Military Stores Department (New Zealand)
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Military Store Department (New Zealand)
| image =
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| dates = 1840–1870
| country = {{flagcountry|British Empire}}
| allegiance =
| branch = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| type =
| role = Supply of equipment, small arms and all stores required for British Imperial Forces
| size =
| command_structure =
| garrison = Fort Britomart, Auckland, New Zealand
Mount Cook, Wellington, New Zealand
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The Military Store Department (MSD) was a British army supply organisation that supplied the British Imperial Forces in the Colony of New Zealand from 1840 to 1870.
==Ordnance Board==
In the early days of the New Zealand Colony, Governor William Hobson established the position of the Colonial Storekeeper (1840–1844) to service the needs of the nascent Colony. Concurrently a detachment of the 80th Regiment arrived from Sydney in April 1840{{cite web|title=BRITISH TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966.|url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/1966/british-troops-in-new-zealand|website=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 22 April 2009|accessdate=12 September 2016}} with a representative of the Board of Ordnance to cater for their Logistical needs.
As with all the Imperial military activities in the Colony of New Zealand, Command and Control was exercised from Sydney in New South Wales, including the activities of the Board of Ordnance and by 1846 offices had been established in Auckland and Wellington;
- Auckland Office of Ordnance, Princes Street in Auckland{{cite news|title=Page 1 Advertisements Column 3|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18460314.2.2.3|accessdate=12 September 2016|agency=New Zealander|volume=1|issue=41, 14 March 1846|date=14 March 1846}} with Bombproof Magazine and Ordnance Store in the Mt Albert/Fort Britomart Complex{{cite news|title=COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18460926.2.7|accessdate=12 September 2016|agency=New Zealander|issue=69|date=26 September 1846|volume=2 }} with Mr William Plummer, Officer in charge.
- Wellington Office of Ordnance, Magazine at Mount Cook and Stone Warehouse on Lambton Quay,{{cite news|title=Page 2 Advertisements Column 1|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WI18470317.2.7.1|accessdate=12 September 2016|agency=Wellington Independent|volume=II|issue=149|date=17 March 1847}} Mr Joseph Osbertus Hamley as Acting Ordnance Storekeeper.
On 25 December 1852 the following promotions and appointments were announced for the Ordnance Department for the Colony of New Zealand;{{cite news|title=New Zealand Spectator and Cooks Strait Guardian|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZSCSG18521225.2.3|accessdate=13 September 2016|agency=New Zealand Spectator and Cooks Strait Guardian|volume=VIII|issue=772|date=25 December 1853}}
- William Plummer, Esq, to be Deputy Ordnance Storekeeper and Barrack-Master at Auckland
- Joseph Osbertus Hamley, Esq, to be Deputy Ordnance Storekeeper and Barrack-Master at Wellington
Military Store Department
The Ordnance Boards performance in the Crimean War brought about the Board's demise in 1855 and the reformation of the British Army's administration, including the establishment of the Military Store Department in 1855.{{cite book|last1=Fernyhough|first1=Brigadier A.H|title=A short history of the RAOC|date=Dec 1965|publisher=RAOC|page=13}}{{cite web|title=Royal Army Ordnance Corps|url=http://www.nam.ac.uk/research/famous-units/royal-army-ordnance-corps|website=nam.ac.uk|accessdate=15 September 2016}} given the distance and long communication times between Britain and the Australasian Colonies the change over from the Board of Ordnance to the new MSD would have taken some time, but by 1857 the reorganisation had been completed and the New Zealand Colonies Ordnance offices had transitioned into the new organisation.
On 4 March 1859, Plummer passed away at the age of 39 years, and was buried at the Symonds Street Cemetery in Auckland.{{cite web|title=Cemetery Records – Symonds Street and St Stephens|url=http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/exec/dbtwpub.dll|website=aucklandcity.govt.nz|accessdate=13 September 2016}} Hamley moved from Wellington and took up Plummers position and assumed charge of all the MSD operations in New Zealand.{{cite news|title=PROJECTED DEPARTURE OF MR HAMLEY|agency=WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT|volume=XXV|issue=3017, 9 July 1870|date=9 July 1870}}
From a strength of a few hundred men in the early 1840s, the Imperial Governments troop contribution over the next decade, had grown by the end of 1865 to a force of 10,000, including ten Infantry Regiments,{{cite web|title=IMPERIAL REGIMENTS IN NEW ZEALAND|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-HarEngl-t1-front-d9.html|website=victoria.ac.nz|accessdate=13 September 2016}} two batteries of Field Artillery, Royal Engineers and Military Train, with garrisons at Auckland, Wellington, Napier, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. With the growth of this Military Force both the Ordnance and its successor the MSD, with the Commissariat{{cite book|last1=Millen|first1=Julia|title=Salute to Service, History of the RNZCT, 1860 to 1966|date=1996|publisher=Victoria University Press|isbn=0864733240|pages=24–25}}{{cite web|title=The role of the Commissariat during the Waikato Campaign, 1863 – 1864|url=http://www.soldiersofempire.nz/the-role-of-the-commissariat-during-the-waikato-campaign-1863---1864.html|website=soldiersofempire.nz|accessdate=13 September 2016}} had kept pace and kept the force supplied and elicited the highest tributes and praise from General Sir Duncan Alexander Cameron GCB.{{cite news|title=MATTERS MILITARY|agency=NEW ZEALAND HERALD|volume=I|issue=247|date=27 August 1864}}
Imperial Twilight
By 1866 the security situation had improved to a point where operations were more often being conducted by colonial forces resulting in a draw down of Imperial units. In 1866 five Imperial Regiments departed, four more in 1867 with the final Regiment departing in February 1869.{{cite web|title=BRITISH TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/british-troops-in-new-zealand|website=Te Ara The Encyclopedia of New Zealand|accessdate=13 September 2016}}{{cite news|title=THE TROOPS AND THE HOME GOVERNMENT.|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18690323.2.33|accessdate=13 September 2016|agency=DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS|volume=XXV|issue=3643|date=23 March 1869}}
With the withdrawal of Imperial Forces completed by July 1870,{{cite news|title=PROJECTED DEPARTURE OF MR HAMLEY|agency=WELLINGTON INDEPENDENT|volume=XXV|issue=3017|date=9 July 1870}} and the full responsibility for defence matters handed over to the New Zealand Armed Constabulary.{{cite book|last1=Clayton RNZAEC|first1=Major G.L|title=New Zealand Army|date=1990|isbn=0473010321|page=26}} Defence store-keeping responsibility was handed over to the Colony's newly created Defence Stores Department.{{cite book|last1=Boulton|first1=Major J.S|title=A History of the RNZAOC|date=1992|publisher=RNZAOC|isbn=0477015816|page=49}} Much equipment was handed over or sold to the New Zealand Forces, the surplus was either disposed of by other means or redistributed around the empire.{{cite news|title=The Daily Southern Cross.|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18690126.2.11?query=military%20Stores|accessdate=13 September 2016|agency=DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS|volume=XXV|issue=3595|date=26 January 1869}}
After 32 years of Colonial service Hamley returned to England.{{cite news|title=PROJECTED DEPARTURE OF MR. HAMELEY|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18700625.2.16|accessdate=13 September 2016|agency=DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS|volume=XXVI|issue=4007|date=25 June 1870}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://rnzaoc.wordpress.com/To the Warrior his Arms A History of the RNZAOC and its predecessors]
Category:Wars involving the United Kingdom
Category:19th-century military history of the United Kingdom
Category:Military units and formations of the New Zealand Army