Citizen soldiering has been part of our history since the first years of colonial settlement. From the early militias set up in the 1830s, primarily for internal security, right up to the current day, these everyday men and women have been trained and ready to serve our country.

The shape and purpose of the volunteer and territorial armies has changed over the years, but is marked throughout by bravery, adventure and initiative. This extensive history of the territorial and volunteer forces of New Zealand is packed with over 400 images, detailing the many significant people who have served this country.

In the South African War, the Great War, the Second World War and many other military engagements, volunteer soldiers have bravely come to the aid of New Zealand, and their history is intimately connected with the development of our nation and reflects changes in our circumstances and place in the world.

The shape and purpose of the volunteer and territorial armies has changed over the years, but it is marked throughout by bravery, adventure and initiative. The men and women who give up their free time to undertake part-time military service as “Territorials” do so for a variety of reasons, including the physical and mental challenges and experiences such service involves, the opportunities it offers to develop leadership and other useful skills, and the comradeship. However, what is most important for today’s Terri­torials, like those who have gone before them, is a desire to serve New Zealand.

In the modern era, the men and women of the Territorial Force remain a vital strategic asset for the New Zealand Defence Force and the nation, and in recent years have served with distinction alongside regular Defence Force personnel in peace-support operations in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Asia and the Pacific. At home, they have often been the first military force to respond to natural disasters, for instance, playing a key role in the response to the devastating earthquakes in Christchurch.

The Territorials is a compelling, in-depth guide to this important aspect of our nation’s defence and provides a unique insight into a sometimes overlooked part of our armed forces. Appealing to those with an interest in New Zealand, its history or its military, it will also prove fascinating to the thousands of New Zealanders who are either Territorials today or have been in the past or have had family members involved in the services.

About the authors
John Crawford is the New Zealand Defence Force historian and has written on many aspects of the history of New Zealand’s armed forces and defence policy. His most recent publication is The Devil’s Own War, an edition of the First World War diary of Brigadier-General Herbert Hart.

Peter Cooke is an independent historian specialising in military history and industrial heritage. In 2000 he wrote and published the 3-volume work Defending New Zealand: Ramparts on the Sea 1840–1950s, which has become the base reference on home defence efforts. He has written and edited several other books on the military and edits the journal of the Defence of New Zealand Study Group.