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 & AccountsStores sub-depot/platoonTraffic CentreCamp EquipmentTechnical StoresExpendablesClothingReturned Stores & DisposalsTextile RepairTailorsBoot RepairAmmunition Sub-Depot/PlatoonVehicles Sub-Depot/PlatoonServices Sub-Depot/PlatoonBath and ShowerLaundryRations Sub-Depot/Platoon (after 1979)Fresh RationsCombat RationsButchersPetroleum 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 WorkshopField WorkshopLight Aid DetachmentsTechnical StoresNaming 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 DepotLower North Island – Central Districts Ordnance DepotSouth Island – Southern Districts Ordnance DepotIn 1968 a regional based numbering system was adopted
1 for Ngaruawahia2 for linton3 for Burnahm4 for WaiouruSome exceptions were:
1 Base Depot and 1st Base Supply Battalion, unique battalion sized unit, name was based on role not location1 Composite Ordnance Company, a unique company sized unit, name was based on role not locationWhen 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, Papakura24 Supply Platoon, Linton34 Supply Platoon, Burnham44 Supply platoon, Waiouru54 Supply Platoon, TrenthamExceptions 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 RNZAOCAlexandra
9 Magazines Operational from 1943
20 Magazines operational from 1943
Auckland
There has been an Ordnance presence in Auckland since the 1840s with he 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 Ngaruawahia, with a Sub depot remaining at Narrow Neck to provided immediate support.
RNZAOC units that have been accommodated at Auckland have been:
Stores Depot
Northern District Ordnance Depot, Goal Reserve, Mount Eden 1907 to 1929Northern District Ordnance Depot, Narrow Neck, 1929 to 19?1 Supply Company, from 1989, Papakura12 Supply Company12 Field Supply Company15 Combat Supplies Platoon, 1 Logistic Regiment52 Supply Platoon, 5 Force Support CompanyOther Ordnance Units
Northern Districts Vehicle Depot, Sylvia ParkVehicle Sub Depot, Sylvia ParkBulk Stores Mangere, 1940s (Part of MOD Trentham)DSS Fort CautleyNorthern Districts Ammunition Depot, ArdmoreWorkshops
No 12 Ordnance Workshop, Devonport, 1920–1946Workshop Stores Section
1 Infantry Workshop, Stores Section, Papakura 1962–19861 Field Workshop Store Section, Papakura1 Transport Company Workshop, Stores Section, Fort CautleyOperational from 1943
MOD Trentham, Ammunition Group, Ammunition SectionStores 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 1921–1996Area Ordnance Department Burnham, 1920 to 1939Southern Districts Ordnance Depot, 1939 to 19683 Central Ordnance Deport (3 COD), 1968 to 19793 Supply Company, 1979 to 1993Burnham Supply Center,1993 to 19943 Field Supply Company, 1994 to 1996Officers CommandingOther Ordnance Units
Combat Supplies Platoon. 1979 to 19??Ready Reaction Force Ordnance Support Group (RRF OSG), 19?? To 1992, moved to Linton32 Field Supply Company (Territorial Force Unit)Ordnance Field Parks
3 Infantry Brigade Group OFPWorkshops
No 14 Ordnance Workshop, until 1946Workshop Stores Section
Southern Districts Workshop, Stores Section3 Field Workshop, Store SectionStores Depot
Canterbury and Nelson Military District Stores Depot, King Edwards Barracks, Christchurch, 1907 to 1921Workshop Stores Section
Southern Districts Workshop, Stores Section, Addington3 Infantry Brigade Workshop, Stores Section, Addington3 Transport Company Workshop, Stores Section, AddingtonStores Depot
Otago Districts Stores Depot, 1907 to 1921Nine magazines Operational 1943.
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. A Ordnance Depot was maintained in Featherston until 1927 when it functions were transferred to Northern Districts Ordnance Depot, Ngaruawahia.
16 magazines Operational from 1943
55 Magazines Operational from 1943
RNZAOC units that have been accommodated at Linton have been;
Stores Depot
Central Districts Ordnance Depot, 1946 to 19682 Central Ordnance Deport (2 COD), 1968 to 19792 Supply Company, 1979 to 19855 Composite Supply Company, 1985 to 199021 Field Supply Company 1990 to 1996Ordnance Field Parks
22 Ordnance Field Park2nd Infantry Brigade Ordnance Field Park Platoon 1948-48Workshop Stores Section
1 General Troops Workshop, Stores SectionLinton Area Workshop, Stores Section5 Engineer Workshop, Store SectionOther Ordnance Units
24 Supply Platoon23 Combat Supplies Platoon47 Petroleum Platoon 1984 to 1996Ready Reaction Force Ordnance Support Group (RRF OSG),from Burnham in 1992 absorbed into 21 Field Supply CompanyFirst 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,1949–19681 Base Ordnance Depot, 1968–19791st Base Supply Battalion, 1979–1985ACE(Artillery and Camp Equipment) GroupOrdnance Field Parks
4(NZ) Division Ordnance Field Park(OFP), 1950–19631 Infantry Brigade Group, OFP, 1963–1968,1st Composite Ordnance Company (1 Comp Ord Coy), 1968–1979
1 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 HQ1 Platoon, General Stores2 Platoon, Technical Stores3 Platoon, Vehicles4 Platoon, Ammo (located at Moko Moko)5 Platoon, LaundryEquipped 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,BathEquipped 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.39 magazines operational from 1943
MOD Trentham, Ammunition Group, Ammunition Section2 COD Ammunition Section10 Magazies operational from 1943
Ngaruawahia also known as Hopu Hopu 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 Ngaruawahia was described by the Auckland Star as "Probably the greatest Ordnance Depot" Ngaruawahia closed down in 1989 and its Ordnance functions moved to Papakura and Mount Wellington.
