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The Wellington, West Coast and Taranaki Regiment is one of six Territorial Force Regiments in the New Zealand Army. We draw our strength from an area encompassing Taranaki, Wanganui, Manawatu, Horowhenua and Kapiti Coast and have behind us a colourful history dating back to 1858.

WWCT Regt is split into two regions because of its diverse area. The WWC region covers the areas of Bulls to the north, across to Dannevirke, Pahiatua to the East and South to Kapiti Coast.

The Taranaki region covers the areas of Marton to the south, across to Hunterville, Taihape, Waiouru to the East and North toTaumaranui, New Plymouth. All towns, cities etc within is in the Taranaki region. The Headquarters for this Region is in Hawera.

The Wellington, West Coast Regiment History

The VII Wellington, West Coast Regiment traces itself back to about 1840, but because no government authority was given to raise forces until 1858, our history dates from that time.

The Wanganui Rifle Volunteers, renamed Victoria Rifles, fought against the Maoris at Wereroa Pa in 1865. Another corps, the Wanganui Bushranger Volunteers Corps, also fought in the land wars. The Wanganui Rifle Volunteers Corps, as the local units later became, garrisoned Wereroa Redoubt against the determined Hau Hau attack in 1868. In 1870 the Wanganui rifles, Wanganui City Rifles and Royal Rangitikei Rifles formed part of the contingent sent to deal with the Maori dispute at Parihaka.

The Wellington, West Coast Rifle Volunteer Battalion provided troops to fight in the Boer War for which the battle honour ‘SOUTH AFRICA 1900 - 1902’ was granted.

In the First World war as part of government policy, no regiment fought as a unit. However, in every brigade there was a Wellington Battalion of which one company was provided from the Wellington, West Coast Regiment. A similar system applied in the Second World War when companies formed part of the 19, 22, 25 and 36 Battalions.

The XI Taranaki Regiment traces itself officially to the New Plymouth Militia, called out in 1858 because of the threat of a Maori uprising. Although disbanded because of cost, a Taranaki Rifle Volunteer Corps was founded and is believed to have been the first formal unit raised in New Zealand. This Corps took part in the Land Wars which followed, and so distinguished itself at the battle of Waireka that it was granted the battle honour ‘New Zealand’ a unique distinction as it is the only unit every to have been given its country’s name as a battle honour in the long and colourful history of Britain, her Empire and Commonwealth. The Volunteers were also present at Parihaka in 1881.

A full infantry Battalion was formed in 1884 and then disbanded, followed by two more in 1898, which served until 1911 when the Taranaki Rifles came into being. Troops served in South Africa in the Boer War, in both the First and Second World Wars in the same manner as the Wellington, West Coast Regiment.

These two fine Regiments were amalgamated in 1948. In 1964 the ten separate Regiments of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Corps were rearranged and became the seven Battalions of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. The Wellington, West Coast and Taranaki Regiment became the 5th Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (5 RNZIR).

To recognise the Territorial affiliation, 5 RNZIR was renamed 5th Battalion (Wellington, West Coast and Taranaki) Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment in 1974.

In 1999, under the direction of the Chief of General Staff, Major General Dodson, all Territorial Force Units were reorganised and became Regiments. These Territorial Force Units affected were 1 Field Squadron (Engineers), 2 Logistics Battalion (2 Log Bn) TF pers, 2 Field Hospital (2 Fd Hosp) TF pers. This amalgamated all those TF units in those areas into a Regiment organisation.

To recognise this reorganisation, the 5^th Battalion (Wellington, West Coast and Taranaki) Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment was renamed the Wellington, West Coast and Taranaki Regiment

The colours, or battle flags of an Infantry Battalion have a long history. As long as men have fought in organised groups, each leader has had a standard of some description which has formed the rallying point for his followers during battle.

Kings of England commenced issuing their own Royal Standards in their armies when permanent forces were first formed following the fall of Cromwell. When Regiments were formed each carried two standards, one with the regiments coat of arms, the other the Kings or Queens standard.

Colours have not been carried in action since 1881. The matter had been raised in the British Parliament in August 1880, and in February of the next year all commanding officers were asked their view upon it. The consensus of opinion favoured the retention of colours for use in peace time, but that they should not be taken on active service. An order was published in January 1882, giving effect to this, on the grounds of the altered form of attack and of the increased range of musketry.

These standards, or colours are consecrated when presented to the unit in very moving ceremonies and are then kept in reverence by the unit. By tradition colours are never touched with a bare hand or destroyed. In the event of their becoming obsolete, colours are ‘laid up’ in a church or public building and allowed to decay. 5 WWCT had colours for both the Wellington, West Coast and the Taranaki Regiments until replaced by one new set in 1972. The Wellington, West Coast Regiment colours were laid up in the Wanganui Regional Museum on the 27 August 1972. The Taranaki Regiment colours were laid up at St Mary’s Church in New Plymouth on the 10 December 1972. The current WWCT Regt colours are held at HQ WWCT Regt in Wanganui.

