12th FIELD BATTERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23577, 13 August 1938, Page 13

12th FIELD BATTERY

PIONEER ARTILLERY UNIT SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY EARLY PROGRESS AND PERSONALITIES One of the oldest artillery units in the New Zealand Field Artillery, the 12th Field Battery will celebrate the seventy-fifth anniversary of its foundation in September. Originally the Dunedin Voluntary Artillery Company, and later the B Battery, this unit has a long and honourable record of enthusiastic and efficient service. Its jubilee celebrations will consist of a parade of all territorial units and the Otago Division of the Royal Volunteer Naval Reserve, headed by the 12th Battery, through the city on September 2, to be followed by an artillery display at the Central Battery on September 10 for all ex-members of voluntary artillery corps, the B Battery and 12th Battery, and a church parade at St. Paul's Cathedral on September 11.

The initial steps in the creation of the 12th Field Battery were taken ; on July 22, 1863, when the following advertisement appeared in the local press:—

VOLUNTEER ARTILLERY CORPS Intending members of the above corps are requested to attend a meeting to be held in the Provincial Hotel on Wednesday, the • 23rd inst., at 4 o'clock.

The meeting was duly held, and the battery, then known as the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery Company, came into being. In December, 1878, on the formation of the New Zealand Regiment of Artillery Volunteers the unit's designation was changed to " B Battery, New Zealand Field Artillery," and in June, 1921, on the reorganisation of the Territorial Forces on a divisional basis the title was changed to that of " 12th Battery, New Zealand Artillery (Howitzer)," and in 1928 the present title of "12th (Field) Battery, New Zealand Artillery " was assumed. The old familiar designation of "B Battery" is still, however, current amongst Dunedin people. It is desired to stress, however, that while the name or official designation of the unit may have changed, the battery, as such, retains its Original identity, and is the self-same unit as that which was formed in the Long Room of the Provincial Hotel on the memorable July 22, 1863. Commanding Officers The first commander was Captain Charles Gordon Ross, who resigned the command* on May 7, 1866, and was succeeded by Captain Andrew McFarland, who had been the first subaltern officer and who held the command until June 20, 1872, and was succeeded by Captain Archibald Hill-Jack, who relinquished the command on July 1, 1879. Captain Sidney Nimmo Muir succeeded Captain Hill-Jack, and held the command until June 15, 1881. The next commander, Captain William Lambert; resigned on October 22, 1885, and was succeeded "•. by . Captain George Charles Proudfoot, .who resigned on January l r -1894. "Oh Captain Proudfobt's retirement Captain William Thomas Monkman took over the command^;retaining it Until July 26, 1894, when he resigned, being followed by Captain (from June 4, 1902,. Major) Thomas Chalmer. Major Xhalmer transferred to the Reserve oh. December 17, 1902, and Captain Harold Livingstone Tapley was appointed to command, holding the position until April 10, 1905, when he also transferred to the Reserve, and was succeeded by Captain (from September 1,1909, Major) George Robert Ritchie. Major Ritchie was posted to the Reserve., of Officers on March 28, 1918, and w,as succeeded by Lieutenant (from 20, 1920, Captain) A. J. Chrystall, who also passed to the Reserve oh February 9, 1921. In the absence, of Captain Chrystall, however,. the temporary command of the unit was assumed by Major James Gordon Jeffery on September 7, 1920. This officer held the command until his transfer to the 14th (Medium) Battery, New Zealand Artillery, in 1925. The temporary command of the unit then devolved upon Captain (from February 15, 1931, Major) Laurence Arthur Rhodes. Major Rhodes held the official command of the unit from February 15, 1931, until February 25, 1935, when he passed to the Reserve of Officers, and was succeeded on February 26 of the same year by the present commander, Major James Francis Gordon Stark. Armament T.ie original " armament" of the unit was a wooden model of a castiron field gun of three-inch calibre, which was succeeded by two (later four) 12-pounder rifled breech-load-ing Armstrongs. In 1889 these guns were replaced by four (subsequently six) 9-pounder rifled breech-loaders. In 1903 the 9-pounders (of which there is still one in. front of the Otago Boys' High School) - were replaced by three (later four) breechloading 15-pounders. Four 4.5-inch field Howitzers of the latest pattern were issued, in July, 1913, and the battery is still equipped with these highly efficient weapons. Equipment tlntil the year 1901 the training of the battery was hindered by a dearth of essential equipment. Manoeuvre was seldom carried out, since the occasions upon which hired horses could be obtained were few and far between. " With dragropes " was a frequent order even when the two hired horses for each gun could be obtained. In 1901 things underwent a change for the better, and supplies of harness being obtained, the unit could more properly function in the role for which it was cast. At the. present time the battery is fully equipped to carry out its proper.training, and it is hoped that before the present year is past the change over from horse to motor will be completed and the unit become fully motorised. The battery, the second oldest of its kind in New Zealand, is imbued with a fine tradition. Amongst its members past and present a great camaraderie exists, and the happiest relationships between commissioned and ncr.-sommissioned ranks have always v*?rneated the daily life of the unit. 35 Battery, as much as any other, illustrates the tremendous value of tradition in a military unit. Ex-members of the battery are scattered far and wide, and in the spirit of the phrase usually applied to the Empire, " The sun never sets on a B Battery man," whether he sleeps soundly amongst the great majority or stili moves with the minority.