Country New Zealand Branch Army Role Light Role Infantry | Allegiance HM The Queen Type Line Infantry | |
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Active 9 January 1947 – Present | ||
The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment is the parent administrative regiment of regular and reserve infantry battalions in the New Zealand Army. It is the only regular infantry regiment of the New Zealand Defence Force.
Contents
Formation
The regiment was formed on 9 January 1947 as the New Zealand Regiment with a single infantry battalion as part of the newly created infantry corps. By 1 August 1947 the regiment was augmented by the reorganisation of the Jayforce (the New Zealand occupation force in Japan):
The 2nd and 3rd Battalions were disbanded in 1948 following their return to New Zealand. The honours and traditions of the 22nd Battalion, NZEF were then perpetuated through the Wellington (City of Wellington's Own) Regiment, the Hawke's Bay Regiment and the Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Regiment.
Malaya
The 2nd Battalion was raised again in 1959 and saw service as part of the 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade Group in Malaya before converting to a depot for the 1st Battalion in 1963. The regiment received its present name on 1 April 1964, when all of the Territorial Force battalions were absorbed into its structure, receiving battalion numbers:
Vietnam War
In 1967, during the Vietnam War, 1 RNZIR which was stationed in Malaya, contributed Victor Company, a 182-man rifle company to Vietnam which served from May 1967 until November 1967 as part of the 1st Australian Task Force. For the first two weeks the company served with 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment at Nui Dat and then came under 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment for the remainder of the tour. Despite being under 2 RAR operationally, V Company did maintain some command autonomity for all non-operational administrative matters which were reported to the New Zealand Headquarters in Saigon. During its six months in Vietnam V Company participated in Operation Paddington (8–16 July 1967), Operation Cairns (25 July – 1 August 1967), Operation Atherton (16 August – 3 September 1967), Operation Ainslie (4–21 September 1967) and Operation Kenmore (29 September – 11 October 1967). Victor Company was replaced by Whisky One Company in December, also from 1 RNZIR in Malaya. A fresh Victor Company also joined and the two New Zealand companies continued to serve under 2 RAR until the formation of the ANZAC Battalion in 1968.
1 March 1968 saw the formation of the "ANZAC Battalion" which was a merger of A, B and C Companies of 2 RAR with V and W Companies of RNZIR and renamed 2 RAR/NZ (ANZAC). W and V Companies operated as New Zealand companies, maintaining their identity and designation within the Australian battalion they were part of. The new ANZAC Battalion's first operation was Operation Pinnaroo (27 February – 15 April 1968) with 3 RAR, followed by Operation Cooktown Orchid (April 1968). In May 1968 Victor 3 replaced Victor 2, 2 RAR was replaced by 4 RAR and the ANZAC Battalion became 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC). In November 1968 the first Whisky company was replaced by Whisky 2. In May 1969 4 RAR was replaced by 6 RAR whereupon the ANZAC Battalion became 6RAR/NZ (ANZAC). Two weeks prior to 6 RAR's arrival Victor 3 was replaced by Victor 4 and conducted operations with Whisky 2 until the arrival of the Australians. Whisky 2 was replaced by Whisky 3 in November 1969. During this rotation two New Zealand mortar sections and two Assault Pioneer sections were added. In May 1970 Victor 4 was replaced by Victor 5. In July 1970 6 RAR was relieved by 2 RAR again and the battalion was once again 2RAR/NZ (ANZAC). After three tours W3 Company was withdrawn from Vietnam in November 1970 along with 8 RAR. Finally, in May 1971 Victor 5 was replaced by Victor 6 and 2 RAR was replaced by 4 RAR thereby becoming 4 RAR/NZ (ANZAC) again, serving until the withdrawal of the last Australian and New Zealand combat troops in December 1971.
New Zealand infantry participated in many operations in Vietnam thereafter including Operation Duntroon (10–21 January 1968), Operation Coburg (24 January – 1 March 1968), Operation Kosciusko (15–20 June 1968), Operation Merino (18–25 July 1968), Operation Lyre Bird (1–4 September 1968), Operation Innamincka (7–12 September 1968), Operation Hawkesbury (12–24 September 1968), Operation Sceptre, an independent operation by W Company (28 September – 6 October 1968), Operation Capitol (12–30 October 1968), Operation Goodwood (December 1968 – February 1969) which included the Battle of Hat Dich, Operation Federal (27 March – 8 April 1969), Operation Overlander (8–17 April 1969), Operation Stafford (17 April – 1 May 1969), Operation Lavarack (31 May – 30 June 1969), Operation Mundingburra (14–15 August 1969), Operation Burnham (29 August – 30 September 1969), Operation Marsden (1–27 December 1969), Operation Cung Chung 1 (12 June – 28 June 1970), Operation Petrie (29 June – 13 July 1970), Operation Nathan (13 July – 2 August 1970), Operation Cung Chung II (3 August – 20 September 1970), and Operation Cung Chung III (21 September 1970 – 31 January 1971).
