Military Stores Department (New Zealand) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Military Store Department (New Zealand) |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1840–1870 |
| Country |  Britain |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Role | Supply of equipment, small arms and all stores required for British Imperial Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Fort Britomart, Auckland, New Zealand Mount Cook, Wellington, New Zealand |
The Military Store Department (MSD) was a special group in the British army. Their job was to supply everything the British soldiers needed in the New Zealand Colony. They worked there from 1840 to 1870, making sure the soldiers had equipment, weapons, and other important supplies.
Early Days: The Ordnance Board
When New Zealand was a new British colony, Governor William Hobson created a job called the Colonial Storekeeper. This person helped get supplies for the new colony from 1840 to 1844.
At the same time, a group of soldiers from the 80th Regiment arrived from Sydney in April 1840. They came with someone from the Board of Ordnance. This Board was in charge of getting supplies for the army.
Back then, all British military activities in New Zealand were managed from Sydney, Australia. This included the work of the Board of Ordnance. By 1846, the Board had set up offices in two main New Zealand cities:
- Auckland Office of Ordnance: This office was on Princes Street. It had a strong, bomb-proof storage building and a main store in the Fort Britomart area. Mr. William Plummer was in charge there.
- Wellington Office of Ordnance: This office had a storage building at Mount Cook and a stone warehouse on Lampton Quay. Mr. Joseph Osbertus Hamley was the acting person in charge.
On December 25, 1852, some important promotions were announced for the Ordnance Department in New Zealand:
- William Plummer became the Deputy Ordnance Storekeeper and Barrack-Master in Auckland.
- Joseph Osbertus Hamley became the Deputy Ordnance Storekeeper and Barrack-Master in Wellington.
The Military Store Department Takes Over
The way the Ordnance Board handled supplies during the Crimean War (1853-1856) led to its closure in 1855. The British Army then changed how it managed things. This led to the creation of the Military Store Department (MSD) in 1855.
Because Britain and New Zealand were so far apart, it took some time for these changes to happen. But by 1857, the Ordnance offices in New Zealand had officially become part of the new MSD.
Sadly, on March 4, 1859, William Plummer passed away at age 39. He was buried in the Symonds Street Cemetery in Auckland. Joseph Osbertus Hamley then moved from Wellington to Auckland. He took over Plummer's job and became the head of all MSD operations in New Zealand.
In the early 1840s, there were only a few hundred British soldiers in New Zealand. But by the end of 1865, this number had grown to 10,000 soldiers! This included ten groups of infantry, two groups of field artillery, Royal Engineers, and Military Train units. These soldiers were stationed in places like Auckland, Wellington, Napier, Wanganui, and New Plymouth.
As the army grew, both the old Ordnance Board and the new MSD kept up with the demand. They worked with another supply group, the Commissariat, to make sure the soldiers always had what they needed. Their hard work was highly praised by General Sir Duncan Alexander Cameron.
British Soldiers Leave New Zealand
By 1866, the situation in New Zealand had become more peaceful. Local New Zealand forces were taking on more responsibility for security. This meant that the British Imperial units could start leaving. In 1866, five British regiments departed. Four more left in 1867, and the very last regiment left in February 1869.
By July 1870, all British Imperial Forces had left New Zealand. The full responsibility for defence was handed over to New Zealand's own Armed Constabulary. The job of managing military supplies was given to a new group called the Defence Stores Department. Much of the equipment was given or sold to the New Zealand forces. Any extra supplies were either sold in other ways or sent to other parts of the British Empire.
After 32 years of working in the colonies, Joseph Osbertus Hamley returned to England.
