Linton Military Camp
New Zealand Army base

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

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.

Manawatu Prison is located north of the camp.

History

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

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

Linton Camp statistical area covers 4.97 km2 (1.92 sq mi)[4] and had an estimated population of 1,150 as of June 2025,[5] with a population density of 231 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,752—    
20131,383−3.32%
20181,713+4.37%
20231,062−9.12%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 4.98 km2.
Source: [6]

Linton Camp had a population of 1,062 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 651 people (−38.0%) since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 321 people (−23.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 726 males and 333 females in 216 dwellings.[7] 3.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 25.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 198 people (18.6%) aged under 15 years, 567 (53.4%) aged 15 to 29, 276 (26.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 21 (2.0%) aged 65 or older.[6]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 75.4% European (Pākehā); 41.8% Māori; 11.0% Pasifika; 4.0% Asian; 1.1% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 93.2%, Māori by 9.3%, Samoan by 1.7%, and other languages by 5.4%. No language could be spoken by 5.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[6]

Religious affiliations were 26.3% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 0.6% Islam, 1.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.3% Jewish, and 2.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 61.6%, and 6.8% of people did not answer the census question.[6]

Of those at least 15 years old, 114 (13.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 669 (77.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 78 (9.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $53,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 27 people (3.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 603 (69.8%) full-time, 69 (8.0%) part-time, and 18 (2.1%) unemployed.[6]

Education

Linton Camp School is a co-educational full state primary school,[8][9] with a roll of 137 as of October 2025.[10][11] It opened in 1964.[12]: 69 

Linton Country School operated nearby from 1889 to 2023.[13][12]

Current units based at Linton

1st (New Zealand) Brigade

HQ 1 (NZ) Brigade commands the NZ Army's field forces day to day (excluding special forces) and prepares them for operations.[14]

  • Headquarters, 1st (NZ) Brigade

Combat Units

Combat Support Units

Combat Service Support Units

  • 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

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.[15]

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

Lockheed Martin New Zealand

Lockheed Martin New Zealand provides logistics services for the NZDF including Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul, Managed Fleet Utilisation and warehousing.[16]

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

Other Units

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

Incidents

A building belonging to the Ordnance Depot was gutted by fire on 18 February 1953[17]

On Saturday 9 June 1956, fanned by an easterly breeze, a fire destroyed the Linton Military Camp cinema.[18]

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.[19] After a five-hour siege, the police originally reported the man was apprehended, but later revealed he had committed suicide.[20]

Barracks

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 [21][22]
Bassett Barracks 1915 First World War New Zealand Divisional Signal Company Gallipoli, Turkey [23][24]
Brown Barracks 1916 First World War Otago Infantry Regiment High Wood, France [25][26]
Crichton Barracks 1918 First World War Auckland Infantry Regiment Crèvecœur, France [27][28]
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 [29][30]
Forsyth Barracks 1918* First World War Royal New Zealand Engineers Grévillers, France [31][32]
Frickleton Barracks 1917 First World War New Zealand Rifle Brigade Messines, Belgium [33][34]
Grant Barracks 1918 First World War Wellington Infantry Regiment Bancourt, France [35][36]
Hardham Barracks 1901 Second Boer War 4th New Zealand Contingent Naauwpoort, South Africa [37][38]
Heaphy Barracks 1864 New Zealand Wars Auckland Militia Mangapiko River, New Zealand [39][40][41]
Hinton Barracks 1941 Second World War 20th Battalion Kalamai, Greece [42][43]
Hulme Barracks 1941 Second World War 23rd Battalion Crete, Greece [44][45]
Judson Barracks 1918 First World War Auckland Infantry Regiment Bapaume, France [46][47]
Laurent Barracks 1918 First World War New Zealand Rifle Brigade Gouzeaucourt Wood, France [48][49]
Ngarimu Barracks 1943* Second World War 28th Battalion Tebaga Gap, Tunisia [50][51]
Nicholas Barracks 1917 First World War Canterbury Infantry Regiment Polderhoek, Belgium [52][53]
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 [54][55]
Upham Barracks 1941

1942

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

Ruweisat Ridge, Egypt (1942)

[56][57]
Weathers Barracks 1918 First World War 43rd Battalion, AIF Mont Saint-Quentin. France

See also

References

  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. ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 25 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Linton Camp (232101). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Linton Camp School Official School Website". lintoncamp.school.nz.
  9. ^ "Linton Camp School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
  10. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Linton Camp School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
  12. ^ a b Lauridsen, W J (1989). Linton: 1889 - 1989. A School and District Centennial History (PDF).
  13. ^ Heagney, George (15 April 2023). "Troubled Linton Country School shuts its doors". Stuff.
  14. ^ "Headquarters 1 (NZ) Brigade". NZ Army. 27 June 2018.
  15. ^ "HQ Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)". NZ Army. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Our Capabilities". Lockheed Martin.
  17. ^ "Army Records Burnt". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Camp Cinema Burned". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Multiple shots fired in soldier barricade stand-off". ONE News. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  20. ^ "Soldier dead after Linton Military Camp siege". 3 News. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  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. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [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. ^ Citation error. See inline comment how to fix. [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. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  37. ^ 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]
  38. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  39. ^ 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]
  40. ^ "Heaphy, Charles 1820–1881". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  41. ^ Citation error. See inline comment how to fix. [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. [verification needed]
  51. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  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. ^ "The full list of 22 Kiwi VC winners". The New Zealand Herald. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 11 November 2012. [verification needed]
  54. ^ Lintock, A.H. "Victoria Cross: Awards to New Zealand Servicemen". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, 1966. newzealand.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  55. ^ "No. 30922". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 1918. p. 11431.
  56. ^ 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]
  57. ^ Citation error. See inline comment how to fix. [verification needed]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Linton_Military_Camp&oldid=1329378582"