Officially only 27 years old, the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment has a long and distinguished service record in the New Zealand Army that predates its formation in 1996. These archival photos (see below) show meal preparations in WWI both in the theatre of war and at home in New Zealand (Trentham), and the movement of tanks in WWII, proof that Army logistics have been historically integral to the New Zealand Army well before the official 1996 formation.
Prior to the Logistic Regiment, the transport, movement, catering, supply, and maintenance functions of the New Zealand Army was split between three different corps: the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport, the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps, and the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Each of these corps had served in many different theatres of war and were vital to the success of New Zealand’s war efforts. The integration of these three corps into one Regiment sought to best achieve logistical support across all arms of the New Zealand Army (and the wider Defence Force).
The Logistic Regiment is without doubt the life-blood of the New Zealand Army. It is the largest regiment with a diverse portfolio of roles and responsibilities, including combat drivers, catering, armourers, maintenance technicians and fitters, ammunition technicians, movement operators, and supply technicians. The soldiers of the Regiment keep the Army operating with the right supplies, teams, and equipment to get the job done. They work hard every day to get people and equipment to where they need to go, and then keep them well-supplied when they are there. The Logistic Regiment serves with diligence and integrity, with soldiers who are technically- and creatively-skilled problem solvers and logistical support planning specialists.
In this sense, each soldier of the Logistic Regiment lives up to their motto: Ma Nga Hua Tu Tangata – By Our Actions We Are Known
We’ve all heard the adage, “An army marches on its stomach,” but what does that actually look like when you’re out in the field or on the front lines?