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| 30173 | Major General Ron DP Hassett CB CBE | 13 August 2004, Auckland |
| 372141 | Col Alistair D Ross | 18 September 2004, Katikati |
| 1830 | WO2 F. Dan Foley | 29 October 2004, Queensland |
New Members
339577 WO2 Joe F Donnelly
Most Important
It is official, we are now the Royal New Zealand Artillery Old Comrades Association Incorporated, Bank Account and all. However, never forget where we came from, remember those who set this Association up and kept it alive for so many years. Gems may be precious but friendship is priceless, this is one of many requirements of being one of Her Majesty's Gunners.
History
As we change our name, we must not forget our family, those men in the Armed Constabulary, the Permanent Militia, the Torpedo Corps and Submarine Mining Company. We do not appear to have really recognised these people in the past so it was decided that at the 2004 and future Reunions that a Toast will be proposed in their memory at the Formal Dinner. David Roberts kindly accepted this task and following is his Toast.
Time does not permit discussion on the general history of the Armed Constabulary this evening and indeed much of it is not relevant to the RNZA, suffice to state that in the 1880's there existed within the Armed Constabulary's Field Force a Garrison Artillery of some 150 men and it is from this unit that the origins of the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery can be traced.
By the time of the Russian scare of 1885 the Armed Constabulary's Field Force also had within its structure, a 20 man Engineer submarine mining corps and a 50 man torpedo corps both of which had been formed to man the hastily thrown up coastal defences. The Defence Act of 1886 saw these units became part of the Permanent Militia (which, from 1902 became known as the Permanent Force) and the Torpedo Corps was redesignated the Submarine Mining branch, in 1897 the artillery component of the Permanent Militia was designated No. 1 Company, and the torpedo men No. 2 Company. Around this time the usual government parsimony had seen a number of reductions within the Permanent Militia and, the Engineers of the old submarine mining corps had been absorbed into the old torpedo corps. Five years later, in 1892, No. 1 Company became the Royal New Zealand Artillery and No. 2 Company the Royal New Zealand Engineers. The abandonment of the submarine defences of the harbours in 1907 resulted in the Engineers being absorbed into the RNZA and by the reorganization of 1911 the army consisted of the RNZA and the newly created NZ Staff Corps.
The Submarine Mining Corps was a fairly conventional unit that laid moored mines beneath the surface in the main harbours and manned observation posts from which they would observe the approach of enemy ships and then electrically detonate the mines as the ships passed over them. Contrary to the opinion of our esteemed secretary we did not utilize early U-boats!!
The Torpedo Corps came about after a British officer, Lt. Col. (later Maj. Gen. Sir) Peter Henry SCRATCHLEY officially visited New Zealand in 1880 and advised the government to purchase 12 spar torpedo craft to support the heavy guns in the coastal defence role, three each for Auckland, Wellington, Lyttleton and Dunedin harbours. His report was, naturally, put to one side probably because the expenditure of money was involved. Finally, in late 1882 the generous government ordered four Thornycroft 2nd Class Torpedo boats at a cost of about £4,000 each, these were delivered in about mid 1884 and were distributed one to each harbour. These vessels are described as being 63 feet (19.2 metres) in length, displacing 12.2 tons with a 1 metre draught, powered by a 173 h.p. 2 cylinder compound steam engine that gave an official speed of 17 knots although 15 knots appears to be the actual maximum and had a crew of 5 men, each boat was equipped with a 1 inch Nordenfelt gun mounted on top of the conning tower. The Spar Torpedo was simply an iron cylinder of two compartments each holding 16.5 lbs of wet gun cotton, a fulminate of mercury detonator and 6v battery on the end of an 11 metre spar or pole. When an enemy vessel was to be attacked the crew closed all hatches (probably to prevent the faint hearted from shooting through) and when about 60 yards from the target rigged out the spar from its retracted position on the deck, at its full extension the spar dipped the payload in to the water at an angle of about 25° and when the torpedo was within a few feet of the enemies hull a crew member closed the electrical circuit and there was a nice satisfying bang. Just what this explosion would achieve is debatable but the Thornycroft was only clad with 1?6mm stainless steel and one would suspect that the concussion from the torpedo would not do the hull a lot of good.