Since permanent Regiments were formed the British Army has permitted - by the grace of the reigning monarch - exceptional military deeds (usually significant) battles to be embroidered on the regimental colour. These battle honours, as they are known, form a history and tribute to the regiment, and colours are therefore accorded the greatest respect, being a memorial to our dead, a tribute to our history and courage and the recognition by our King or Queen of these achievements.

The colours are now paraded on only the most formal Royal or Regimental occasions.

The battle honours granted our Battalion and carried on the Regimental Colours are:

NEW ZEALAND

SOUTH AFRICA 1900 - 1902

SOMME 1916 - 18

GREECE 1941

MESSINES 1917

CRETE YPRES 1917

SIDI REZEGH 1941

BAPAUME 1918

MINQAR QAIM,  HINDENBURG LINE, EL ALAMEIN, FRANCE & FLANDERS 1916, 18

NORTH AFRICA 1940 - 43

LANDING AT ANZAC CASSINO ISARI BAIR 1915

THE SENIO, GALLIPOLI 1915

ITALY 1943 - 45

EGYPT 1915 - 16 SOLOMONS

Forty seven other individual battles are also granted to 5 WWCT but are not carried on the colours, being covered with the honours of France, and Flanders, Somme, Egypt, Greece, North Africa, Italy and Solomons.

 The old Wellington, West Coast Regiment’s crest was a rampant lion and that of the Taranaki Regiment, Mount Taranaki (Egmont). On the amalgamation of the regiments in 1948 these emblems could not be suitably combined and a new one was therefore designed.

The symbol chosen was the phoenix bird, which according to Greek mythology, used to destroy itself by fire when too old to be useful, and then be reborn from its own ashes, young and full of vigour.

The roman numerals to the left and right of the flames at the base of the crest represents the VII Wellington, West Coast and XI Taranaki Regiments - the old bird consumed by flames - whilst the young phoenix rises proudly as The WWCT Regt.

Brigadier D.S. Thompson MC, ED, MP former Honorary Colonel of 5th (WWCT) Battalion and a former Commanding Officer of the unit was primarily responsible for the design of this unique badge.

Dress Distinction

On the occasion of the Unit Centenary in 1959 the then Battalion was granted the unique honour of wearing it’s miniature badges, or ‘collar dogs’ as they are known, on the collars of all forms of dress. No other New Zealand unit has this distinction, although all may wear collar dogs on Service Dress which is a formal uniform.

An alliance is a formal affiliation between two corps, Regiments or units of the Commonwealth Forces which is designed to establish and maintain a bond of mutual interests.

The WWCT Regt has two Allied Regiments which were inherited with the amalgamation of the Wellington, West Coast regiment and the Taranaki Regiment in 1948. These are with the Queens Regiment inherited from the Taranaki Regiment and the Royal Hampshire Regiment inherited from the Wellington, West Coast Regiment.

The alliance between the Queens Regiment and the Taranaki Regiment stems back to the 1860’s when the 57 West Middlesex Regiment was stationed in the Taranaki area. In 1881 the 57 West Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with the 77 East Middlesex to become the Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge’s Own). The alliance between this Regiment and the Taranaki Regiment was sanctioned in 1913. Further amalgamation in 1966 saw the Middlesex Regiment become part of the Queens Regiment.

The alliance between the Wellington, West Coast and the Royal Hampshire Regiment was formed on the battlefields of the Gallipoli and sanctioned in 1925.

Regimental Stable Belt

The Regimental stable belt is an aspect of dress which we have adopted from the British Army. The distinctive patterns and colours enable the observer to note, at a glance, the wearers Regiment (or in the New Zealand Army’s case, Battalion).

In 1973 the New Zealand Army phased out the old web pattern belt and adopted stable belts. Each corps, Regiment and Battalion (in the case of the Infantry) became eligible to wear a stable belt. The then 5th Battalion applied to wear the Royal Hampshire Regimental Belts.

The colours on the belts have special significance and stem from the Regimental Colours and the colours of lace and facings on the uniforms of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment - the colours of the new Regiment being yellow, red, green and mauve (in that order) on a black background. These colours are the combination of those from the 37th and the 67th. The colours of the 37th were yellow and black (the Duke of Orange’s Streamer) with a lace of yellow and red, and the colours of the 67th were yellow and crimson with a lace of yellow, green and mauve. Both regiments wore yellow facings and therefore yellow became the senior colour and accordingly the belt is the right way up when the yellow is to the top.

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