Home    History index   Units

The first artillery unit in the Waikato was formed in 1911 as G Battery, part of the Auckland Field Artillery Brigade, and equipped with 18-pounders. With the onset of World War 1, some members of G Battery went overseas with the main body of the Expeditionary Force, landing in Egypt in December 1914. There they underwent more training and provided garrison duty on the Suez Canal before leaving for Gallipoli. They also fought in France and Belgium in the 1st and 2nd FA Brigades.

At the end of the War, the NZ Army was reorganised; in 1921 the four military districts were reduced to three and the alphabetical labelling of units was swapped for numerical identifiers. G Battery became 2nd Battery NZA. This was not to last. With the Great Depression, further cuts were made and in 1929 2nd Battery was disbanded as an economy measure.

By the mid-1930s, it was clear that there would be another European War and there was a gradual increase in the NZ military forces. The battery was reformed on a volunteer basis and equipped with 60-pounders. When War was declared the battery was known as 2nd Battery but later became 7 Medium Battery of 8 Medium Regiment.

Early in the war the troop system was developed and the Battery had

  • A Troop    Auckland        four 6-in Howitzers
  • B Troop    Hamilton        four 60-pounders

In 1942, with the threat of Japan entering the war, these troops were further broken down to

  • two 6-in Howitzers    Picton
  • two 6-in Howitzers    Gt Barrier Island
  • two 60-pr    Whangaparoa
  • two 60-pr    Hamilton

In late 1942, the Battery was reformed as 8 Medium Battery and joined 4 (NZ) Division at Palmerston North. The following year this battery was placed on a care and maintenance basis only and remained as such until the end of hostilities in 1945 when it was disbanded.

5.5-inch in 1983 - click image to enlargeIn 1948 the Waikato artillery was reactivated as 4 Medium Regiment and equipped with 6-in howitzers. These were replaced by 5.5-in guns in 1951. The Regiment's composition was

  • RHQ    Hamilton
  • 41 Bty    Hamilton
  • 42 Bty    Te Kuiti

4th Medium Regiment RNZA and The Waikato Regiment RNZAC received the Freedom of the City of Hamilton on Sunday, 2nd October 1960. It was a unique ceremony, in that never before had two Regiments received such an honour on the same day, certainly in NZ, and possibly in the Commonwealth. 4th Medium Regiment RNZA was reduced to a battery, and became 4th Medium Battery of 1 Field Regiment RNZA circa November 1961. It carried the crest of the City of Hamilton on its guns. It became an independent battery (4 Medium Battery) circa Mar 1964 and was moved from Hamilton to Ngaruawahia.

In 1972, the 'G' was incorporated back into the Battery name as a link with its NZ artillery predecessor. In 1974 the Battery moved back to Hamilton and eventually became 4 (G) Medium Battery of 16 Field Regiment, RNZA.

In 1999, the Battery merged with 11(A) Battery and was attached to the Auckland Northland Regiment.

Return to top

See also: Images from the Battery in 1983

Guns in the Waikato    |    Visit the Units section for more information    |    Home