RNZAOC units that have been accommodated at Ngaruawahia have been:
Stores Depot
Area Ngaruwahia Ordnance Department 1927 to 1940Northern District Ordnance Depot, 1940 to 19681 Central Ordnance Depot (1 COD), 1968 to 19791 Supply Company, 1979 to 19891 Field Supply Company, 1984, from 1989, PapakuraOrdnance Field Parks
1 Infantry Brigade Group, Ordnance Field Park(OFP), 1968 to 1979,support to Combat Brigade Group12 Ordnance Field ParkWorkshop Stores Section
1 Infantry Brigade Group LAD, Stores SectionOther Ordnance Units
Northern Districts Ammunition Depot, Kelms RoadCentral Districts Ordnance Depot, Awapuni Racecourse, 1914 to 1920. Depot Closed and stocks moved to Trentham.Area Ordnance Sub Department, Palmerston North showgrounds, 1940 to 1946 when depot moved to Linton.Stores Depot
Main Ordnance Depot (MOD), 1920 to 1968Base Ordnance Depot (BOD), 1968 to 19791st Base Supply Battalion (1BSB), 1979 to 19935 Logistic Regiment (5LR), 1993 to 8 December 1996 when Transferred to the RNZALR.Commanding Officers MOD/BOD/1BSB/5LR
Ordnance School
RNZAOC School, 1958 to 1994Supply/Quartermaster Wing and Ammunition Wing, Trade Training School 1994 to 1996Workshops
Main Ordnance Workshop, 1917 to 1946Workshop Stores Section
1 Base Workshop, Stores SectionOrdnance Field Parks
4(NZ) Division Ordnance Field Park(OFP), 1950–1963Other Ordnance Units
HQ Ammunition Group, sections at Belmont, Moko Moko, Kuku Valley,Waiouru Ammunition Proof and Experimental Centre, Kuku ValleyCentral Military District Ammunition Repair Depot, Kuku ValleyOrdnance Sub Depots were established at Waiouru in 1940 eventually growing into a stand-alone Supply Company.
RNZAOC units that have supported Waiouru have been;
Stores Depot
Waiouru Sub-Depot of the Main Ordnance Depot (1940–1946) Initially managed as a Sub-Depot of the Main Ordnance Depot in Trentham, Ordnance units in Waiouru consisted of:Artillery Sub DepotBulk Stores DepotAmmunition SectionWaiouru Sub-Depot of the Central Districts Ordnance Depot, (1946–1968) In 1946 Waiouru became a Sub-Depot of the Central Districts Ordnance Depot in Linton, consisting of:Ammo GroupVehicle GroupCamp Equipment Group.4 Central Ordnance Deport, (1968–1979) In 1968 became a stand-alone depot in its own right, made up of the following sub units:4 Supply Company, (1979–1989)
when the RNZASC was disbanded in 1979 and its supply functions transferred to the RNZAOC, 4 Supply gained the following RNZASC units:HQ 21 Supply Company,(TF element)(1979–1984)
21 Supply Company was retained as a Territorial unit for training and exercise purposes, and was capable of providing a Supply Company Headquarter capable of commanding up to five sub units.47 Petroleum Platoon (1979–1984)44 Supply PlatoonCentral Q, (1989–1993)4 Field Supply Company, (1993–1994)Distribution Company, 4 Logistic Regiment, (1994–1996)Workshop Stores Section
Waiouru Workshop, Stores Section4 ATG Workshop, Stores Section1 Armoured Workshop, Store SectionQAMR Workshop, Store SectionThe Board of Ordnance originally had a warehouse in Manners Street, but after the 1850 earthquake severely damaged this building, 13 acres of Mount Cook were granted to the Board of Ordnance, starting a long Ordnance association with the Wellington area.
Stores Depot
Central Districts Ordnance Depot, Alexandra Military Depot, Mount Cook, 1907 to 1920New Zealand Ordnance Section, Fort Ballance, Wellington, 1915 to 1917Workshops
Armament Workshop, Alexandra Military DepotFew records trace with any accuracy New Zealand Ordnance units that served overseas in the First World War. Although the NZAOC was not officially created until 1917 The New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps was constituted as part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in 1914 for overseas service only and in 1919 its members demobilised, returned to their parent units or mustered into the New Zealand Army Ordnance Department (Officers) or New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps(other Ranks)on their return to New Zealand.
