New Zealand Forestry Companies

I am trying to trace the history of the New Zealand Forestry Companies that served in WW2.

All I have managed to find so far is the information in the attached link.

This information will be used to develop biographs for those sappers who are no longer with us and published on a FB page that has been created to honour those Kiwi Sappers. For I believe these sappers helped created the culture of the Corps today and the one I served in for 28 years.

11 Forestry Company | NZETC (victoria.ac.nz)

 

Have you seen this?

http://www.nzjf.org.nz/free_issues/NZJF45_4_2001/A0695568-D535-44BE-9369-CD61A0303A06.pdf

 

While searching, I discovered the New Zealand Nominal Rolls are on line at Ancestry.com

Here’s a link to the Rolls (subscription based). If you don’t have a subscription, let me know if there is a specific nominal roll that I can look up for you.

I haven’t gone thru them “yet” to see how they are laid out (by unit, or just a list). They are in volumes and by year. I’ll take a look and possible post some samples for you

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1832/

 

I randomly picked a ROLL, and there are by date and seem to be just in alphabetical order. Here’s a sample of the 6th Roll, 1 Oct 1941 to 31 Dec 1941

Note on Ancestry they are a LOT clearer and you can zoom into the info. Theirs a cover page in front of the ROLL that gives you ALL of the unit abbreviations used in the Roll

 

Here’s the Unit Abbreviation page from the Roll above

 

Here is what I have on the Forestry Companies:

11th Forestry Company, New Zealand Engineers

Raised

14 February 1940 at Papakura Camp


The company was recruited from logging and sawmill workers over a period of twelve days. They entered Papakura Camp on 14 February 1940 as 11th Forestry Company. If left for Egypt with the 2nd Echelon on 2 May 1940 and was diverted to the United Kingdom. It arrived at Gourock, Scotland on 16 June and moved to Woolmer in Hampshire on arrival. It moved to Jarvis Brook, near Crowborough, East Sussex on 3 July 1940. In early August, HQ and half of the company moved to Cirencester in Gloucestershire. The rest of the company remained at Jarvis Brook until 5 October, when it moved to Chippenham in Wiltshire. On the arrival of the 14th and 15th Forestry Companies in October, the HQ Forestry Group was set up and 11th Company was established at Cirencester and Bowood. In October 1942, the company had HQ at Cirencester with a detachment in Hereford and on 1 March 1943 it was still located at Cirencester. The companies were reorganized on 28 July 1943 and all Grade III men were sent to 11th Company. The company was given embarkation leave on 4 September 1943 and sailed to New Zealand on 18 September 1943, where it was eventually disbanded.

14th Foresty Company, New Zealand Engineers

Raised

End of June 1940 at Trentham


The company left New Zealand on 27 August 1940 and tranferred to a ship for England in Bombay on 15 September. It arrived at Gourock, Scotland on 7 November 1940 and formed part of HQ Forestry Group from its arrival. 14th Company was established in a camp at Grittleton, Wiltshire. On 15 September 1941, it had 1st Spanish Pioneer Company assisting it in its forestry operations. The company moved to Chippenham on 26 October 1942. It had a detachment at Burbage, Wiltshire in October 1942 and by 1 March 1943 another detachment at Charfield, Gloucestershire. On 28 July 1943, all Grade I men from all three companies in the United Kingdom were reformed into 14th Company.

It left the United Kingdom in August and arrived in Algiers on 25 August 1943. It moved to Bone on 2 February 1944 and embarked for Italy on 10 February. It operated in Calabria cutting timber. Company HQ was at Crotone. It operated until 3 August 1944, when in concentrated for embarkation to New Zealand. It first moved to Egypt and sailed from there on 28 September 1944. It was disbanded after arrival in New Zealand.


15th Foresty Company, New Zealand Engineers

Raised

End of June 1940 at Trentham


The company left New Zealand on 27 August 1940 and tranferred to a ship for England in Bombay on 15 September. It arrived at Gourock, Scotland on 7 November 1940 and formed part of HQ Forestry Group from its arrival. The company moved to camp at Langrish, Hampshire for forestry operations. Half of the company was sent to Arundel, Sussex by 1941. 220th (Alien) Pioneer Company was attached to the company in December 1941. By October 1942, an additional detachment was sent to Woolmer, Hampshire. On the reorganization of the companies on 28 July 1943, 15th Company received all Grade II men. It was ordered to embark on 30 August 1943 and sailed for New Zealand on 18 September 1943. It was disbanded after arrival in New Zealand.

 

Thank you so much for the information. Closes yet another loop in my quest to pay homage to these men albeit in only a small way.

