Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Australian Defence Force photo by Royal Australian Air Force Imagery Specialist Cpl. Adam Abela)
2nd/1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment may look quite different today to when it was formed 50 years ago but the quality and calibre of the soldiers in the South Island unit has not changed, says the battalion’s commanding officer.
01 July, 2024
The battalion celebrated its half-century anniversary over the long Matariki weekend with a charter parade through Christchurch’s central city, opening a 25-year-old time capsule, and ceremonies and social events at Burnham Military Camp.
Friday’s charter parade drew large crowds as the battalion marched with regimental colours through Christchurch, joined by the NZ Army Band and unit veterans.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger inspected the parade in Cathedral Square before reading the historical charter document, acknowledging the unwavering support of the city in difficult times.
The charter formalises the relationship between the city of Christchurch and the South Island’s only Regular Force infantry unit.
2nd/1st Battalion has been among the first to respond to incidents and disasters in Christchurch and the wider South Island, such as the Christchurch Earthquake in 2011 and the Covid-19 response – providing personnel to conduct security and manage quarantine facilities.
On Saturday, more than 500 former battalion members were ‘welcomed home’ to Burnham.
The contents of the 25-year-old time capsule showed a snapshot in time of the battalion including photos and kit.
The New Zealand Army’s 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment has marked its 50th anniversary with events in central Christchurch and at its home of Burnham Military Camp
The New Zealand Army’s 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment has marked its 50th anniversary with events in central Christchurch and at its home of Burnham Military Camp
The New Zealand Army’s 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment has marked its 50th anniversary with events in central Christchurch and at its home of Burnham Military Camp
The New Zealand Army’s 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment has marked its 50th anniversary with events in central Christchurch and at its home of Burnham Military Camp
The New Zealand Army’s 2nd/1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment has marked its 50th anniversary with events in central Christchurch and at its home of Burnham Military CampScroll to previous imageScroll to next image
Major General (Retired) Ken Gordon was the Commanding Officer of 2nd/1st Battalion from 1976 to 1978, shortly after it was formed.
It was the highlight of a 37-year career that started when he enlisted as an 18-year-old and ended in 1987. A soldier’s kit was now a lot different.
“We were really just at the dog end of the war when I joined but everything has changed since,” he said.
“When I look now at a soldier, I can’t imagine what they have on them – all the bells and whistles.”
Current Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sam Smith, says thousands of battalion members had served in New Zealand and on overseas deployments, including Bosnia, East Timor, Afghanistan, Solomon Islands and Iraq.
Every unit member had made their own unique contribution to the history of 2nd/1st Battalion.
“While the battalion may look very different from the one formed 50 years ago, some things have not changed.
“The quality and calibre of the soldiers who form the sections, platoons and companies of the battalion and the way the unit has just got on with the job of soldiering is the same now as they have always been.”
The battalion has laid down another time capsule, to be lifted in 25 years.
HMNZS Canterbury and a Navy Seasprite from No. 6 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Force undertook Operation Havre, to help promote safety and security in the region, ensuring environmental stewardship for New Zealand.
Plant Troop SGT, SGT Brendon Clarke from 25 ESS, 2 ER, said the operation was a unique opportunity to conduct this type of recon and gain valuable training.
“Being dropped on to an isolated island, working through the mobilisation phase, incorporating ourselves into the Navy and organising ourselves in this environment was really valuable,” said SGT Clarke. The information collected will be used by DOC to assess the future of the historic airstrip.
The tests conducted included gauging the compaction of the soil on the airstrip, testing the density and moisture of the ground and using laser surveying to measure the grades of the airstrip.
LCPL Dylan White said the experience of using these survey methods in the island’s unique environment would help him in future deployments.
“It’s the first time I’ve used these skills to survey an existing airfield. I’ve only ever used the survey methods and equipment for roads so it’s good to use it in this environment. It would be good to use this experience in future deployments or HADR in the Pacific Islands,” says LCPL White.
This was the first opportunity for SPR Te Anini O Rongo Pardoe to go on operation. “I’m learning about all the equipment on this operation. It’s giving me a great insight into my future course and I feel it will help me get ahead,” said SPR Pardoe.
“It’s also my first time on a Navy ship so it’s good mixing with other personnel from other Services, working with civilians, iwi and it’s great to be on a tri-Service operation for my first time away,” he says.
SGT Clarke said it was operations such as this, that set the Army apart.
“The Army gives you the opportunity to go to unique places and gives you rare opportunities, such as this. It’s really a great place to be,” he said.
Sailors from Royal Malaysian Navy Lekiu-class guided missile frigate KD Lekiu (FFG30) and Royal New Zealand Navy Polar-class auxiliary ship HMNZS Aotearoa (A11) participate in a volleyball tournament during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, June 28. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jaimar Carson Bondurant)
A Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) C-130H Hercules crew has today carried out a rare medical evacuation of a patient from Antarctica, taking advantage of a narrowing gap in the weather to fly the challenging night-time mission.
The patient, an American from McMurdo Station, is in a stable condition with a non-life threatening condition. However, they require medical treatment that cannot be carried out in Antarctica.
Air Component Commander Air Commodore Andy Scott says flights to Antarctica at this time of year are very challenging due to the extreme Antarctic environment, changeable weather conditions and because there is no daylight. Apart from flying in a combat environment, night flying missions to Antarctica in the middle of winter present the most challenging and dangerous of conditions.
The Hercules crew flew into Phoenix Airfield using night vision goggles. The first time this technology was used by the RNZAF to fly into Antarctica was in July 2021 for another medical evacuation. One of the pilots on today’s mission also flew on that mission.
The Hercules flew from RNZAF Base Auckland to Christchurch on Tuesday in preparation for today’s flight.
It left Christchurch at 2am and touched down at Phoenix Airfield at 8.50am, and left shortly after 10am for the seven- to eight-hour return flight to Christchurch.
The aircraft was “hot fuelled” on the ice, where the engines are kept running to protect them in the extreme cold. The temperature in Antarctica was minus 33degC with a wind chill bringing temperatures down to minus 40degC.
“With a narrow gap of acceptable weather, the crew deployed early this morning,” Air Commodore Scott said.
“The weather had deteriorated again on arrival and so they have threaded the needle to get in when they did.”
A PATIENT FROM THE UNITED STATES’ MCMURDO STATION IN ANTARCTICA HAS BEEN FLOWN TO CHRISTCHURCH BY AN RNZAF HERCULES CREW. IMAGES: MCMURDO STATION STAFF
Air Commodore Scott said at each stage of the journey the crew had to make “go, no go” decisions on whether to proceed.
Our highly trained crew analyse the conditions every step of the way to ensure they can continue. Last night the weather conditions looked suitable, which enabled them to proceed in the early hours of this morning.
Work by McMurdo Station staff to prepare the ice runway at Phoenix Airfield, by clearing snow and compacting it, had been completed on Wednesday.
With no airfields to divert to en route, the aircraft needed to be refuelled in Antarctica before making the journey home.
“The pilots have a point of no safe return when they make the decision to continue or turn around, known as a `boomerang’,” Air Commodore Scott said.
“We’re very pleased we have been able to successfully carry out this Antarctica flight today and get the patient to New Zealand to receive further medical treatment.”
NO. 40 SQUADRON LAND IN CHRISTCHURCH WITH THE PATIENT
