidon are now displayed beside each other. Regimental Alliances An alliance is a formal affiliation between two Corp, Regiments or units of the Commonwealth Forces designed to establish and maintain a bond of mutual interest. The 3rd Battalion alliance is with the Royal Anglian Regiment, whose Regimental Headquarters is in Suffolk, England. This present day alliance has resulted from alliance between antecedent Regiments which first had alliances approved in 1913. On the 30th of January 1913 a letter from the War Office stated that His Majesty the King had been pleased to approve the following alliances: 3rd Auckland Regiment (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) allied to the Suffolk Regiment. 15th North Auckland Regiment allied to the Northamptonshire Regiment. Alliances were sought with the Suffolk and Northamptonshire Regiments as they both had associations with the Auckland and Northland areas. The 58 Rutlandshire Regiment which became the second Battalion, the North Hamptonshire Regiment in 1981 had three companies fight in the battles of Puketutu at Lake Omapere in May 1845, Ohaewai in July 1845 and Ruapekapeka in the Jan area 1846. The 12th East Suffolk Regiment, which became the Suffolk Regiment in 1891, served in New Zealand from 1860 to 1867 during the Maori Wars. Originally only two companies landed in New Plymouth and fought in the Taranaki District. In 1861 a Regimental Headquarters was established in Auckland at Otahuhu and troops from this Headquarters were involved in fighting the Maori’s in Taranaki, Tauranga, Meremere, Waikato and Ngarawahia. The battle honours New Zealand is emblazoned on both the Regimental Colours of the Suffolk and Northamptonshire Regiments. The New Zealand Maori Wars were the last in which the colours of the Suffolk Regiment were taken into action. After reorganisation in 1959, 1960 and 1968 the Suffolk Regiment is now the 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment, and the Northamptonshire Regiment is now the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment. So although reorganisation in both the New Zealand and English armies it has worked out most appropriately that the 3rd Battalion and the Royal Anglian Regiments are still allied. The Royal Anglian Regiment have inherited the battle honour "New Zealand". Regimental Music
The Auckland Army Centre was opened by the then Prime Minister, the Right Honourable R.D. Muldoon CH on the 20th of November 1982. The centre was opened as the Headquarters of the 3rd Battalion and is based on the Great North Road just outside the Central Business District of Auckland City. The Battalion Headquarters moved from the CML Building in Queens Street and the Battalion was the sole occupant of the Auckland Army Centre at it’s opening. The organisation of the Battalion at that time was as follows: A Company, The Northland Company with Headquarters of the Whangarei Area Office in Walton Street, Whangarei. Located at the Auckland Army Centre were B Company, C Company, Logistics Company and Support Company. Located at Papakura Military Camp was D Company, the South Auckland Company. With the closure of Papakura Military Camp in 1990, the company shifted to the then new major Army Headquarters at Mount Wellington Barracks. In 1992, the Headquarters of One Brigade moved from Mount Wellington Barracks to Christchurch to become the basis of the 3rd Land Force Group Headquarters located at Burnham Camp. At that time there was also a redistribution of units in the North Island and 16th Field Regiment and 161st Battery which had been located at Mount Wellington Barracks shifted to Linton Military Camp in Palmerston North. This left the Territorial Force 11th Battery in Auckland and as the Territorial Force at that stage was generally reducing in size, Delta Company and 11th Battery both moved from the Mount Wellington Barracks to the Auckland Army Centre. With the termination of the lease on the Mount Wellington Barracks property in December 1997, the remaining units in Auckland who had been located at Mount Wellington Barracks relocated themselves to the Auckland Army Centre.
The 3rd Battalion, Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) and Northland, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, celebrated it’s Centennial in the week of the 18th to the 24th of May 1998. This date was allied to the Countess of Ranfurly presenting the affairs set of colours to the Battalion on Wednesday the 24th of May 1899, in the Auckland Domain, which in turn was the first anniversary of the date of the formation of the Battalion. A separate book, was produced for the Centennial. This book contains further detail of the Centennial celebrations itself, as well as further information on the history of the Battalion The Auckland (Countess of Ranfurly’s Own) and Northland Regiment 1998. As part of a further restructuring of the Army commenced in the 1998, the Territorial Force was amalgamated into six Regiments geographically located at around the country. All of the Territorial Force members in number of varying units all became members of the Regiments which were based on the six geographical locations of the Territorial Force Battalions.
The Regiment still maintains its office in the Whangarei, the high mall of Northland Company which has an infantry and logistic platoon, with the remaining units being located at the Auckland Army Centre, Arch Hill. |
