Frank Rennie
Encyclopedia
Colonel
Frank Rennie CBE
, MC
(9 August 1918 – 17 November 1992) was a career soldier in the New Zealand Army
, holding every rank between Private and Colonel, and founder of the Special Air Service of New Zealand
.
, New Zealand
. At age 13 he suffered a Slipped Upper Femoral Epiphysis of the hip, which resulted in him spending nearly twenty months in hospital. Rennie later wrote in his autobiography that after spending so long bedridden believing he would be crippled, he felt compelled to 'prove to myself that I could do anything most others could do' and viewed the Army as a way of achieving this.
He subsequently joined the Canterbury Regiment of the Territorial Force at age 16, before transferring to the Regular Force in late 1936. After completing basic training at Trentham Military Camp Rennie was first posted to the RNZA, but did not enjoy it and was 'first in the queue' to transfer to the Permanent Staff Instructors. At the completion of the training course Rennie was promoted to Lance Corporal, temporary Sergeant.
s for the 28th Maori Battalion
, and was for a period 'in interregnum
' the RSM
of Army Schools. Rennie observed that he, "must have been the youngest to have done so and, I am sure, with the most curious assortment of ranks-I was a substantive lance-corporal, temporary sergeant, acting warrant officer first class."
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
in December 1941, the 37th Battalion was rapidly raised to help reinforce Fiji
and three instructors including Rennie were allowed to join with the rank of Sergeant. During his time in Fiji Rennie was commissioned
and transferred to 30th Battalion as a platoon commander.
After spending two years mainly garrisoning islands and training, Rennie participated in a reconnaissance in force to Nissan Island
on January 31, 1944, which future US Presidents John F. Kennedy
and Richard Nixon
were also involved in. He also took part in the seizure of the island the next month. When the 3rd (NZ) Division was disbanded later in 1944 Rennie joined 2nd (NZ) Division in Italy
, arriving early in 1945. He was posted to 23rd Battalion and commanded a Vickers MG
platoon, seeing action in the river-crossing 2 (NZ) Division conducted as it pushed northwards through Italy in the final months of the war in Europe. His unit finished the war near Trieste
, and was involved in the stand-off with Yugoslav Partisans.
In 1955, Rennie was selected to form, train and command the NZSAS Squadron
for service in the Malayan Emergency
. On this he wrote, "I must have been the only New Zealand officer ever to be given the right of total selection of all ranks in an organisation he was going to train and command operationally."
and served successfully for two years, 18 months of which were spent operating in the jungle. Rennie often participated directly in operations, and for his actions during this time he was awarded the Military Cross
and was Mentioned in Despatches.
Upon returning to New Zealand the NZSAS Squadron was disbanded, and Rennie held a number of mainly staff roles before in 1961 taking up the position of Assistant Army Liaison Officer at the High Commission of New Zealand in London until 1965. He returned to New Zealand to become Commandant the Army Schools at Waiouru.
After nearly 18 months at Waiouru, Rennie was promoted to Colonel and appointed as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, a position he held until late 1969 as Fiji went through a period of racial tension between Indo-Fijians
and Indigenous Fijians
leading up to Fiji's independence
from Britain in 1970. Rennie focused on fostering co-operation between the Fijian military and police, and on preparing the military to support the police in case of serious civil unrest, which threatened but did not eventuate during his tenure. Shortly after returning from Fiji, having been awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Rennie retired from the Army in 1970 after 34 years of service.
including being president between 1981 and 1982. He continued to be involved with the NZSAS as Colonel Commandant.
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Frank Rennie CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(9 August 1918 – 17 November 1992) was a career soldier in the New Zealand Army
New Zealand Army
The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...
, holding every rank between Private and Colonel, and founder of the Special Air Service of New Zealand
Special Air Service of New Zealand
The New Zealand Special Air Service was formed on 7 July 1955 and is a special forces unit of the New Zealand Army modelled on the British Special Air Service . The New Zealand Government states that NZ SAS is the "premier combat unit of the New Zealand Defence Force". Its key roles are to...
.
Early Life and Army Service
Frank Rennie was born on 9 August 1918 in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. At age 13 he suffered a Slipped Upper Femoral Epiphysis of the hip, which resulted in him spending nearly twenty months in hospital. Rennie later wrote in his autobiography that after spending so long bedridden believing he would be crippled, he felt compelled to 'prove to myself that I could do anything most others could do' and viewed the Army as a way of achieving this.
He subsequently joined the Canterbury Regiment of the Territorial Force at age 16, before transferring to the Regular Force in late 1936. After completing basic training at Trentham Military Camp Rennie was first posted to the RNZA, but did not enjoy it and was 'first in the queue' to transfer to the Permanent Staff Instructors. At the completion of the training course Rennie was promoted to Lance Corporal, temporary Sergeant.
