Linton Military Camp is the largest New Zealand Army base and is home to the Headquarters 1(NZ) Brigade. It is located just south of Palmerston North.

Linton Military Camp
Palmerston North, New Zealand
Museum building of Engineering Corps Memorial Centre
Map
Coordinates40°24′29″S 175°35′13″E / 40.408°S 175.587°E / -40.408; 175.587
TypeArmy Camp
Area4.98 km2 (1.92 sq mi)
Site information
OwnerNew Zealand Defence Force
Controlled by New Zealand Army
Site history
Built1941
In use1941–present
Garrison information
Current
commander
Colonel Brett Wellington

Manawatu Prison is located north of the camp.

History

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The land that the present Linton Military Camp stands on was purchased by the Government in 1941 for use as a camp for Territorial and other home defence forces, with the first units taking up occupation in tented accommodation in February 1942, with the first prefabricated huts erected in August 1942. Unlike Burnham and Papakura, Linton was not initially intended to be mobilisation camp and as such was provided with minimal facilities. As the war intensified and the threat from Japan increased and the use of infrastructure in Palmerston North for defence purposes stretched to the limit, the decision was made to bring Linton up to the same standard as Burnham and Papakura. Deliberately designed as a precaution against air attack Linton camp was designed with nine Battalion Blocks, with only eight being completed each with a;[1]

  • parade ground,
  • accommodation
  • cookhouse,
  • mess building, and
  • ablutions.

Wartime construction was completed in 1945, and included;[2]

  • 182 Permanent buildings,
  • 521 two-men huts,
  • 155 four-men huts,
  • 480 eight-men huts,
  • a power plant,
  • water and sewage reticulation,
  • rifle ranges,
  • assault courses
  • magazines.
  • Railway siding.

In March 2024, the National-led coalition government confirmed plans to upgrade Linton Camp's dilapidated barracks as the first project in the government's new flagship public-private infrastructure financing programme.[3]

Alternative Names

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Linton Camp was accepted in general usage from 1943, with the names Camp Manawatu or Camp Kairanga used earlier. Camp Ravenswood or Camp Whitmore were considered as new names in the 1960s, but uses of theses names never eventuated.[1]

Demographics

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Linton Camp statistical area covers 4.97 km2 (1.92 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 1,800 as of June 2024,[5] with a population density of 362 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,752—    
20131,335−3.81%
20181,668 4.55%
Source: [6]

Before the 2023 census, Linton Camp had a slightly different boundary, covering 4.98 km2 (1.92 sq mi).[4] Using that boundary, Linton Camp had a population of 1,668 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 333 people (24.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 84 people (−4.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 372 households, comprising 1,164 males and 504 females, giving a sex ratio of 2.31 males per female. The median age was 23.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 306 people (18.3%) aged under 15 years, 984 (59.0%) aged 15 to 29, 363 (21.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 15 (0.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 70.3% European, 40.5% Māori, 10.4% Pacific peoples, 3.1% Asian, and 7.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 10.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.6% had no religion, 28.1% were Christian, 2.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 135 (9.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (4.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $46,900, compared with $31,800 nationally. 123 people (9.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,017 (74.7%) people were employed full-time, 102 (7.5%) were part-time, and 39 (2.9%) were unemployed.[6]

Education

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Linton Camp School is a co-educational full state primary school,[7][8] with a roll of 121 as of August 2024.[9]

Current units based at Linton

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HQ 1 (NZ) Brigade commands the NZ Army's field forces day to day (less special forces) and prepares them for operations.[10]

  • Headquarters, 1st (NZ) Brigade

Combat Units

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Combat Support Units

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Combat Service Support Units

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  • 2nd Combat Service Support Battalion, Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment
    • Headquarters, 2nd Combat Service Support Battalion
    • 10th Transport Company
    • 21st Supply Company
    • 2nd Workshop Company
    • 5th Movements Company
    • 38 Combat Service Support Company
  • 2nd Health Services Battalion (New Zealand)
    • Headquarters, 2nd Health Services Battalion (NZ)
    • 2nd Health Support Company
    • General Support Health Company
    • Logistics Support Company
  • Linton Regional Support Centre (Linton Military Camp)

Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command

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Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) trains and educates Army's personnel; develops leaders; establishes training standards; manages doctrine; integrates lessons learned and training support across the Army.[11]

  • Mission Command Training School
  • Collective Training Center
  • Land Operations Training Center (Palmerston North)
  • School of Military Engineering

Lockheed Martin New Zealand

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Lockheed Martin New Zealand provides logistics services for the NZDF including Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul, Managed Fleet Utilisation and warehousing.[12]

  • Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul team
  • Managed Fleet Utilisation team
  • Ration Pack Production Facility

Other Units

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  • Joint Military Police Unit Linton
  • Joint Logistic Support Agency service center
  • Human Resources service center

Incidents

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A building belonging to the Ordnance Depot was gutted by fire on 18 February 1953[13]

On Saturday 9 June 1956, fanned by an easterly breeze, a fire destroyed the Linton Military Camp cinema.[14]

In October 2012, a series of shots were fired by an armed soldier, believed to be under the influence of alcohol, he then barricaded himself inside a house on the base. The NZ Police Armed Offenders Squad responded as well as the Military Police.[15] After a five-hour siege, the police originally reported the man was apprehended, but later revealed he had committed suicide.[16]

Barracks

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Linton Camps barracks are named after New Zealand Recipients of the Victoria Cross.

