Victorians in the Waikato War 1863-1864

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N e w Z e a l a n d

VICTORIANS IN THE WAIKATO REGIMENTS

1863-1864

Relations between settlers in New Zealand and Maori people degenerated into warfare on thirteen occasions in the 19th century. Later known in New Zealand as the Land Wars, now the New Zealand Wars, these conflicts involved the Eastern Australian Colonies early on, and were attended by the Royal Navy ships of the Australia Station which provided Naval Brigades in many of the notable actions, especially in the first Taranaki War and in the Waikato War at Rangiriri and in actions around Tauranga.

An offer of land in exchange for military service during the Waikato War led to the formation of four regiments of Waikato Militia, the members of which mostly were recruited in Australia. A total of 1784 enlisted in Australia. 31 Australians enlisted in the Regiments in New Zealand, including one South Australian. More than five hundred men enrolled for service as military settlers in Taranaki (West coast).

Victoria contributed most of the volunteers:

1st Waikato Regiment (mostly raised in Melbourne) . . . 822

3rd Waikato Regiment . . . 119*

4th Waikato Regiment . . . 230**

________________

* Total strength of this regiment was only 295

** Total strength of 4th Regiment was 379

Protests about the effects of this recruitment on the Australian Colonies of Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland led to protests by those governments. By March 1864, recruitment was only a trickle.

During the Waikato War, engagements and skirmishes occurred at Martin's Farm, Te Teoteo, Kirikiri, Williamson's Clearing. Pokeno, Camerontown, Patumahoe, Burn's Farm, Galloway Redoubt, Titi Hill, Meremere, Howick, battle of Rangiriri, Ararimu,Waiari, Hairini, Orakau Pa, Lake Rotoiti, bombardment of Maketu Fort, Gate Pa, Te Ranga.

Sgt. Alexander McMillan's signed receipt for his New Zealand medal (left)

and part of the papers for his land grant in Cambridge, Auckland Province. McMillan

enlisted at Hobart in the 3rd Waikato Regiment, and served in the Commissariat

Transport Corps. These papers provided by his proud grandson Ivan Dominikovich.

These papers illustrate what is available at the New Zealand's National Archives.

National Archives of New Zealand, AD 76/ 1-5 (Nominal Rolls); AD 36/3 (NZ medals).

Auckland Institute and Museum Library; New Zealand Army Lists; New Zealand

Gazette; G. F. Von Tempsky journals and watercolour sketches.

Public Record Office of Victoria: 1867 petition from failed Waikato military
settlers (in Ancestor, journal of the Genealogical Society of Victoria

Vol 23, No. 6, Winter 1997).

Many other British Regiments and detachments ( 12th, 14th, 18th, 40th, 43rd, 50th, 65th, 68th and 70th Regiments), seamen and marines, artillery and local militia took part in the Waikato War. Among the latter was G. F. Von Tempsky's and Jackson's Forest Rangers. These counter-insurgency units were trained to engage Maori forces unexpectedly on their own ground. Before then, massed British forces since 1845 had been unable to bring the Maori to any decisive encounter. The Maori tactic of building Pas (fortified emplacements), with flanking rifle pits and trenches, and abandoning them at a strategic moment had previously outwitted British Officers and Generals.

SOURCES

Nominal and descriptive rolls, and medal rolls, of the Waikato Regiments are presented in

Barton, Leonard L.: Australians in the Waikato War, 1863-1864: Library of Australian History: Sydney: 1979.

The New Zealand medal

The New Zealand medal

THE NEW ZEALAND MEDAL, awarded for actually being under fire or otherwise conspicuous for distinguished service in the field. For some reason, those serving with the Imperial Commissariat or the Imperial Commissariat Transport Corps seem to have been awarded this medal without having met the above requirement. Ten members of the crew of HMCSS Victoria, who served ashore with the Royal Naval Brigade during the First Taranaki War, received the medal -- although more may have been entitled.

Many members of the Waikato Regiments, raised in Australia, received the medal.

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