National Military Reserve (New Zealand)

The National Military Reserve was a reserve force of the New Zealand Military Forces. It was formed just prior to the Second World War and intended to provide a reserve pool of manpower to supplement the Territorial Force. The National Military Reserve consisted of a number of independent infantry companies and battalions, as well as independent Mounted rifle squadrons. In 1942 the New Zealand Government rationalised the reserve system. The National Military Reserve was disbanded and most of the constituent units were transferred to the Territorial Force.

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: 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 force 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.

List of units of the National Military reserve Mounted Rifle Squadrons All 9 independent mounted rifles companies were formed on 1 July 1940. They were transferred to the Territorial Force on 10 January 1942 and later attached to the Home Guard in May 1943.

CompanyLocation1stNorthland2ndKaipara3rdHauraki4thEast Coast5thTararua6thMarlborough7thNelson8thEllesmere9thTaieri

Independent Infantry Companies A total of 21 independent infantry companies were formed, of which 12 were disbanded on 1 January 1942, and the remainder transferred to the territorial force on 2 February 1942

CompanyLocationDate formedFate1stWhanagarei1 July 1940Attached to North Auckland Regiment2ndRussell1 July 1940Disbanded3rdWhangaroa1 July 1940Disbanded4thTauranga1 July 1940Disbanded5thThames23 September 1940Attached to Hauraki Regiment6thHamilton23 September 1940Disbanded7thWairoa23 September 1940Attached to Hawkes Bay Regiment8thGisborne1 July 1940Attached to Hawkes Bay Regiment9thNapier1 July 1940Disbanded10thNew Plymouth1 July 1940Disbanded11thWanganui1 July 1940Disbanded12thPalmerston North23 September 1940Disbanded13thHastings23 September 1940Disbanded14thPaekakariki/Porirua23 September 1940Disbanded15thNelson1 July 1940Attached to Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment16thBlenheim/Picton1 July 1940Disbanded17thGreymouth/Westport1 July 1940Attached to Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment18thTimaru1 July 1940Disbanded19thOamaru1 July 1940Attached to Otago Regiment20thBluff1 July 1940Attached to Otago Regiment21stWestport1 November 1941Attached to Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment

Infantry Battalions A total of 22 infantry battalions were formed and were transferred to the territorial force on 2 February 1942 BattalionLocationDate formedRedesignated as1stAuckland1 July 19404th Battalion, Auckland Regiment2ndWellington1 July 19403rd Battalion, Wellington Regiment3rdChristchurch1 July 19403rd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment4thDunedin1 July 19402nd Battalion, Otago Regiment5thAuckland1 November 19415th Battalion, Auckland Regiment6thWhangarei1 November 19412nd Battalion, North Auckland Regiment7thBay of Islands1 November 19413rd Battalion, North Auckland Regiment8thBay of Islands1 November 19414th Battalion, North Auckland Regiment9thHamilton1 November 19412nd Battalion, Waikato Regiment10thTauranga1 November 19412nd Battalion, Hauraki Regiment11thWellington1 November 19414th Battalion, Wellington Regiment12thNapier1 November 19412nd Battalion, Hawke's Bay Regiment13thWanganui1 November 19412nd Battalion, Wellington West Coast Regiment14thNew Plymouth1 November 19412nd Battalion, Taranaki Regiment15thChristchurch1 November 19414th Battalion, Canterbury Regiment16thChristchurch1 November 19415th Battalion, Canterbury Regiment17thDunedin1 November 19413rd Battalion, Otago Regiment18thPalmerston North1 November 19413rd Battalion, Wellington West Coast Regiment19thBlenheim1 November 19412nd Battalion, Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment20thTimaru1 November 19417th Battalion, Canterbury Regiment21stBlenheim1 November 19413rd Battalion, Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment22ndChristchurch1 November 19416th Battalion, Canterbury Regiment

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