List of New Zealand military personnel

The following is a list of notable New Zealand people associated with the military, including those who participated in warfare or saw active service in New Zealand.

Musket Wars

Hone Heke - Nga Puhi tribal chief and war leader^[1]
Hongi Hika - Nga Puhi tribal chief and war leader^[2]
Te Pēhi Kupe
Te Rangihaeata
Te Rauparaha
Tītore - Nga Puhi tribal chief; led war parties to the East Cape in 1820 and 1821 and participated in the Girls' War

New Zealand Wars

Samuel Austin - recipient of the New Zealand Cross
Duncan Alexander Cameron - Commander of British forces during part of the New Zealand Wars^[3]
George Jackson Carey
Robert Carey - Commander of British forces at the Battle of Ōrākau
Trevor Chute - Commander of British forces during part of the New Zealand Wars^[4]
Thomas Bernard Collinson - Corps of Royal Engineers, Board of Ordnance, New Zealand, 1846–1850.^[5] Hosey's Battle, Whanganui, 1847
Robert FitzRoy - Captain in Her Majesty’s Royal Navy, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand, Vice-Admiral of New Zealand, 1843-1845, Colonel of the Auckland Battalion of Militia, 1845. Flagstaff War, 1845
Charles Emilius Gold - Commander of British forces during the early stages of the First Taranaki War, part of the New Zealand Wars^[6]
Charles Heaphy - recipient of the Victoria Cross, awarded for his actions during an engagement in the Invasion of the Waikato; a surveyor and explorer prior to the New Zealand Wars, he was later a Member of Parliament^[7]
William Magee Hunter (1834-1868)^[8]
Tāmati Wāka Nene - Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi. British ally, Flagstaff War, 1845–1846
Marmaduke Nixon - officer in the militia during the Invasion of the Waikato; killed in action at Rangiaowhia^[9]
William Odgers VC - first man to win the Victoria Cross in the New Zealand land wars
Thomas Simson Pratt - British commander in the First Taranaki War^[10]
George Preece - officer in the Armed Constabulary during the later stages of the New Zealand Wars and recipient of the New Zealand Cross
Kepa Te Rangihiwinui - Maori leader on British side in the Taranaki Wars
Beauchamp Seymour, 1st Baron Alcester - British naval commander in New Zealand, 1860-1861
Te Kooti - the founder of the Ringatū religion and guerrilla fighter during the later stages of the New Zealand Wars
Tītokowaru - Ngāti Ruanui tribal chief and war leader during the later stages of the New Zealand Wars
Ropata Wahawaha - Ngāti Porou tribal chief who fought on the British side during the later stages of the New Zealand Wars^[11]

Boer War

Edward Chaytor - commanded the Second and Eighth Contingents sent to South Africa; commanded the ANZAC Mounted Division during World War I and was Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, from 1919 to 1924
Janet Gillies, nurse
William James Hardham - awarded Victoria Cross, later served in World War I^[12]
John Gethin Hughes - a soldier in the First Contingent sent to South Africa and first New Zealand recipient of the Distinguished Service Order; later commanded an infantry battalion at Gallipoli during World War I^[13]
James O'Sullivan - Defence storekeeper at the time of Boer War
Alfred William Robin - commanded the First Contingent sent to South Africa; later Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, from 1914 to 1919^[14]

