NZ Artillery units 1919 - 1939

1921 | 1932 | 1936

1921

In 1921 the four military districts were reduced to three and the NZA was reorganised into three brigades of field artillery, one brigade of medium artillery, two coast artillery batteries and two light pack batteries. The batteries became identified by numbers rather than alphabetically.

1932

A 1932 snapshot of NZ artillery showed:

Director of Artillery

Northern Command HQ: Auckland

Permanent Troops

Auckland Field Artillery Cadre (Auckland)
Coast, Medium and Light Artillery Cadre (Auckland)

Field Troops

1st Field Brigade, NZA    HQ: Narrow Neck
1st Field Battery    (Narrow Neck)
3rd Field Battery    (Auckland)
4th Field Battery (How.)    (Auckland)
21st Field Battery    (Onehunga)
Northern Coast Artillery Group    HQ: Devonport
13th Coast Battery    (Auckland)
18th Medium Battery (60-pr)    (Auckland)
20th Light Battery (How.)    (Auckland)

Central Command HQ: Wellington

Permanent Troops

Wellington Field Artillery Cadre    (Wellington)
Wellington Coast and Medium Artillery Cadre    (Wellington)
Palmerston North Field Artillery Cadre    (Palmerston North)

Field Troops

2nd Field Brigade, NZA    HQ: Palmerston North
5th Field Battery    (Wellington)
7th Field Battery    (Palmerston North)
8th Field Battery (How.)    (Palmerston North)
Central Coast Artillery Group    HQ: Wellington
15th Coast Battery    (Wellington)
17th Medium Battery (How.)    (Petone)
19th Light Battery (How.)    (Wellington)

Southern Command HQ: Christchurch

Permanent Troops

Christchurch Field and Light Artillery Cadre (Christchurch)
Dunedin Field Artillery Cadre (Dunedin)

Field Troops

Southern Artillery Group    HQ: Christchurch
3rd Field Brigade, NZA    HQ: Dunedin
9th Field Battery    (Christchurch)
10th Field Battery    (Christchurch)
12th Field Battery (How.)    (Dunedin)
14th Medium Battery    (Dunedin)
16th Light Battery    (Christchurch)

1936

In 1936 the first anti-aircraft batteries were formed. By 1938, the Director of Artillery had been replaced by the Commander, Royal NZ Artillery, and the size of the Regiment had increased. Fortress Troops were added to the Regular and Field Troops that already existed. Devonport, in Auckland, and Fort Dorset, in Wellington, became locations for anti-aircraft artillery units. The new artillery establishment comprised:

Commander, Royal NZ Artillery

Northern Military District HQ: Auckland

District Artillery Officer

Assistant Artillery Instructor

Regular Troops

Field Artillery Cadre    (Narrow Neck)
Coast Artillery Cadre    (Devonport)
Anti-aircraft Cadre    (Narrow Neck)

Fortress Troops

1st Heavy Artillery Group    HQ: Devonport
13th Heavy Battery    (Devonport)
1st Anti-Aircraft Group    HQ: Devonport
18th Anti-Aircraft Battery    (Devonport)
1st Searchlight Company    (Devonport)

Field Troops

1st Artillery Brigade Group    HQ: Narrow Neck
1st Field Battery (18-pr)    (Auckland)
3rd Field Battery (18-pr)    (Auckland)
2nd Medium Battery (60-pr)    (Hamilton)
4th Field Battery (4.5-in How.)    (Auckland)
21st Field Battery (18-pr)    (Onehunga)
20th Light Battery (3.7-in How.)    (Auckland)

Central Military District HQ: Wellington

District Artillery Officer

Assistant Artillery Instructor

Regular Troops

Field Artillery Cadre    (Fort Dorset)
Coast Artillery Cadre    (Fort Dorset)
Palmerston North Field Artillery Cadre    (Palmerston North)
Anti-Aircraft Cadre    (Fort Dorset)

Fortress Troops

2nd Heavy Artillery Group    HQ: Fort Dorset
15th Heavy Battery    (Fort Dorset)
2nd Anti-Aircraft Group    HQ: Fort Dorset
22nd Anti-Aircraft Battery    (Fort Dorset)
2nd Searchlight Company    (Fort Dorset)

Field Troops

2nd Artillery Brigade Group    HQ: Fort Dorset
5th Field Battery (18-pr)    (Wellington)
7th Field Battery (18-pr)    (Palmerston North)
8th Field Battery (4.5-in How.)    (Palmerston North)
17th Medium Battery (6-in How.)    (Petone)
19th Medium Battery (6-in How.)    (Wellington)

Southern Military District HQ: Christchurch

District Artillery Officer

Regular Troops

Field and Light Artillery Cadre (Christchurch)
Field Artillery Cadre (Dunedin)

Fortress Troops

no artillery units

Field Troops

3rd Artillery Brigade Group    HQ: Christchurch
9th Field Battery (18-pr)    (Christchurch)
10th Field Battery (18-pr)    (Christchurch)
12th Field Battery (4.5-in How.)    (Dunedin)
14th Medium Battery (6-in How.)    (Dunedin)
16th Light Battery (3.7-in How.)    (Christchurch)

Units | WW1 | WW2

Source: 'The New Zealand Army List' for 1930, 1932, 1934, 1935 and 1938.