The 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the

New Zealand Military Forces , image = New Zealand Army Logo.png , image_size = 175px , caption = , start_date = , country = , branch = ...

. It was formed in 1911 from various volunteer corps raised during the second half of the nineteenth century. Men from the regiment saw combat in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

as part of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment. It was amalgamated with the 12th (Nelson and Marlborough) Regiment to form the 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment in 1921, which was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment in 1923.

History

In 1859 the Governor of New Zealand defined the Christchurch Military district and by 1861 six companies had been formed in the district. Over the course of the following five decades a large number of volunteer corps were raised and disbanded in

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. ...

. In 1886 the Canterbury-based corps were grouped together into the 1st Battalion, Canterbury Rifle Volunteers, although the battalion was disestablished 2 years later. The battalion organisation returned in 1895, this time called the Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers, which was retitled as the North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers in 1897, when the South Canterbury corps were detached and formed their own battalion. Men from the North Canterbury Battalion served in South Africa during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...

as part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Contingents. The Battalion was subsequently awarded the battle honour "South Africa 1900-1902". A further increase in size saw most of the North Canterbury-based corps split off in 1903 to form the 2nd North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers, while the original battalion was retitled as 1st North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers. The oldest corps of the new 2nd Battalion was the Sydenham Rifles, formed in 1898. The Defence Act 1909 brought an end to the volunteer system and introduced a new territorial system of compulsory military training. As part of this reform the volunteer battalions became regiments in 1911, with the 2nd North Canterbury Battalion of Infantry Volunteers redesignated as the 13th (North Canterbury) Regiment. Major-General Arthur Pole Penton was appointed Honorary Colonel of the regiment in 1911. Initially both the 13th (North Canterbury) Regiment and the 1st (Canterbury) Regiment (the former 1st North Canterbury Battalion) had companies based in

Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...

and North Canterbury. A reorganisation in 1912 redefined the recruiting areas so that 1st Regiment recruited solely from the Christchurch area, while North Canterbury was exclusively allocated to the 13th Regiment. Additionally, the recruiting area of the 13th Regiment was expanded to include

Westland Westland or Westlands may refer to: Places *Westlands, an affluent neighbourhood in the city of Nairobi, Kenya * Westlands, Staffordshire, a suburban area and ward in Newcastle-under-Lyme *Westland, a peninsula of the Shetland Mainland near Vaila ...

, absorbing the

Hokitika Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is as of . ...

Greymouth Greymouth () (Māori: ''Māwhera'') is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coas ...

Reefton Reefton is a small town in the West Coast region of New Zealand, some 80 km northeast of Greymouth, in the Inangahua River valley. Ahaura is 44 km south-west of Reefton, Inangahua Junction is 34 km to the north, Maruia is 63 ...

and Millerton based companies of the 12th (Nelson) Regiment. The title of the regiment was consequently changed to the 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment. At the outbreak of the

in August 1914, the decision was made to form a New Zealand infantry brigade of four battalions from the existing territorial regiments. Men from the 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment formed the 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Company of the Canterbury Battalion, which saw service during the Gallipoli Campaign. Following the evacuation from Gallipoli in 1916, the Battalion was expanded to a regiment of two battalions. The Canterbury Infantry Regiment would see action on the western front, engaging in the battles of the Somme, Messines, Broodseinde, Passchendaele, German Spring Offensive and the

Hundred Days' Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Central Powers ...

. A third battalion was also raised in 1917, but was disbanded in 1918 due to manpower shortages. Both the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were organised along the same lines as the 1st Battalion, each with their own 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Company. The Canterbury Infantry Regiment was disbanded at the end of the war. A reorganisation of the New Zealand Military Forces in 1921 saw the seventeen territorial regiments amalgamated into four larger regiments, similar to those of the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

. The 13th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment amalgamated with the 12th (Nelson and Marlborough) Regiment to form the 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, while the 1st (Canterbury) Regiment and 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment formed the 1st Battalion. The amalgamation was short lived and in 1923 the 2nd Battalion was redesignated as the 1st Battalion, Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment.

Notes

References

* * * {{New Zealand Great War Infantry Regiments Infantry regiments of New Zealand Military units and formations established in 1898 Military units and formations disestablished in 1921