No. 12 Rue de la, Porte Rosette, AlexandriaNew Zealand Ordnance Store, Shed 43, Alexandria DocksNZ Motor Transport Company workshops, Bonnieres, FranceOrdnance Depot, Mulheim, Cologne1 Base DepotNew Zealand Ordnance Base Depot Farringdon Street, LondonOrdnance Depot, Coford CampNew Zealand Base Ordnance Depot, Maadi, sub depots at:Wadi SararEl BurgAcre2 NZ Divisional Ordnance Field ParkNZ Mobile BathNZ Mobile Laundry & Decontamination UnitNZ Salvage UnitNZ Base Ordnance Workshop9 NZ Light Aid Detachment (att 4 Fd Regt)10 NZ LAD (att 5 Fd Pk Coy)11 NZ LAD (att HQ 4 NZ Inf Bde)12 NZ LAD (att 27 NZ (MG) Bn)13 NZ LAD (att 2 NZ Div Cav)14 NZ LAD (att 2 NZ Div Sigs)15 NZ LAD (att 7 NZ A Tk Regt)16 NZ LAD (att HQ 5 Fd Regt)17 NZ LAD (att HQ 5 NZ Inf Bde)18 NZ LAD (att 6 NZ Fd Regt)19 NZ LAD (att HQ 6 NZ Inf Bde)2 NZ Divisional Ordnance Workshops1 NZ Field Workshop2 NZ Field Workshop3 NZ Field Workshop14 NZ Anti-Aircraft Workshop SectionTraining DepotIndependent NZ Brigade Group Workshops x 3Light Aid Detachments x 11Brutish OFP attached to NZ DivisionNo 2 New Zealand Base Ordnance Depot, Bari2 Base Ordnance Depot Advance, Senegallia2 NZ Division Ordnance Field Park OFP sections attached to BrigadesNZ Mobile Laundry and Bath UnitVehicle Depot, Assisi – 1945 – Jan 1946Stores Depot, Perugia – 1945 – Feb 1946Divisional Ordnance HeadquartersBase Ordnance DepotDivision Ordnance Workshop‘A’ Workshop Section‘B Workshop Section20th Light Aid Detachment36th Light Aid Detachment37th Light Aid DetachmentBase Ordnance DepotDivision Ordnance Workshop16 Brigade Group Ordnance Field Park16 Brigade Group WorkshopBase Ordnance Depot, Kure (RAOC unit, NZAOC personnel attached)4 Forward Ordnance Depot, supporting NZ 9 Inf Brigade Group, later renamed 4 Advanced Ordnance DepotNo Standalone units but individual RNZAOC personnel served in commonwealth Ordnance unit.
No standalone RNZAOC units, but individual RNZAOC personnel may have served in the following British and Commonwealth Ordnance units:
3 Base Ordnance Depot, RAOC, Singapore28 Commonwealth Brigade Ordnance Field Park, Terendak, Malaysia.5 Advanced Ordnance Depot, 1970–1971
5 Advanced Ordnance Depot (5 AOD) was a short lived Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps and Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps combined Depot in Singapore 1970 to 1971.ANZUK Ordnance Depot, 1971–1974
ANZUK Ordnance Depot was the Ordnance component, manned by service personnel from the RAOC, RAAOC and RNZAOC with locally employed civilians (LEC) performing the basic clerical, warehousing and driving tasks. it was part of the ANZUK Support Group supporting the short lived ANZUK Force in Singapore 1971 to 1974. ANZUK Ordnance Depot was formed from the Australian/NZ 5 AOD and UK 3BOD and consisted of:Stores Sub DepotVehicle Sub DepotAmmunition Sub DepotBarrack Services UnitForward Ordnance Depot(FOD)New Zealand Advanced Ordnance Depot, 1974–1989
From 1974 to 1989 the RNZAOC maintained the New Zealand Advanced Ordnance Depot (NZAOD) in Singapore as part of New Zealand Force South East Asia (NZFORSEA).New Zealand Workshops, RNZAOC Stores SectionThe RNZAOC (with RNZCT, RNZEME, RNZSig, RNZMC specialist attachments) contributed to the New Zealand Governments commitment to the International and United Nations Operation in Somalia(UNOSOM) efforts in Somalia with:
Supply Detachment, Dec 1992 to June 1993Supply Platoon x 2 rotations, July 1993 to July 1994 (reinforced with RNZIR Infantry Section)RNZAOC officers to UNOSOM headquarters, 1992 to 19951st Australian Logistic Support GroupAlthough not technically a RNZAOC Unit some 50 RNZAOC personnel served in the Headquarters of the 1st Australian Logistic Support Group [1 ALSG] following the formation of the 1 ATF in June 1966. Along with other New Zealand branches of service RNZAOC personnel went about their business with their Australian counterparts in all aspects of the Groups support functions for Australian and New Zealand forces in Vietnam.