World War I

Leslie Cecil Lloyd Averill - Platoon Commander and first New Zealander to scale the walls of Le Quesnoy^[15]
Ronald Bannerman - World War I fighter ace
Cyril Bassett - first soldier of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to receive the Victoria Cross, awarded for his actions during the Battle of Chunuk Bair at Gallipoli, in August 1915^[16]
Arthur Bauchop - commander of the Otago Mounted Rifles
Harold Beamish - fighter ace with No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service^[17]
William Thomas Beck - first New Zealand soldier ashore at Gallipoli
Charles Mackie Begg - medical officer who served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front^[18]
Charles Henry Brown - officer who served at Gallipoli and commanded an infantry brigade on the Western Front; killed in action during the Battle of Messines in 1917^[19]
Donald Forrester Brown - posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the first such award to a soldier of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force serving on the Western Front^[20]
Keith Caldwell - fighter ace and commander of the Royal Flying Corps' No. 74 Squadron; later a senior officer in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II and the postwar period^[21]
Thomas Culling - first New Zealand fighter ace of World War I^[22]
James Lloyd Findlay - soldier and fighter pilot
Nora FitzGibbon - nurse^[23]
Harry Fulton - senior officer who commanded an infantry brigade on the Western Front; killed in action in 1918^[24]
Herbert Ernest Hart - senior officer who served at Gallipoli and commanded an infantry brigade on the Western Front; later administrator of Western Samoa^[25]
Francis Earl Johnston - senior officer who commanded an infantry brigade at Gallipoli and on the Western Front; killed in action in 1917^[26]
George Napier Johnston - Commander Royal Artillery of the New Zealand Division^[26]
George Augustus King - officer who served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front; killed in action during the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917^[27]
Norman Joseph Levien - Ordnance Officer Egypt, Gallipoli, France and United Kingdom
William George Malone - Commander of the Wellington Infantry Battalion, killed in action at Gallipoli^[28]
Thomas James McCristell - officer in charge of the Ordnance Corps in New Zealand
Charles Melvill - senior officer who commanded an infantry brigade on the Western Front; later Commandant of New Zealand Military Forces, from 1924 to 1925^[29]
Arthur Plugge - officer who served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front
Andrew Hamilton Russell - Commander of the New Zealand Division^[30]
William Sinclair-Burgess - New Zealand officer serving with Australian forces
James Waddell - New Zealand soldier serving with the French Foreign Legion
Bright Williams - last surviving New Zealand Soldier of the First World War
Robert Young - senior officer who commanded an infantry brigade on the Western Front; later Commandant of New Zealand Military Forces, from 1925 to 1931

World War II

The then Brigadier Howard Karl "Kip" Kippenberger, on the left, with double Victoria Cross recipient Captain Charles Upham

(some served also in World War I)

