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Graphic: An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966.

Warning

This information was published in 1966 in An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock. It has not been corrected and will not be updated.

Up-to-date information can be found elsewhere in Te Ara.

BRITISH TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND

Contents

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Regiments That Had Served in New Zealand and Were Not Amalgamated

18th: The 18th (Royal Irish) Regiment served here between 1863–70 under the command of Lt.-Cols. A. A. Chapman and G. A. Elliott. “New Zealand” was worn as a battle honour. The regiment was disbanded in 1922 as a result of the formation of the Irish Free State.

43rd: The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (“The Light Bobs”) was in New Zealand between 1863–66 and was known as the 43rd (Monmouthshire Light Infantry) Regiment. It was commanded by Lt.-Col. H. J. P. Booth (killed, 30 April 1864) and Lt.-Col. F. H. Synge. “New Zealand” is worn on the battle honours of the regiment. The Hauraki Regiment is allied. Now redesignated 1st Green Jackets, 43rd and 52nd.

50th: The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (“The Dirty Half Hundred”) had a detachment of two companies in New Zealand in 1834 and was in New Zealand between 1863–67 as the 50th (West Kent) Regiment under the command of Lt.-Cols. N. Wodehouse, H. E. Weare, C.B., R. Waddy, C.B. “New Zealand” is worn on the battle honours of the regiment. The Canterbury Regiment is allied.

57th: The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own)—“Die Hards”—had its first recorded association with New Zealand in 1830, when a detachment on convict guard was overpowered, and brought to New Zealand where the ship was recaptured by whalers. The detachment returned to Sydney with the convicts. 1st Battalion, known as the 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment, in New Zealand in 1860–66 under the command of Lt.-Col. H. J. Warre, C.B., and Major R. A. Logan. “New Zealand” worn on battle honours. The Wellington West Coast and Taranaki Regiment is allied.

65th: The York and Lancaster Regiment (“Royal Tigers”) or better known in New Zealand as the “Hickety Pips” which was the nearest the Maoris could get to 65th, was in New Zealand for just over 18 years, between 1846–65, as the 65th (2nd Yorkshire North Riding) Regiment. The regiment arrived in three detachments. The first under the command of Major Wyatt, with about 550 all ranks, landed on 19 November 1846 at Russell; the second, under the command of Capt. O'Connell, on 1 August 1846, at Wellington; the third, under the command of Lt.-Col. Gold, mainly wives and children, on 14 January 1847, at Auckland. Commanded by Lt.-Col. C. E. Gold, and later by Col. A. F. W. Wyatt, C.B. “New Zealand” worn on battle honours. The Wellington Regiment (City of Wellington's Own) is allied.

68th: The Durham Light Infantry was in New Zealand in 1864–66. Known as “The Faithful Durhams”. The 1st Battalion was in New Zealand as the 68th (Durham Light Infantry) Regiment, under the command of Lt.-Col. H. H. Greer. “New Zealand” worn on battle honours. The Canterbury Regiment and the Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast Regiment are allied.

(In 1964 all remaining New Zealand infantry regiments were amalgamated to form the Royal New Zealand Infantry regiment. In due course the alliances of the old Infantry regiments with British Army units will be realigned under the designations of the new units of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.)

by Richard Ainslie Barber, N.Z.L.A.CERT., Librarian, Army Department, Wellington.

  • The Records and Badges of Every Regiment and Corps of the British Army, Chichester, H. M., and Burges-Short, G. (1899)
  • The New Zealand Wars and the Pioneering Period, Cowan, J. (1955)
  • The New Zealand Army – A Bibliography, Dornbusch, C. E. (1961)
  • A History of the British Army, Vols. 12 and 13, Fortescue, J. W. (1910–30). Regiments at a Glance, Wilson, F. (1957).