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Waikato Regiment

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Not to be confused with the Waikato Regiment an armoured regiment of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps from 1959 till 1963.
16th (Waikato) Regiment
Waikato Regiment
Cap badge of the Waikato Regiment
Active1911–1950
Country New Zealand
BranchNew Zealand Military Forces
TypeInfantry
Garrison/HQHamilton
Motto(s)Ka whawhai tonu ake ake (Māori: "we shall fight for ever and ever")
EngagementsFirst World War
Second World War

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

History

Mascot of the 16th (Waikato) Regiment

The 16th (Waikato) Regiment was formed on 17 March 1911 as part of a reorganisation which saw the old Volunteer Force converted into a Territorial Force based on compulsory military training.[1] The new regiment was completely new (i.e. had no lineage to units of the Volunteer Force)[2] and was presented with a stand of colours in May 1914 by the Governor of New Zealand, the Earl of Liverpool.[3]

At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the decision was made to form a New Zealand infantry brigade of four battalions from the existing territorial regiments. The 16th (Waikato) Regiment provided the 16th (Waikato) Company to the Auckland Battalion, which saw service in the Gallipoli Campaign. Following the evacuation from Gallipoli in 1916, the Auckland Battalion was expanded to a regiment of two battalions. The Auckland Infantry Regiment would see action on the western front, engaging in the battles of the Somme, Messines, Passchendaele, German Spring Offensive and the Hundred Days Offensive. A third battalion was also raised in 1917, but was disbanded in 1918 due to manpower shortages. Both the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were organised along the same lines as the 1st Battalion, each with their own 16th (Waikato) Company. The Auckland Infantry Regiment was disbanded at the end of the war.[4][5]

In 1921, the New Zealand territorial regiments were reorganised into larger regiments, similar to those of the First World War, with the 16th (Waikato) Regiment becoming the 4th Battalion, Auckland Regiment.[6] The amalgamations were short lived and in 1923, the previous organisation was reverted to, although the ordinals were dropped and the 4th Battalion was redesignated as the Waikato Regiment.[7] Another organisation occurred in 1937 when the Waikato Regiment was reduced to a depot and supplied a single rifle company to the 1st Composite Battalion. The battalion also had rifle companies from the Hauraki and North Auckland Regiments. The composite system was abandoned in May 1939, just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War and the territorial regiments were brought up to full battalion strength.[8]

During the Second World War, the Waikato Regiment remained in New Zealand for home defence. A 2nd Battalion was formed in 1942 by redesignating the 9th Battalion of the National Military Reserve.[9] The 1st Battalion became part of 1st Infantry Brigade of the 1st New Zealand Division and was expected to provide a mobile response to any invasion throughout the country. The 2nd Battalion remained stationed in the Waikato. The territorial forces were stood down in June 1943 and the 2nd Battalion was formally disbanded in April 1944.[10]

Men from the regiment saw active service overseas with the 18th, 21st, 24th and 29th battalions of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force.[1] The 18th, 21st and 24th battalions formed part of the 2nd New Zealand Division and saw action in Greece, Crete, North Africa, Tunisia and Italy.[11] [12] [13] The 29th Battalion, was deployed to the Pacific with the 3rd New Zealand Division and saw combat at the Treasury Islands.[14]

The Waikato Regiment was absorbed by the 1st Armoured Regiment (Waikato) of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps in 1950.[15]

Battle Honours

The Waikato Regiment was authorised to emblazoned the following battle honours earnt during the First World War on their colours:[1]

The regiment also inherited the battle honours of the 18th (till 5th October 1942), 21st, 24th and 29th Battalions.[1] The following battle honours were authorised to be emblazoned on the colours:

Alliances

The Waikato Regiment was allied with the following regiments:[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Corbett, D. A. (1980). The regimental badges of New Zealand : an illustrated history of the badges and insignia worn by the New Zealand Army. Auckland: Ray Richards. p. 231. ISBN 0908596057.
  2. ^ "H19: Defence Forces of New Zealand". Appendix to the Journal of the House of Representatives. 1911. p. 3.
  3. ^ "Territorials in Camp". King Country Chronicle. 6 May 1914.
  4. ^ Burton, O. E. (1922). Auckland Regiment. Auckland: Whitcombe and Tombs.
  5. ^ "Auckland Infantry Regiment". NZHistory. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  6. ^ "No. 68" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. 21 July 1921. p. 1950.
  7. ^ "No. 53" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. 21 June 1923. p. 1743.
  8. ^ Cooke, Peter (2002). Defending New Zealand: Ramparts on the Sea 1840-1950s. Wellington: Defence of New Zealand Study Group. pp. 307–310. ISBN 0473068338.
  9. ^ Cooke 2002, p. 323.
  10. ^ Cooke, Peter; Crawford, J. (2011). The Territorials. Auckland: Random House. pp. 272–281. ISBN 9781869794460.
  11. ^ Dawson, W. D. (1961). 18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch. OCLC 11568803.
  12. ^ Cody, Joseph (1953). 21 Battalion. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch. OCLC 11136356.
  13. ^ Burdon, R. M. (1953). 24 Battalion. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Wellington, New Zealand: War History Branch. OCLC 559408067.
  14. ^ Sale, E.V. (1947). Gillespie, Oliver (ed.). Stepping Stones to the Solomons: The Unofficial History of the 29th Battalion with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific. The Third New Zealand Division Histories. Wellington: Reed Publishing. OCLC 8061122.
  15. ^ "No. 46" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. 20 July 1950. p. 998.
  16. ^ Thomas, Malcolm; Lord, Cliff (1995). New Zealand Army distinguishing patches, 1911-1991, Part 1. p. 170. ISBN 0473032902.
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