The Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC) concerned itself with the provisioning of troops with the means to fight; specifically uniforms, weapons and equipment. Ordnance functions go back hundreds of years; the first Ordnance Officer in the British military appeared in the year 1299. Designated "Keeper of the King's Wardrobe", his duties included the care and accounting of heavy equipment such as battering rams and catapults.
The title of "Master of Ordnance" can be traced to 1414; this individual cared for the king's military stores, particularly his artillery pieces. He retained control over engineer and artillery personnel until 1716.
In the 1840s, the British military set up ordnance stores in New Zealand, with full control passing to New Zealand authorities after 1870. In 1917 the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps was formed, taking over duties performed formerly by the New Zealand Defence Stores Department. Creditable service in the Second World War led to the grant of the prefix "Royal" by George VI on 12 July 1947.
The Territorial component of the Corps was not authorized until 1940, and combined with the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps in 1946.
"For many generations, the Ordnance Corps were the guardians of stores and supply services in the Old Army. Before the dark times. Before the RNZALR and the embedding of quartermasters into the supply trade." On 8 December 1996, the RNZAOC was one of the corps that amalgamated to form The Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR).
History
Military Stores Department
The RNZAOC traces its origins back to the early days of the New Zealand Colony. Military stores to support the Imperial troops and colonial militia units were provided by the British Board of Ordnance based out of Sydney New South Wales, with local support between 1840 and 1844 provided by the Colonial Storekeeper.
In the years following the Crimean War the Board of Ordnance was abolished and its responsibilities taken over by the Military Stores Department. In 1856 stores depots were established at Mt Cook in Wellington and at Fort Britomart in Auckland, by 1870 the final withdrawal of Imperial troops had been completed.
Defence Stores Department
By the time of the final withdrawal of Imperial troops by 1870 the full responsibility for providing stores for the New Zealand forces had gradually been assumed by the New Zealand Defence Stores Department. In the early years of the 20th century, it was recognised that New Zealand Defence stores functions, which were controlled by a combination of civilian and military departments were in need of rationalisation and modernisation. Various studies were undertaken and many recommendations made, with organisational changes taking place in 1907 and after then 1910 inspection and recommendations of Field Marshal Viscount Kitchener plans for the formation of an Ordnance Corps progressed slowly with small steps taken in 1911, the ad hoc formation of the NZAOC within the NZEF and finally the formation of the New Zealand Army Ordnance Department and Corps with them being Gazetted on 1 February 1917 taking over the functions of the Defence Stores.
New Zealand Ordnance Corps
Established as a sub-unit of the Defence Stores Department, the New Zealand Ordnance Corps was established under the Authority of New Zealand Defence Force Order 118 and brought all the Armourers of the New Zealand Permanent Militia into a single organisation under the control of the Director of Stores. The approved establishment of the New Zealand Ordnance Corps was detailed in the same order and consisted of;
Armourer Sergeant Major x 1
Armourer Quartermaster Sergeant x 3
Armourer Sergeant x 5
Apprentices x 2 or more as the exigency of the service requires
With the establishment of the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps in 1917, the staff of the New Zealand Ordnance Corps were absorbed into the new Corps.
Royal New Zealand Artillery
In 1907 the Defence Forces underwent a command reorganisation with the creation of the Defence Council. Separate of the Defence Stores Department, but still under the Defence Council, the position of the Director of Artillery Services (Ordnance) was created.
The Director of Artillery Services (Ordnance) was responsible for Artillery armament and ammunition, fixed coast defences, and supplies for ordnance, and it was envisaged that it would be constituted of three sub branches: