The Gunners - a history of NZ Artillery

A history of the service of the New Zealand Artillery from the Boer war to serving on operations like Afghanistan will be launched officially in Auckland on Thursday.

'The Gunners – A History of New Zealand Artillery’ is to have its official book launch hosted by the New Zealand Army at the Auckland War Memorial Museum at 7pm, 27 March 2008.

“The Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery (RNZA) has been at the core of the New Zealand Army for more than a century,” says Brigadier (Retd) Graham Birch, Colonel Commandant of the New Zealand Army’s principal artillery unit, 16 Field Regiment, based at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North.

‘The Gunners’ has more than 500 pages, and includes over 140 photographs and maps. It provides a full history of artillery in New Zealand since the early 1800s. Its main focus is the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, which dates from 1902.

The ten chapters cover war and peace time activities, Regular Force and Territorial Force elements, field and coast, air defence, locating, anti-tank, survey and bands.

"From a historical record perspective, The Gunners has considerable value, says David Green, one of book’s authors.

“Gunners – professionals, volunteers and conscripts – have come from all walks of life to serve their country at home and around the world. Their story gives us new insights into the history of our nation.

“The book will solidify the tradition of the RNZA and ensure the important past of the Corps will continue to be recognised and remembered,” Mr Green says.

Veterans from former conflicts have been invited to attend the launch.

ENDS

What: Book launch of 'The Gunners – A History of New Zealand Artillery'

Where: The Armoury, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Auckland Domain

When: 7pm - Thursday 27th March

Contact: Denise Landau, NZ Army Events Manager, 027 290-6009

Note to media: For further information or to register interest to attend please contact: Denise Landau, NZ Army Events Manager on 027 290-6009 or 04 496 0463.

For Photographers: 2 x Light Guns from the Auckland-based Territorial Force artillery unit will be placed in front of the steps of the Auckland War Memorial Museum for the launch.

The Speakers:
The speakers at the launch will be:

Brigadier (Ret) Graham Birch MBE

Lieutenant Colonel Nick Gillard, the current Commanding Officer of the 16 Field Regiment

David Green, one of the three authors, who is a historian at the Ministry of Culture and Heritage in Wellington.

The Authors:
Alan Henderson read History at the University of Auckland and Strategic Studies at the Australian National University. Alan has written or contributed to histories of a number of public sector and non-government institutions in New Zealand, including the State Services Commission and the Masterton Trust Lands Trust.

David Green is an historian and editor in the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. A contributor on military subjects to The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History, and Frontier of Dreams, David is now undertaking further research into the New Zealand Wars.

Peter D.F. Cooke is an independent historian specialising in military history and industrial heritage. His comprehensive history of New Zealand’s home defences, Defending New Zealand: Ramparts on the Sea, 1840–1950s, was published in 2000. Peter edits Forts and Works, the journal of the Defence of New Zealand Study Group.

'The Gunners' complements earlier official war histories. Like them, it was written in the History Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage. The book is published by Penguin New Zealand.