Russell Aitken - pilot in the Royal Air Force who pioneered the use of amphibian aircraft for rescuing downed British pilots during the Battle of Britain^[31]
Leslie Andrew - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece, Crete, and North Africa; also a Victoria Cross recipient of World War I^[32]
Fred Baker - Commander, 28th Maori Battalion^[33]
Fraser Barron - bomber pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force; served with Bomber Command and one of only four personnel of the RNZAF to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order twice
Harold Eric Barrowclough - Commander, 3rd New Zealand Division^[34]
Minden Blake - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force
Brian Carbury - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force
Sir Roderick Carr - RAF Bomber Command and Chief of the Indian Air Force
Johnny Checketts - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force; commanded No. 485 Squadron RNZAF for a period in 1943^[35]
George Herbert Clifton - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece and North Africa^[36]
Wilfred Clouston - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force; commanded fighter squadrons during the course of World War II^[37]
Basil Collyns - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force
Sir Arthur Coningham - RAF Second Tactical Air Force commander
Bill Crawford-Crompton - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force; commanded several squadrons and fighter wings during the course of World War II^[38]
William Cunningham - Commandant of the Fiji Defence Force^[39]
Dan Davin - 2NZEF officer and author of war history
Alan Deere - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force^[40]
Antonio Dini - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force^[41]
John Evelyn Duigan - Chief of General Staff, New Zealand Military Forces, from 1937 to 1941^[42]
Keith Elliott - soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross^[43]
Geoffrey Bryson Fisken - RNZAF fighter ace, initially on Brewster Buffalo
Baron Freyberg of Wellington - Commander, 2NZEF and 2nd New Zealand Division; later Governor-General of New Zealand
Colin Falkland Gray - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force; commanded several squadrons and fighter wings during the course of World War II^[44]
Michael Herrick - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force; commanded No. 15 Squadron RNZAF for a period in 1943^[45]
Jack Hinton - soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross
Thomas W. Horton - Commander of No 105 RAF Pathfinder squadron
Clive Hulme - soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross
Lindsay Merritt Inglis - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece, Crete, North Africa and Italy
Edgar James "Cobber" Kain - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force; the first pilot to win a Distinguished Flying Cross in World War II
Thomas Joseph King - DADOS HQ 2nd New Zealand Division
Howard Karl "Kip" Kippenberger - Commander, 2nd New Zealand Division
John Noble MacKenzie - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force
Haane Manahi - soldier and recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Owen Mead - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF and the highest ranking soldier of the New Zealand Military Forces to be killed on active service^[46]
Reginald Miles - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece and North Africa
Sir Keith Park - No. 11 Group RAF commander during the Battle of Britain; later commanded in Malta and Southeast Asia
Nigel Park - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force; nephew of Sir Keith Park
Graham Beresford Parkinson - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece, North Africa and Italy
John Pattison - fighter pilot with the Royal Air Force; later transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force and commanded No. 485 Squadron RNZAF for a period in 1944–45^[47]
Sir Peter Phipps - founding Chief of Defence Staff
Edward Puttick - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece and Crete; later Chief of General Staff, New Zealand Military Forces, from 1941 to 1945^[48]
Paul Rabone - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force^[49]
Jack Rae - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force^[50]
Robert Row - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece and in the Pacific; commanded 8th Brigade during the Battle of the Treasury Islands
Warren Schrader - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force^[51]
Desmond J. Scott - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force^[52]
Irving Smith - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force; later served with the Royal Air Force in the postwar period^[53]
Robert Spurdle - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force
Gray Stenborg - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal New Zealand Air Force^[54]
William George Stevens - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF
Keith Lindsay Stewart - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF in Greece, Crete and Italy; later Chief of General Staff, New Zealand Military Forces, from 1949 to 1952^[55]
Donald Stott - soldier in the 2NZEF, later served in Special Operations Executive and Z Special Unit
Leonard Trent - pilot and recipient of the Victoria Cross^[56]
Lloyd Alan Trigg - pilot and recipient of the Victoria Cross; only person so awarded solely on recommendation of the enemy
Charles Upham - soldier of 20th Battalion and two-time recipient of the Victoria Cross
Nancy Wake - most decorated servicewoman of World War II
Derek Harland Ward - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force
James Allen Ward - bomber pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 75 Squadron RNZAF; recipient of the Victoria Cross^[57]
Norman Weir - senior officer who served with the 2NZEF; later Chief of General Staff, New Zealand Military Forces, from 1946 to 1949^[58]
Edward Wells - fighter pilot and flying ace with the Royal Air Force^[59]
Bert Wipiti - fighter pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force^[60]

Post-WWII

Denis Barnett - Commander, British Forces Cyprus
Richard Bolt - bomber pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II; later Chief of the Air Staff from 1974 to 1976 and then Chief of the Defence Staff from 1976 to 1980^[61]
Sir William Gentry - officer who served with the 2NZEF during World War II; later Chief of General Staff, New Zealand Army, from 1952 to 1955^[62]
Walter McKinnon - officer who served with the 2NZEF during World War II; later Chief of General Staff, New Zealand Army, from 1965 to 1967^[63]
Ian Morrison - bomber pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II; later Chief of the Air Staff from 1962 to 1966
William Stratton - fighter pilot with the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II; later Chief of the Air Staff from 1969 to 1971

