From 4 Store Depots in the main centers of New Zealand at the beginning of the 20th century, the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC) expanded and shrank to meet the operational needs of the NZ Army. Ordinance units have been deployed worldwide and across the breath and width of New Zealand.
Description of Ordnance Units In general terms Ordnance units can be described as: Main/Base Depots – A battalion-sized unit, commanded by a lieutenant colonel. Usually a major stock holding unit, responsible the distribution of stock to other ordnance installations. Central Ordnance Depots/Supply Company – Company-sized units, commanded by a major. depending on the role of the unit, the following sub units could be included in the organisation: Provision, Control & Accounts Stores sub-depot/platoon Traffic Centre Camp Equipment Technical Stores Expendables Clothing Returned Stores & Disposals Textile Repair Tailors Boot Repair Ammunition Sub-Depot/Platoon Vehicles Sub-Depot/Platoon Services Sub-Depot/Platoon Bath and Shower Laundry Rations Sub-Depot/Platoon (after 1979) Fresh Rations Combat Rations Butchers Petroleum Platoon (after 1979) Workshops Stores Sections – In 1962, RNZAOC Stores Sections carrying specialised spares, assemblies and workshops materials to suit the particular requirement of its parent RNZEME workshops were approved and RNZEME Technical Stores personnel employed in these were transferred to the RNZAOC. Workshops Prior to 1947, Equipment repair workshops were part of the Ordnance organisation, types of workshop included: Main Workshop Field Workshop Light Aid Detachments Technical Stores
Unit naming conventions Naming of Ordnance units within New Zealand was generally based upon the unit locations or function or unit.
Supply Depots were initially named based on the district they belonged to: Upper North Island – Northern District Ordnance Depot Lower North Island – Central Districts Ordnance Depot South Island – Southern Districts Ordnance Depot
In 1968 a regional based numbering system was adopted 1 for Ngāruawāhia 2 for linton 3 for Burnahm 4 for Waiouru
Some exceptions were: 1 Base Depot and 1st Base Supply Battalion, unique battalion sized unit, name was based on role not location 1 Composite Ordnance Company, a unique company sized unit, name was based on role not location
When the Royal New Zealand Army Service Corps(RNZASC) became the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport (RNZCT) in 1979, the supply functions were transferred to the RNZAOC with the 1st number signifying the location with the 2nd number been 4 for all Supply Platoons:
14 Supply Platoon, Papakura 24 Supply Platoon, Linton 34 Supply Platoon, Burnham 44 Supply platoon, Waiouru 54 Supply Platoon, Trentham Exceptions were: 21 Supply Company – Retained its name as a historical link to the units long history in the RNZASC. 47 Petroleum Platoon, Originally 7 Petroleum Platoon RNZASC, when Transferred to the RNZAOC, as it was based in Waiouru it added the Waiouru unit designation 4 and became 47 Petroleum Platoon RNZAOC
Unit locations New Zealand, 1907–1996
Alexandra 9 Magazines Operational from 1943. Ceased to be used by the NZ Army in 1962.
Ardmore 20 Magazines operational from 1943
Auckland There has been an Ordnance presence in Auckland since the 1840s with the Colonial Storekeeper and Imperial forces. The Northern Districts Ordnance Depot was situated in Mount Eden in the early 1900s. In the 1940s the center for Ordnance Support for the Northern Districts moved to Ngāruawāhia, with a Sub depot remaining at Narrow Neck to provided immediate support.RNZAOC units that have been accommodated at Auckland have been:Stores Depot Albert Barracks, 1862 to 1883. O'Rourke Street, 1883 to 1903 Northern District Ordnance Depot, Goal Reserve, Mount Eden 1907 to 1929 1 Supply Company, from 1989, Papakura 12 Supply Company 12 Field Supply Company 15 Combat Supplies Platoon, 1 Logistic Regiment 52 Supply Platoon, 5 Force Support Company Other Ordnance Units Northern Districts Vehicle Depot, Sylvia Park Vehicle Sub Depot, Sylvia Park Bulk Stores Mangere, 1940s (Part of MOD Trentham) DSS Fort Cautley Northern Districts Ammunition Depot, Ardmore Workshops Ordnance Workshop Devonport, 1925–1941. No 12 Ordnance Workshop, Devonport, 1941–1946
Workshop Stores Section 1 Infantry Workshop, Stores Section, Papakura 1962–1986 1 Field Workshop Store Section, Papakura 1 Transport Company Workshop, Stores Section, Fort Cautley
Belmont Operational from 1943 MOD Trentham, Ammunition Group, Ammunition Section
Burnham Stores Depot 1921 saw the establishment of a single Command Ordnance Depot to service all military units in the newly organised Southern Military Command. Prior to this, Ordnance stores had operated from Christchurch and Dunedin. The new Depot (later renamed the Third Central Ordnance Depot) was established in the buildings of the former Industrial School at Burnham. Re-structuring in 1979 brought a change of name to 3 Supply Company. Stores Depot titles 1921–1996 Area Ordnance Department Burnham, 1920 to 1939 Southern Districts Ordnance Depot, 1939 to 1968 3 Central Ordnance Deport (3 COD), 1968 to 1979 3 Supply Company, 1979 to 1993 Burnham Supply Center, 1993 to 1994 3 Field Supply Company, 1994 to 1996 Officers Commanding From To Officer Commanding 20 June 1921 19 December 1930 Captain A.R.C White 20 December 1930 30 June 1934 Lieutenant H.E Erridge 30 June 1934 2 December 1939 Lieutenant D Nicol
Other Ordnance Units Combat Supplies Platoon. 1979 to 19?? Ready Reaction Force Ordnance Support Group (RRF OSG), 19?? To 1992, moved to Linton 32 Field Supply Company (Territorial Force Unit) Ordnance Field Parks 3 Infantry Brigade Group OFP Workshops No 14 Ordnance Workshop, until 1946 Workshop Stores Section Southern Districts Workshop, Stores Section 3 Field Workshop, Store Section
Christchurch Stores Depot Canterbury and Nelson Military District Stores Depot, King Edwards Barracks, Christchurch, 1907 to 1921 Workshop Stores Section Southern Districts Workshop, Stores Section, Addington 3 Infantry Brigade Workshop, Stores Section, Addington 3 Transport Company Workshop, Stores Section, Addington
Dunedin Stores Depot Otago Districts Stores Depot, 1907 to 1921
Fairlie Nine magazines Operational 1943.
Featherston Featherston Camp was New Zealand's largest training camp during the First World War, where around 60,000 young men trained for overseas service between 1916 – 1918. An Ordnance Detachment was maintained in Featherston until 1927 when it functions were transferred to Northern Districts Ordnance Depot, Ngāruawāhia.
Glentunnel 16 magazines Operational from 1943
Hopuhopu Hopuhopu was established in 1927 and allowed the closure of Featherston Ordnance Depot and the Auckland Ordnance Depot and was intended to service the northern regions. During construction Hopuhopu was described by the Auckland Star as "Probably the greatest Ordnance Depot" in New Zealand Hopuhopu closed down in 1989 and its Ordnance functions moved to Papakura and Mount Wellington.RNZAOC units that have been accommodated at Hopuhopu have been:Stores Depot
Area Ngaruwahia Ordnance Department 1927 to 1940 Northern District Ordnance Depot, 1940 to 1968 1 Central Ordnance Depot (1 COD), 1968 to 1979 1 Supply Company, 1979 to 1989 1 Field Supply Company, 1984, from 1989, Papakura
Ordnance Field Parks