One reference describes the Thornycroft as �a most formidable weapon in the hands of daring and determined men�, this reference goes on to suggest �that it is a very dangerous one for its crew as they would have had to endure heavy enemy fire from a close range as they manoeuvred their craft into position to explode the mine�. An understatement if ever I heard one.
Now the amazing bit: a year after these daring and determined men received these formidable weapons they learnt that the system had never been tested and that it was thought possible that the explosion may prove fatal to the boat. Who said that the Japanese were the first to devise a Kamikaze concept. I also note that in the same batch of boats as ours there were some sold to Chile, perhaps the crafty poms hoped that the colonials or the dagos would try the system out and save them the possible embarrassment.
In the late 1880's the Auckland and Wellington boats were fitted with dropping gear for the Whithead or fish type torpedo. But the boats poor sea-keeping qualities made them unsuitable for launching such weapons as in all but calm seas it was predicted that they would capsize on doing so. In 1893 the government was warned that it would be: �perfectly hopeless to use these boats in daylight against a vessel carrying quickfiring guns�.
Considered obsolete they were stripped of fittings in the early 1900's and left to rust away. Submarine harbour defences were abandoned in 1907.
Ladies and Gentlemen I ask you to fill your glasses, rise and drink a toast to the intrepid men of the Armed Constabulary, the Torpedo Corps and the Submarine Mining Corps, our predecessors.
THE 70th ANNIVERSARY REUNION
A great weekend held in Taupo over 5 - 7 November 2004 and attended by sixty-one members their wives, partners and friends. Messages of Goodwill were received from the President of the North Queensland Gunners Association Eldon Bryant and Geoff Annett RAA and many of our own people with their apologies.
Friday evening the mix and mingle was held in the Spa Hotel Bar, where a memorable evening in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere was enjoyed by all. The cleanup next day was as normal, mountains of bovine waste!! shell cases, sand, blinds and broken light fittings from what could have been a �Fire Mission AGRA�
Saturday the AGM was notable for the Notice of Motion to change the Name and Membership Rules. With one minor amendment the Notice was 'Carried'. The new Name, Heading and Rules 4 and 5 are attached. The Rule change and Name have been accepted by the Registrar of the Incorporated Societies and our Bank.
Basically the following changes were approved:
- We are now the Royal New Zealand Artillery Old Comrades Association, with the memory of our forebears in the heading.
- Full Members. ALL Gunners be they NZA, RF, TF, K Force, Bandsmen etc are now eligible to apply for, membership, provided the intending member has completed a minimum of three years service or an Operational Tour.
- Life Members. Is now an award of excellent service to the Association.
- Associate Members. Any Corps, any Service of any Country provided the intending member was attached to an RNZA Unit or have a close affinity thereto. Also, individuals with a close association to a Full or Life Member, e.g. immediate family. Note: The committee still retains the absolute right to reject an application.
- Rule 5 Membership General. Becoming a member, Cessation of Membership,
Subscriptions, Financial Year and Voting. Included in Rule 5 is the reduction from
three years to two years where if a Member allows their subscription to go into arrears then
their membership shall be terminated, subject to the Secretary advising the Member that
their membership is about to be terminated.
Saturday evening the Formal Dinner was held at the extremely pleasant surroundings of the Taupo Bowling Club. Peter Baker toasted the Queen our Captain General, Matt Crawley Absent Friends, David Roberts the Armed Constabulary, Permanent Militia, Torpedo Corps and Submarine Mining Corps, Chief Inspector Sherwood Young the Regiment and they were followed by an informative brief on the RNZA today by Brigadier Graham Birch MBE our Colonel Commandant.
Sunday, the Church parade was a resounding success with the attendance of the Royal Marine Association. I understand Padre Derm Buchanan was overjoyed at the attendance of about 100 people at the Service.
On behalf of the President and myself, please have a happy and prosperous Christmas and New Year. This has been a challenging year but I feel we move towards 2005 in good shape and good heart.
Graeme (Jack) Black
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