Royal New Zealand Defence Force

Kafer War

Index

The Kafer War
The New Zealand SAS
Victor Company, 1/1 RNZIR (Attached 5 RAR, Joint Vogelheim Brigade)
The Tarakiwa Rangers

The Kafer War

New Zealand became involved in the Kafer War almost by accident. The deployment of an infantry company from 1/1 RNZIR with the Anglophone Vogelheim peacekeeping mission meant that Kiwis were in harms way almost as soon as the Invasion started. However as the situation worsened political pressure mounted and a larger contingent was brought into being from volunteers across the RNZDF. NZ public opinion is largely in favour of the deployment.

The NZ contingent currently operates entirely under the auspices of the Commonwealth Expeditionary Forces, with the Tarakiwa Rangers filling the role of close recce for the 1st (Commonwealth) Light Division on New Africa. However other individual RNZDF personnel can be found in a variety of positions across the CEF.

Below: Arm badge worn by New Zealand contingents operating overseas and off-world.

The New Zealand Special Air Service Regiment (NZSAS)

NZSAS currently consists of a HQ, support wing, training wing, and 2 PF Sabre Squadrons and one 1 TF/Reserve. The NZSAS is still closely supported by the British SAS and during the Kafer Invasion 2 Squadron was seconded to the British 24 SAS, and served in New Africa. The NZSAS also train the Tasmanian special forces as well as an array of Pacific island special police and military outfits. NZSAS squadrons have 3 troops, rather than the British 4, but otherwise are organised very similarly.

Since the Liberation it is believed that the NZSAS contingent has been cut back to a reinforced troop operating either with a 24 SAS squadron or with an Australian contingent known as Force V operating in the jungles of New Africa.

Victor Company, 1/1 RNZIR

NZ regularly conducts force exchanges with Australia at the company and battalion level as this maintains close ANZAC links and allows RNZDF forces to gain valuable experience. The high profile peacekeeping mission to Vogelheim had always involved small numbers of New Zealand exchange officers and NCOs serving with Australian and British contingents. However as Australia began to feel some overstretch in maintaining its numerous peacekeeping commitments it approached New Zealand to help out. Consequently V Coy, 1/1 RNZIR was attached to 5 RAR in place of its normal B Coy whose personnel went to the other companies of the battalion. This allowed the Australian battalion to deploy at full strength without calling up reservists. As a result Victor Company was serving with the Vogelheim peacekeeping forces when the Kafer invasion broke out.

During the invasion and the subsequent operations of the Joint Vogelheim Brigade, Victor Company performed consistently well and its commander, Major Sarah Loesby, rose to Battalion command during the Battle of Adrian when the previous CO (Major John McCafferty, who began the tour as A company commander) was killed. Victor Company assembled at New Middlesex to be returned home on the 23rd October, 2302. Of the 117 officers and men who started the tour, only 37 remained to return to their families.

The Tarakiwa Rangers

The Tarakiwa Rangers are a volunteer unit originally formed as New Zealand’s expeditionary force for the Central Asian War. After the Central Asian War the Tarakiwa Rangers were disbanded. When NZ decided to make a further commitment to the war against the Kafers under Commonwealth auspices consultations revealed that the best contribution NZ could make would be a close recce formation. With no permenant unit fitting the bill, the Tarakiwa Rangers were reactivated.

This was achieved by forming new companies from existing infantry units and posting individual volunteers from other parts of the RNZDF to the battalion command. Included in the Order of Battle was the newly raised 28th (Maori) Company, building on the Toa Battle School and the older traditions of 28 Company of WW3 and 28 Battalion of WW2.

They formed up at Devonport on the 5th July 2302, and shipped out to Alicia a month later, on the same ship that was to return Victor Company home. On arrival in theatre it undertook an programme of strenuous training at Beowulf before arriving on Beta Canum to join the 1st Light Division. The unit has since gained an excellent reputation for both the quality of its recce and its skills in raiding operations.

The Tarakiwa Rangers is comprised of 3 rifle companies, a special artillery OP battery and an HQ company.

HQ Company
Alpha Company (mainly from 1/1 and 2/1 RNZIR)
Bravo Company (mainly from 3/1 and 2/1 RNZIR)
28th (Maori) Company (formed from volunteers from the Toa Battle School, 6th (Maori) RNZIR and other units)
15 Commando STA battery, RNZA

All 3 Rifle Companies of the Tarakiwa Rangers are General Recce Companies. They are organised into three 20 man platoons, a Tac Sp Pl and a small HQ Element. Each of the platoons has four, four man recce teams and a four man command team, the platoon also has access to five heavily armed Hover Rover 500's for movement. Tac Sp Pl includes Close Support, Mortar and Drone Sections all mounted on HR 500's.

15 Commando Battery has absorbed many regular personnel and has dropped its TF designation, but retains its affiliation with Wellington. They have brought some highly advanced long range Target Acquisition equipment, which has mostly proved useless in the jungles of New Africa. 15 Battery has been mostly acting in the dismounted infantry role since its arrival on Beta Canum.

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