During WW1 Cecil Mickle of Birkenhead is believed to have served briefly in Egypt but returned to New Zealand soon after (see: Obituary, NZ Herald, 21.1.1963 ). For a short period he was employed as one of the guards charged with the care of German raider, Count Felix von Luckner. He joined the NZ Legion of Frontiersmen (membership number 18716) and remained a member of this organisation until his death in 1963 aged 65 years.

NZ Legion of Frontiersmen

The NZ Legion of Frontiersmen dates back to 1904 (when New Zealanders joined through British organisation) and 1911, when the NZ Legion formed. The organisation was formed following the Anglo-Boer War as a ‘field intelligence’ corps, supporting the defence of the British Empire which saw a need for continued vigilance, and the development of ‘frontier’ and bush skills.

“The legion enlists men who have seen frontier service in the sense that the gold-seeker, the rancher, the lumberman, the explorer, the guide, the trapper, the boundary rider, the timber rafter, etc., has seen it… men who DO things, …whose work and life inculcates ready resource. These men are to be an adjunct of the regular military force, placing themselves at the disposal of the military authorities in time of war for such services as guides, scouts, transport workers, telegraphists, bridge-makers, etc.”

Quote from: New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14969, 17 April 1912, Page 7 (Papers Past)

The Legion attracted membership especially among those who were either too old or felt temperamentally unsuited to the military-style discipline of the volunteer / territorial forces. It also had a lot of local support. When the Auckland Branch was formed in 1912 newly sworn-in Prime Minister, William Massey was appointed as Honorary Commandant. Another early member of the Legion (Levin branch) was Bernard Freyberg.

The Legion’s services are occasionally used by the NZ Police, as parking attendants at major events (see photo below), and currently the Legion sees itself as a volunteer service organisation. Membership has declined considerably over recent years due, in part, to the changes to weekend working hours.