80th anniversary of New Zealand Army Staff College in Palmerston North marked

World War II military personnel who attended a course at the Army Staff College, Massey Agricultural College. Geoffrey Peren is seated fourth from right. Photo / Massey University Archives

Waiouru or Palmerston North?

Waiouru was preferred by the War Office's representative but when the New Zealand Army Staff College commandant arrived from India he quickly determined the town with the harsh winter climate was unsuitable.

Palmerston North was closer to Defence Headquarters in Wellington and the ground and weather were better than at Waiouru.

With input from Massey Agricultural College principal Geoffrey Peren, the staff college was established at Massey and opened in November 1941 by Prime Minister Peter Fraser.

A talk last week by New Zealand Wars Study Centre director Dr Peter Wood marked the 80th anniversary of the staff college.

The need for the college was raised when a Japanese landing in New Zealand was a distinct possibility.

The courses focused on the defence of New Zealand and used lectures, tutorials, sand models, indoor and outdoor exercises, and demonstrations as teaching methods. Students learnt how many trucks were needed to move ammunition, how long this would take, and how to cross rivers with or without the support of engineers.

Intelligence gathering was a key part of the syllabus including how to get information about Japanese plans and intentions and turn them into plans for defence, Wood says.

Students initially lived in huts erected in Massey's Oval while teaching took place in what is now the Sir Geoffrey Peren building. Staff lived at Caccia Birch House.

Massey student numbers had decreased because of the war so the army was able to use the college's facilities. Payment for this provided cash flow for Massey and the army also bought meat and vegetables from Massey, Wood says.

In 1943, what is now McHardy Hall was built for the army students.

Five hundred students went through the army staff college.

Wood says no plans of a Japanese invasion were ever uncovered but the possibility excited and galvanised a lot of people. Interest in the staff college decreased when it was realised the Japanese couldn't or wouldn't invade New Zealand. It closed in March 1944.

Writing for The Manawatū Journal of History, John Moremon says in early 1941 the War Office in London sent Lieutenant General Sir Guy Williams to inspect New Zealand's land defences. He reported the ill-equipped and poorly trained Territorial Force was incapable of staving off an attack.

The army responded to the Williams report by organising for a staff college to be established. Moremon writes the objective was to improve military knowledge, leadership and administrative skills of those senior and middle-ranking officers who could be expected to play key roles in the defence of New Zealand.

British Army officer Colonel V F S Hawkins was selected as the commandant. Moremon records Hawkins encountered obstruction to his efforts from army headquarters. In response to a request for administrative support he received two soldiers who had never typed anything in their lives and three broken typewriters.

By early 1944 the need for the staff college had passed with virtually every senior and middle-ranking officer suitable for a command or staff appointment having completed one of its courses, Moremon writes.

Peren had served in the British Army in World War I and was awarded the Croix de Guerre.

Peter Wood is based at Trentham and his talk was organised by the Engineer Corps Memorial Centre and Palmerston North City Library.