Andrew Barracks 1917 First World War Wellington Infantry Regiment La Basse Ville, Belgium [17][18]
Bassett Barracks 1915 First World War New Zealand Divisional Signal Company Gallipoli, Turkey [19][20]
Brown Barracks 1916 First World War Otago Infantry Regiment High Wood, France [21][22]
Crichton Barracks 1918 First World War Auckland Infantry Regiment Crèvecœur, France [23][24]
Cooke Barracks 1916 First World War 8th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force Pozieres, France
D'Arcy Barracks 1879 Anglo-Zulu War Frontier Light Horse Ulundi, South Africa
Elliott Barracks 1942 Second World War 22nd Battalion Ruweisat, Egypt [25][26]
Forsyth Barracks 1918* First World War Royal New Zealand Engineers Grévillers, France [27][28]
Frickleton Barracks 1917 First World War New Zealand Rifle Brigade Messines, Belgium [29][30]
Grant Barracks 1918 First World War Wellington Infantry Regiment Bancourt, France [31][32]
Hardham Barracks 1901 Second Boer War 4th New Zealand Contingent Naauwpoort, South Africa [33][34]
Heaphy Barracks 1864 New Zealand Wars Auckland Militia Mangapiko River, New Zealand [35][36][37]
Hinton Barracks 1941 Second World War 20th Battalion Kalamai, Greece [38][39]
Hulme Barracks 1941 Second World War 23rd Battalion Crete, Greece [40][41]
Judson Barracks 1918 First World War Auckland Infantry Regiment Bapaume, France [42][43]
Laurent Barracks 1918 First World War New Zealand Rifle Brigade Gouzeaucourt Wood, France [44][45]
Ngarimu Barracks 1943* Second World War 28th Battalion Tebaga Gap, Tunisia [46][47]
Nicholas Barracks 1917 First World War Canterbury Infantry Regiment Polderhoek, Belgium [48][49]
Shout Barracks 1915 Alfred Shout 1st Battalion, AIF Gallipoli, Turkey
Storkey Barracks 1918 First World War 19th Battalion, AIF Hangard Wood, France
Travis Barracks 1918* First World War Otago Infantry Regiment Rossignol Wood, France [50][51]
Upham Barracks 1941

1942

Second World War 20th Battalion Crete, Greece (1941)

Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt (1942)

[52][53]
Weathers Barracks 1918 First World War 43rd Battalion, AIF Mont Saint-Quentin. France

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Laurudsen, W.J (1989). Linton 1889-1989. Palmerston North: W.J. Lauridsen on behalf of the Linton Centennial Committee. pp. 151–156. ISBN 0473007061.
  2. ^ "Camps and Bases - Linton". NZ Defence Force. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  3. ^ Milne, Jonathan (13 March 2024). "New army barracks to spearhead move to public-private partnerships". Newsroom. Archived from the original on 12 March 2024. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Linton Camp (232100). 2018 Census place summary: Linton Camp
  7. ^ "Linton Camp School Official School Website". lintoncamp.school.nz.
  8. ^ "Linton Camp School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  9. ^ "Linton Camp School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  10. ^ "Headquarters 1 (NZ) Brigade". NZ Army. 27 June 2018.
  11. ^ "HQ Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)". NZ Army. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Our Capabilities". Lockheed Martin.
  13. ^ "Army Records Burnt". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Camp Cinema Burned". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Multiple shots fired in soldier barricade stand-off". ONE News. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  16. ^ "Soldier dead after Linton Military Camp siege". 3 News. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  17. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  18. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  19. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  20. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  21. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  22. ^ Citation error. See inline comment how to fix. [verification needed]
  23. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  24. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  25. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  26. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  27. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  28. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  29. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  30. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  31. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  32. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  33. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  34. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  35. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  36. ^ "Heaphy, Charles 1820–1881". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  37. ^ Citation error. See inline comment how to fix. [verification needed]
  38. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  39. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  40. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  41. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  42. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  43. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  44. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  45. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  46. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  47. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  48. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  49. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  50. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  51. ^ "No. 30922". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 1918. p. 11431.
  52. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  53. ^ Citation error. See inline comment how to fix. [verification needed]