Notes

^ Kawharu, Freda Rankin. "Heke Pokai, Hone Wiremu". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Ballara, Angela. "Hongi Hika". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Belich, James. "Cameron, Duncan Alexander". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Green, David. "Chute, Trevor". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ "Obituary: Thomas Bernard Collinson, 1821–1902". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 150 (1902). Institution of Civil Engineers: 461. 1902. doi:10.1680/imotp.1902.18336.
^ Fitzgerald, Michael. "Gold, Charles Emilius". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Harper & Richardson 2007, pp. 48–55.
^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "Hunter, William Magee". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
^ Barber, Laurie. "Nixon, Marmaduke George". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Green, David. "Pratt, Thomas Simson". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Oliver, Steven. "Wahawaha, Rapata". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Crawford, J.A.B. "Hardham, William James". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ McGibbon 2000, p. 229.
^ O'Shea, Phillip. "Robin, Alfred William". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Rice, Geoffrey W. "Averill, Leslie Cecil Lloyd". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Harper & Richardson 2007, pp. 113–118.
^ Claasen 2017, pp. 274–276.
^ Begg, Neil. "Begg, Charles Mackie". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ McGibbon 2000, p. 73.
^ Harper & Richardson 2007, pp. 130–135.
^ Tonks, Matthew. "Keith Caldwell". New Zealand History. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
^ Claasen 2017, pp. 258–259.
^ Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. "FitzGibbon, Hanorah Philomena". teara.govt.nz. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
^ McGibbon 2000, pp. 188–189.
^ Crawford, J.A.B. "Hart, Herbert Ernest". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ ^a ^b McGibbon 2000, p. 260.
^ McIntyre, W. David. "King, George Augustus". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Pugsley, Chris. "Malone, William George". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
^ McGibbon 2000, p. 316.
^ Pugsley, Chris. "Russell, Andrew Hamilton". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
^ Mitchell 1945, p. 99.
^ Snelling 2012, pp. 13–19.
^ McGibbon 2000, p. 51.
^ McGibbon 2000, pp. 53–54.
^ Thompson 1956, p. 187.
^ McGibbon 2000, pp. 93–94.
^ Phipps, Gareth. "Wilfred Clouston: Biography". NZ History. New Zealand Ministry of Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
^ Thompson 1953, p. 211.
^ "William Henry Cunningham". Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
^ Phipps, Gareth. "Alan Deere Biography". New Zealand History. New Zealand Ministry of Culture. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
^ Lambert 2011, pp. 54–55.
^ McGibbon 2000, pp. 149–150.
^ Lineham, Peter J. "Elliott, Keith 1916–1989". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
^ Thompson 1956, p. 367.
^ Phipps, Gareth. "Michael Herrick Biography". New Zealand History. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^ McGibbon 2000, p. 313.
^ Thompson 1953, p. 220.
^ McGibbon 2000, pp. 435–436.
^ Wynn 1981, pp. 332–336.
^ Thompson 1953, p. 238.
^ Hanson 2001, p. 427.
^ Orange, Vincent. "Scott, Desmond James". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
^ Wynn 1981, pp. 353–359.
^ Lambert 2011, pp. 310–312.
^ McGibbon, Ian. "Keith Lindsay Stewart". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
^ Hayward, Joel. "Trent, Leonard Henry". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ Thompson 1953, p. 197.
^ McGibbon 2000, pp. 597–598.
^ Thompson 1953, p. 99.
^ Thompson 1953, p. 21.
^ "Sir Richard Bolt Dies in Lower Hutt". Scoop Media. 28 July 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
^ Crawford, J. A. B. "Gentry, William George". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
^ McGibbon 2000, p. 287.

References

Claasen, Adam (2017). Fearless: The Extraordinary Untold Story of New Zealand's Great War Airmen. Auckland, New Zealand: Massey University Press. ISBN 978-0-9941407-8-4.
Hanson, C. M. (2001). By Such Deeds: Honours and Awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force 1923–1999. Christchurch, New Zealand: Volplane Press. ISBN 0-473-07301-3.
Harper, Glyn; Richardson, Colin (2007). In the Face of the Enemy: The Complete History of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86950-650-6.
Lambert, Max (2011). Day After Day: New Zealanders in Fighter Command. Auckland, New Zealand: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-1-86950-844-9.
McGibbon, Ian, ed. (2000). The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History. Auckland, New Zealand: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-558376-0.
Mitchell, Alan W. (1945). New Zealanders in the Air War. London, United Kingdom: George G. Harrap & Co. OCLC 1079233416.
Snelling, Stephen (2012). VCs of the First World War: Passchendaele 1917. Stroud, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom: History Press. ISBN 978-0-7524-7666-7.
Thompson, H. L. (1953). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Vol. I. Wellington, New Zealand: Historical Publications Branch.
Thompson, H. L. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force. Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. Vol. II. Wellington: War History Branch. OCLC 300089346.
Wynn, Kenneth G. (1981). A Clasp for 'The Few': New Zealanders with the Battle of Britain Clasp. Auckland, New Zealand: Kenneth G. Wynn. ISBN 0-86-465-0256.