Victor 4 Company also conducted their own independent operations including Operation Waiouru (5–9 July 1969), Operation Tekapo (26–28 August 1969), Operation Ross (15–24 October 1969), Operation With the ARVN (24–28 November 1969), Operation Napier (10 January – 20 February 1970), Operation Waipounamu (18–20 March 1970) and Operation Townsville (20 March – 23 April 1970).
As the only remaining New Zealand infantry company Victor 5 participated in the ongoing Australian efforts to secure the area and defeat D445 Vietcong Battalion, the primary enemy force in Phuoc Tuy Province. As part of 4 RAR/NZ Victor 5 Company was involved in Operation Phoi Hop (1 February – 2 May 1971.) Victor 6 Company was involved in Operation Overlord (5–14 June 1971) including Battle of Long Khanh, Operation Hermit Park (14 June – 27 July 1971), Battle of Nui Le (21 September 1971), and Operation Valiant (3–6 October 1971)
With other Australian battalions having been withdrawn earlier in 1971, only 3 RAR and 4 RAR/NZ remained by mid 1971. Victor 6's last operation was one of protecting the activities of 1 ATF's withdrawal from Vietnam during Operation South Ward (6–16 October 1971). Victor Company was returned to 1 RNZIR in Singapore on 9 December 1971.
RNZIR casualties (including RNZE attachments) during the Vietnam War were:
Post-Vietnam
In 1973, the regiment gained an additional regular battalion, when the Regimental Depot was redesignated as 2/1st Battalion, RNZIR. This structure was in place until 1999, when the TF regiments resumed their separate identities following the re-organisation of the army structure. Today, the RNZIR has two regular battalions:
An additional battalion, known as the 3/1st Battalion RNZIR, was occasionally formed as a composite battalion from the Territorial Battalions during exercises.
On 17 March 2013 the six TF battalions were amalgamated into three with the 2nd Battalion (Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough and West Coast Regiment) combining with 4th Battalion (Otago and Southland Regiment) to form the 2nd/4th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, the 3rd Battalion (Auckland [Countess of Ranfurly's Own] and Northland Regiment) combining with 6th Battalion (Hauraki Regiment) to form the 3rd/6th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (3/6 RNZIR) and the 5th Battalion (Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Regiment) and 7th Battalion (Wellington [City of Wellington's Own], Hawkes Bay Regiment) combining to form the 5th/7th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (5/7 RNZIR).
Organisation
In the New Zealand Army, an Infantry Platoon is commanded by a second lieutenant or a lieutenant with a Platoon Sergeant (holding the rank of sergeant), a Platoon Signaller and a medic (where relevant) comprising the Platoon Headquarters. The Platoon is sub-divided into three sections of between 7–10 soldiers, each commanded by a corporal with a lance corporal as the Section second-in-command (Section 2iC). Each section can be sub-divided into two fire-teams, commanded by the Section Commander and 2iC respectively, as well as normal two man Scout, Rifle and Gun Teams. In recent years the section organisation consists of the two fire team concept, where the section is divided into two fire teams with a Gun team in each and one commanded by the section corporal and the other section lance corporal with a section marksmen in each team and the leftover riflemen divided equally among the two fire teams. The section corporal is still in overall command and is in contact with the other fire team via radio if the situation changes.
There are three platoons in a Rifle Company, which is commanded by a major, and three rifle companies within an infantry battalion, which is commanded by a lieutenant colonel. An infantry battalion will also contain an organic Support Company including a signals platoon, mortar platoon (mortars now officially under the Artillery corps but still used by Infantry on deployment), Direct Fire Support Weapons Platoon which includes anti armour, heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers, Reconnaissance Platoon and Sniper cell, and a Logistics Company (transport and stores). The battalion totals around 400 to 500 soldiers depending on retention levels.
Battle honours
Because it is recruited on a nationwide basis, and has no specific regional links, the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment claims descent from the old New Zealand Regiment and all previous Territorial Infantry Regiments of the New Zealand Army. As a consequence, it is permitted to display a selection of 105 battle honours awarded to ten separate regiments: