Linton Military Camp

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.

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]

Linton Camp statistical area covers 4.98 km² (1.92 sq mi)[3] and had an estimated population of 1,950 as of June 2023,[4] with a population density of 392 people per km².

Linton Camp had a population of 1,668 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 333 people (24.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 84 people (−4.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 372 households, comprising 1,164 males and 504 females, giving a sex ratio of 2.31 males per female. The median age was 23.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 306 people (18.3%) aged under 15 years, 984 (59.0%) aged 15 to 29, 363 (21.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 15 (0.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 70.3% European/Pākehā, 40.5% Māori, 10.4% Pacific peoples, 3.1% Asian, and 7.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 10.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.6% had no religion, 28.1% were Christian, 2.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 135 (9.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 63 (4.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $46,900, compared with $31,800 nationally. 123 people (9.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,017 (74.7%) people were employed full-time, 102 (7.5%) were part-time, and 39 (2.9%) were unemployed.[5]

Linton Camp School is a co-educational full state primary school,[6][7] with a roll of 140 as of April 2023.[8]

A building belonging to the Ordnance Depot was gutted by fire on 18 February 1953[12]

On Saturday 9 June 1956, fanned by an easterly breeze, a fire destroyed the Linton Military Camp cinema.[13]

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.[14] After a five-hour siege, the police originally reported the man was apprehended, but later revealed he had committed suicide.[15]

Linton Camps barracks are named after New Zealand Recipients of the Victoria Cross.

• Burnham, New Zealand
• Hopuhopu Camp
• Papakura Military Camp
• Trentham Military Camp
• Waiouru Military Camp