War in the Air

"Brought down in flames", by British artist C.T. Howard.

Postcard no.1749, printed and published by J. Salmon, Sevenoaks, England. 

Whilst many young New Zealand men served in infantry and mounted regiments during the First World War, some saw active service in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC).


William and Rainsford Balcombe-Brown are the sons of Edward and Eliza Mary Balcombe-Brown, of Upper Hutt. Lieutenant William Balcombe-Brown of 68th Battery Royal Field Artillery was killed in shell fire in Belgium on 29 June 1915, age 22 years. His brother, Rainsford Balcombe-Brown became an airman and served in the Royal Flying Corps. Rainsford was promoted to Major and given command of 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. He was decorated with the Military Cross for shooting down a German observation balloon in 1916.

In 1918 he was last sighted in the air in combat against four German triplanes. Sadly, he was reported missing on 2nd May and declared killed in action in France at the age of 23. Major Balcombe-Brown was the highest ranking New Zealand airman to be killed during the war. He is buried at Carnoy Military Cemetery located at the Somme in France.

Source: Otago Daily Times, 8 June 1918

Horses at War

Through the ages, the horse was ever present in and about the battlefield. Whether serving the artillery hauling guns, as a pack-horse carrying supplies, as a companion to the regular trooper, or as a charger and faithful friend to the officer, the horse was considered reliable and essential in war.

"Pals!" by British artist C.T. Howard. Postcard printed and published by J. Salmon, Sevenoaks, England.

Many distinguished generals of the past had a famous charger; Alexander the Great's 'Bucephalas', the Duke of Wellington's 'Copenhagen', Napoleon's white stallion 'Marengo', Lord Cardigan's 'Ronald', General Robert E. Lee's 'Traveller', Colonel Miles Keogh's 'Comanche', Lord Kitchener's 'Democrat', Lieutenant General Sir Harry Chauval's 'Aristocrat', the German Crown Prince's 'Jiu-Jitsu' and the list goes on.

But the heroic deeds performed by the war horse were not limited to the charger. The artillery was reliant on the horse to transport guns and often in the firing line, and the army service corps to carry much needed supplies. 

New Zealand Artillery on the move transporting their guns. Date and location unknown.

Apart of New Zealand's military formation in the First World War was the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. Their distinguished war service included action at Gallipoli, Sinai, Palestine and the Western Front. Of particular note, was the New Zealand involvement in the attack on Beersheba in 1917, and the Otago Mounted Rifles charge on Messines in June 1917.

Companions - A New Zealand soldier and his horse.