Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery - History

History

Between 2-5 August 1914 pre-war plans to establish harbour examination batteries and mobilise the then Royal New Zealand Artillery (active force) and New Zealand Garrison Artillery (territorials) were carried out. The examination batteries' task was to interrogate unidentified vessels entering port. The examination batteries at Fort Takapuna, Point Gordon in Wellington, Fort Jervois and Howlett Point at the entrance to Port Chalmers were manned around the clock until 15 March 1915. After that date 'guns and equipment were maintained at a high state of readiness, with battery personnel available at a few hours' notice.'

During initial mobilisation for the First World War, it was intended that one six-gun 18-pounder battery would form part of the initial contingent of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Following large numbers volunteering for artillery, it was decided to raise the a brigade of three batteries, totalling twelve 18-pounders. The initial brigade departed with the rest of the Main Body on 16 October 1914. Eventually two New Zealand field artillery brigades (regiment-sized units) served with the New Zealand and Australian Division. During the Second World War, 4, 5 and 6 Field Regiments sailed with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force; initially also despatched was 7 Anti-Tank Regiment and 14 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment. A number of artillery regiments and batteries served with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific (2 NZEF IP), and 3rd Division.

After the war ended, the Territorial Force was reconstituted in the late 1940s, and a number of field, mortar (5th Light Regiment RNZA), and coastal units were created. When the Korean War broke out in June 1950, a Regular Force regiment, 16th Field Regiment RNZA, was established as the core of New Zealand's deployed contingent, Kayforce. A rotational RNZA battery were later deployed to the Vietnam War, as part of the 1st Australian Task Force.

In 1955, the Regiment consisted of the following units:

• District Troops
  • Northern Military District
    • 9th Coast Regiment RNZA
    • 13th Composite Anti-aircraft Regiment RNZA
  • Central Military District
    • 10th Coast Regiment RNZA
    • 14th Composite Anti-aircraft Regiment RNZA
  • Southern Military District
    • 11th Coast Regiment RNZA
    • 151st Composite Anti-aircraft Battery RNZA (15th Composite AA Regiment disbanded Sept 1954)
• Divisional Troops
  • Headquarters Royal Artillery
    • Command
    • Royal Artillery Staff Troop
    • Divisional Counter Bombardment Staff Troop
  • 1st Field Regiment RNZA
  • 2nd Field Regiment RNZA
  • 3rd Field Regiment RNZA
  • 4th Medium Regiment RNZA
  • 5th Light Regiment RNZA
  • 6th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment RNZA
  • 12th Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment RNZA (HQ Auckland)
  • 1st Locating Battery RNZA

16 Field Regiment was awarded the South Korean Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War.

The 1957 National Government defence review directed the discontinuation of coastal defence training, and the approximately 1000 personnel of the 9th, 10th, and 11th Coastal Regiments had their Compulsory Military Training obligation removed. A small cadre of regulars remained, but as Henderson, Green, and Cook say, 'the coastal artillery had quietly died.' All the fixed guns were dismantled and sold for scrap by the early 1960s. The three regiments survived on paper until 1967, 'each in its final years at an actual strength of a single warrant officer, the District Gunner, whose duties mainly involved taking care of the mobile 3.7-inch guns allocated for emergency harbour defences.'

In 1958 the Regiment was redesignated the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery. 3rd Field Regiment RNZA was disbanded in 1990.