1 Infantry Brigade Group, Ordnance Field Park(OFP), 1968 to 1979, support to Combat Brigade Group
From To Officer Commanding 2nd in Command Park Sergeant Major 1966 1969 Major Marchant 1969 1972 Captain C.J Hodson Captain Jim FinnertyCaptain Pat Puohataua WO2 Rex Pennell 1972 1975 Major Ian McDonald Captain M.D Stuart WO2 Mike Behague 1975 1976 Captain P.E Dangerfield WO2 Nig Taurua 1976 1978 Captain T.M.S JohnstonWO2 Barry Stuart
12 Ordnance Field Park
From To Officer Commanding 2nd in Command Park Sergeant Major 1978 Major Ian Mcdonald Captain Mike Johnston WO2 Kevin Cryer Workshop Stores Section
1 Infantry Brigade Group LAD, Stores Section
Other Ordnance Units
Northern Districts Ammunition Depot, Kelms Road
Kelms Road 55 Magazines Operational from 1943
Linton Camp RNZAOC units that have been accommodated at Linton have been;Stores Depot No 2 Ordnance Depot, 1 October 1946 to 1948 Central Districts Ordnance Depot, 1948 to 1968 2 Central Ordnance Deport (2 COD), 1968 to 1979 2 Supply Company, 1979 to 1985 5 Composite Supply Company, 1985 to 1990 21 Field Supply Company 1990 to 1996 From To Officer Commanding 2nd In Command Company Sergeant Major 1992 May 1994 Major C Tarrant May 1994 Dec 1996 Major C Charlton Ordnance Field Parks 22 Ordnance Field Park 2nd Infantry Brigade Ordnance Field Park Platoon 1948-48 Workshop Stores Section 1 General Troops Workshop, Stores Section Linton Area Workshop, Stores Section 5 Engineer Workshop, Store Section Other Ordnance Units 24 Supply Platoon 23 Combat Supplies Platoon 47 Petroleum Platoon 1984 to 1996 Ready Reaction Force Ordnance Support Group (RRF OSG), from Burnham in 1992 absorbed into 21 Field Supply Company
Mangaroa First used as a tented camp during the First World War and in the Second World War Mangaroa was the site of a RNZAF Stores Depot from 1943. The depot with a storage capacity of 25,000 sq ft in 8 'Adams type' Buildings was Handed over to the NZ Army by 1949. The units that have been accommodated at Mangaroa have been:Supply Depot Main Ordnance Depot, 1949–1968 1 Base Ordnance Depot, 1968–1979 1st Base Supply Battalion, 1979–1985 ACE(Artillery and Camp Equipment) Group 5 Composite Supply Company, 1977-1979 Ordnance Field Parks 4(NZ) Division Ordnance Field Park(OFP), 1950–1963 1 Infantry Brigade Group, OFP, 1963–1968, From To Officer Commanding 2nd In Command Park Sergeant Major 1963 1966 Major Colin French Captain Mick Hunt WO2 Ted PatersonWO2 Ted Sweet 1966 1968 Major C.J.C Marchant Captain Max Newman WO2 Bob Plumber 1st Composite Ordnance Company (1 Comp Ord Coy), 1964–19771 Comp Ord Coy was the Ordnance Bulk Holding unit for the field force units supporting the Combat Brigade Group and the Logistic Support Group and held 60–90 days war reserve stock. 1 Comp Ord Coy was made up of the following sub-units: Coy HQ 1 Platoon, General Stores 2 Platoon, Technical Stores 3 Platoon, Vehicles 4 Platoon, Ammo (located at Makomako) 5 Platoon, Laundry Equipped with Laundry Unit M532. The Laundry unit M532 was a trailer mounted self-contained laundry unit complete with a Generator, Washer extractor and tumbler dryer. 6 Platoon, Bath Equipped with Bath Unit, Portable, 8-Shower head M1958. The 8-shower head portable bath unit was a liquid fuel-fired water heating plant designed to supply warm water to each of the shower nozzles. The bath unit was self-contained with all the necessary ancillary equipment such as hoses, water heater, water pump assembly and shower stands.
Mako Mako 39 magazines operational from 1943 MOD Trentham, Ammunition Group, Ammunition Section 2 COD Ammunition Section
Mount Somers
10 Magazines operational from 1943
Palmerston North Palmerston North Detachment, NZAOC, Awapuni Racecourse, 1914 to 1921. Depot Closed and stocks moved to Trentham. Ordnance Store, 327 Main Street Circa 1917–1921. No 2 Ordnance Sub Depot, Palmerston North showgrounds, 1942 to 1946 when depot moved to Linton.
Trentham Stores Depot Main Ordnance Depot (MOD), 1920 to 1968 Base Ordnance Depot (BOD), 1968 to 1979 1st Base Supply Battalion (1BSB), 1979 to 1993 5 Logistic Regiment (5LR), 1993 to 8 December 1996 when Transferred to the RNZALR.
Commanding Officers MOD/BOD/1BSB/5LR