 

Hi I'm back on the trail of the NZ forestry company in ww2. Unable to open the file you've provided

 

Kiwi Sapper

Maybe this book, IF you can find a copy of it, would give you all the information that you need on the NZ forestry companies, including nominal roles: New Zealand Forestry Companies in Britain and Europe During the Second World War 1939-1944

Not sure if your based in NZ but if you are looks like the National Library in Wellington currently holds a copy of David Field's book: https://natlib.govt.nz/items?i[subject_text]=New+Zealand.+Army.+Forestry+Company,+15th+History

You should be able to obtain it via Interloan through your local library if you are somewhere in NZ.

I had a quick look on Trade Me and, rather fortunately, there is a copy of the above book on sale currently (sale closes on 8 June): tradeMe.title

Hope that helps.

 

Thank you for the dots. Unfortunately I'm travelling around full time in Australia. The book on Trademe looks to be awesome however with no fixed address makes it difficult. A page from the book showing members of the forestry company is of great help. Even photos of the nominal roll from the book would be great. Someone on this thread post photos of nominal rolls from ancestry page, unfortunately blurred.
Thanks again

 

Unfortunately can not open the link.

 

Hi Kiwi Sapper

So Just nominal roll? I Hope to a copy by the end of the week hopefuly.
This Is my notes Forestry Company

Advanced Party (11th) Forestry Company (1 Officer and 15 other ranks) 17 April 1940 on TSS Awatea then HMT Orcades at Sydney 27 April 1940, UK 18 June 1940

11 Forestry Company (1 Officer and 170 other ranks) on HMT Andes 1 May 1940 UK 16 June 1940 (did 4 officers go on another ship?)

14th NZ Forestry Company (162)

15th NZ Forestry Company (162) both Companies total 12 Officers and 310 other ranks ,NZ 27 August 1940 on HMT Empress of Japan then to Orcades at Bombay on 15 September, UK on 7 November 1940

HQ NZ Forestry Group NZE formed at Castle Combe in Gloucestershire on 1? October 1940 1 officer and 20 Other Ranks from 11 Forestry Company

Total 495 (14 officer and 495 other ranks=519) (should of been 18 Officers & 441 other ranks to War Establishment tables )


Reinforcements

Draft A (1 Sergeant, 10 Sappers) NZ 8/11/1940 UK 28/2/1941(1 officer and 25 OR on Batory or Manganui then Orion)

Draft B (1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, 2 Corporals, 34 Sappers) NZ 19/12/1940 UK 1/2/1941 (1 officer and 37 other ranks on Rimutaka)

Draft C (54men) NZ 26/3/1941 UK 30/5/1941 (1 officer and 53 other ranks on Aorangi)

Draft D (26men) NZ 22/9/1941 UK 26/10/1941(1 officer and 26 other ranks on Athlone Castle)

Draft E (32men) NZ 8/8/1942 UK 6/5/1942 (1 officer and 31 other ranks on Strathallan)

Total 161 (5 officer and 172 other ranks=177)


Total 666 to UK

Hildaren

 

Hi Kiwi Sapper
The Book only has Rolls for 11th Forestry Company and the HQ ,Advanced Party (11th) Forestry Company .
regards Hildaren

 

Absolutely fantastic thank you

 

Just yesterday, I have "discovered" 39 x Archive Photos of Sappers of 14th (NZ) Forestry Company, HQ'd out of Grittleton, UK. Currently working thru them and have informed "Clas" - ex RF WO1 RNZE, and Curator (recently retired) of RNZE Corps Museum, Linton Camp. My plan is to admin all files for eventual despatch to the museum. I was on original RNZE Corps Memorial Committee in late 1960s to plan for establishment of the museum. UBIQUE ... Forgot to mention that all photos taken in one session on 23 June 1941.

 

Hi Tony that's great news. Would you be able to send me any information for a project I'm involved with. Does the photo contain any names of the Sappers

 

Cheers KS ... Sadly, the Pommie Photographer who took all of the 39 photos, did not record any of the NZE personal details! Not one! May have been a restriction imposed by UK Official Secrets Act - who knows? Regardless, it is still a fascinating photo essay of Kiwi Troopies doing their "usual" business in wartime England. I've had a quick glance through a couple of Ancestry.com, WW2 NZ Embarkation Lists, and found that many Troopies in the 11th, 14th and 15th Forestry Companies N.Z.E., were posted after enlistment and basic training, directly to these units that were specifically to jobs that they had in civvy street - eg, "Bushman", "Forestry worker", "Sawyer" "Saw Doctor" etc., and it's quite clear that many had had years of experience in forestry works and associated timber trades.Four examples; *Spr J A Addison, 14 For.Coy. - Single. Bushman, from Bruce Bay, Westland. ** Spr J H Bertram, HQ.15 For.Coy. - Single, Timber Worker, from Lower Hutt, Wellington. **** Then two brothers - Spr E J Bines, HQ.15 For.Coy., and Spr G M Bines,15 For.Coy. - both Single and Sawmillers, and from Matapouri, Northland. Hope this sheds a little more light and adds "colour" to the knowledge base - that is all .... UBIQUE Attached photo subject - "Shifting a huge log with a "Cant Hook"