Sixty years of 1RNZIR celebrated
"It's a pretty old flag and I'm glad [they're taking care] of this memento." Eddie Housham
A flag that hasn’t been seen since 1959 has resurfaced to be a part of a special birthday celebration at Linton Military Camp.
The 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (RNZIR) celebrates its 60th birthday this week, with about 30 original members of the battalion presenting the group with their regimental storm flag on Tuesday.
The flag, from their time in Malaya in the 1950s, will be hung in the battalion’s museum at the camp.
The men were part of 1st Battalion New Zealand Regiment and were posted to Malaya from 1957-59.
The same men then became part of 1st Battalion, RNZIR, when the battalions merged under a new name.
Eddie Housham, part of 1st Battalion NZR, said the flag had gone missing after Malaya, but had recently been returned to them.
They had the flag restored and framed, and decided to return it to the battalion.
‘‘This is the home of the battalion and most of us at some stage have passed through [this] camp and I’m so proud to see all the young men here today.
‘‘It’s a pretty old flag and I’m glad [they’re taking care] of this memento.’’
Lieutenant Colonel Aidan Shattock, commanding officer of 1st Battalion RNZIR, said it was amazing to have the older guys there to celebrate the occasion.
‘‘The men that are here that came in from the 1st Battalion New Zealand Regiment are the originals of 1st Battalion RNZIR, so for them to come in and help us celebrate on this day is an absolute honour.’’
Shattock said their battalion history was a big part of who they were and soldiers were always encouraged to learn about the past.
‘‘When the history is sitting right in front of them talking, for me that’s a great way for our guys to understand where they came from.’’
After the flag was presented, Shattock said the men were taken to the history room to see how the battalion had developed over the years.
For Shattock, hearing their stories was a highlight.
‘‘These are the guys who set the standard for us as infantry. They wrote the books to train us.’’