World War II
For the first two years of the war Rennie continued to an instructor, as the instructing staff could not be spared for active service. During this time he helped select the initial officers and NCONon-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s for the 28th Maori Battalion
Maori Battalion
The 28th Battalion, more commonly known as the Māori Battalion, was an infantry battalion of the New Zealand Army that served during the Second World War. It was formed following pressure on the Labour government by some Māori MPs and Māori organisations throughout the country wanting a full Māori...
, and was for a period 'in interregnum
Interregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
' the RSM
Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major is an appointment held by warrant officers class 1 in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many Commonwealth nations, including Australia and New Zealand; and by chief warrant officers in the Canadian Forces...
of Army Schools. Rennie observed that he, "must have been the youngest to have done so and, I am sure, with the most curious assortment of ranks-I was a substantive lance-corporal, temporary sergeant, acting warrant officer first class."
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
in December 1941, the 37th Battalion was rapidly raised to help reinforce Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and three instructors including Rennie were allowed to join with the rank of Sergeant. During his time in Fiji Rennie was commissioned
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
and transferred to 30th Battalion as a platoon commander.
After spending two years mainly garrisoning islands and training, Rennie participated in a reconnaissance in force to Nissan Island
Nissan Island
Nissan Island is the largest of the Green Islands of Papua New Guinea. It is located at , about 200 km east of Rabaul on New Britain and about 200 km northwest of Bougainville....
on January 31, 1944, which future US Presidents John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
were also involved in. He also took part in the seizure of the island the next month. When the 3rd (NZ) Division was disbanded later in 1944 Rennie joined 2nd (NZ) Division in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, arriving early in 1945. He was posted to 23rd Battalion and commanded a Vickers MG
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
platoon, seeing action in the river-crossing 2 (NZ) Division conducted as it pushed northwards through Italy in the final months of the war in Europe. His unit finished the war near Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, and was involved in the stand-off with Yugoslav Partisans.
Jayforce to NZSAS
Rennie served with Jayforce, New Zealand's contribution to the occupation of Japan, between March and August 1946 before returning to instructional positions including a posting to the British Army School of Infantry and 2 ½ years as Chief Instructor of the New Zealand School of Infantry. He was involved in establishing instructional and training standards, and was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire.In 1955, Rennie was selected to form, train and command the NZSAS Squadron
Special Air Service of New Zealand
The New Zealand Special Air Service was formed on 7 July 1955 and is a special forces unit of the New Zealand Army modelled on the British Special Air Service . The New Zealand Government states that NZ SAS is the "premier combat unit of the New Zealand Defence Force". Its key roles are to...
for service in the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. On this he wrote, "I must have been the only New Zealand officer ever to be given the right of total selection of all ranks in an organisation he was going to train and command operationally."
Malaya to Fiji
In late 1955 the Squadron deployed to MalayaFederation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
and served successfully for two years, 18 months of which were spent operating in the jungle. Rennie often participated directly in operations, and for his actions during this time he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and was Mentioned in Despatches.
Upon returning to New Zealand the NZSAS Squadron was disbanded, and Rennie held a number of mainly staff roles before in 1961 taking up the position of Assistant Army Liaison Officer at the High Commission of New Zealand in London until 1965. He returned to New Zealand to become Commandant the Army Schools at Waiouru.
After nearly 18 months at Waiouru, Rennie was promoted to Colonel and appointed as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, a position he held until late 1969 as Fiji went through a period of racial tension between Indo-Fijians
Indians in Fiji
Indo-Fijians are Fijians whose ancestors came from India and various parts of South Asia, South-East Asia and Asia itself. They number 313,798 out of a total of 827,900 people living in Fiji...
and Indigenous Fijians
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
leading up to Fiji's independence
Colonial Fiji
The United Kingdom declined its first opportunity to annex Fiji in 1852. Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau had offered to cede the islands, subject to being allowed to retain his Tui Viti title, a condition unacceptable to both the British and to many of his fellow chiefs, who regarded him only as first...
from Britain in 1970. Rennie focused on fostering co-operation between the Fijian military and police, and on preparing the military to support the police in case of serious civil unrest, which threatened but did not eventuate during his tenure. Shortly after returning from Fiji, having been awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Rennie retired from the Army in 1970 after 34 years of service.
Post Army
Rennie became involved in youth leadership and was chairman of the Rothmans Sport Foundation and involved with the Outward Bound TrustOutward Bound
Outward Bound is an international, non-profit, independent, outdoor educationorganization with approximately 40 schools around the world and 200,000 participants per year...
including being president between 1981 and 1982. He continued to be involved with the NZSAS as Colonel Commandant.
Family
Frank Rennie was married twice, his first wife dying in the early 1950s, after which he married Colleen Patterson in 1955. He had three children; Gavin and Jane to his first wife, and Scott to his second.Sources
- McGibbon, Ian The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History Oxford University Press (2000) ISBN 0 19 558376 0
- Rennie, Frank Regular Soldier Endeavour Press (1986) ISBN 0 86481 170 5
- "Army career ranged far and wide" New Zealand Herald November 19, 1992 p. 9. Retrieved January 28, 2008 from The Knowledge Basket database (www.knowledge-basket.co.nz)