New Zealand Transports of the Main Body.
Departing New Zealand October 1914
by way of Hobart, Albany, Colombo, Aden to arrive Egypt December 1914.

Tons Knots Port of Departure Units on Board Numbers Carried
N.Z.T. No. 3 “Maunganui” 7,527 16 Wellington Headquarters Staff. N.Z. E.F.
Headquarters N.Z. Infantry Brigade
Field Troop N.Z.E.
Wellington Infantry Battalion (West Coast Coy.)
N.Z. Mounted Field Ambulance		 38 Officers
528 Men
204 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 4 “Tahiti” 7,585 17 Lyttelton Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regt.
Wellington Mounted Rifles Regt. (1 Squadron)
Canterbury Infantry Battalion (1 Company)		 30 Officers
611 Men
282 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 5 “Ruapehu” 7,885 13 Port Chalmers Otago Mounted Rifles Regt. (1 Squadron)
Otago Infantry Battalion (less 2 Companies and Machine Gun Section)		 31 Officers
785 Men
244 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 6 “Orari” 6,800 12 Wellington Wellington Mounted Rifles Regt.
(East Coast Squadron and 2 Troops)
Surplus horses from other transports		 16 Officers
269 Men
728 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 7 “Limerick” 6,827 13 Wellington N.Z. Field Artillery Brigade (in part)
Wellington Infantry Battalion (No. 7 and 8 Platoons)		 21 Officers
495 Men
348 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 8 “Star of India” 6,800 11 Auckland Auckland Mounted Rifles Regt.
New Zealand Field Ambulance		 30 Officers
652 Men
395 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 9 “Hawkes Bay” 7,207 13 Port Chalmers Otago Mounted Rifles Regt. (less 1 Squadron)
Otago Infantry Battalion (2 Companies and Machine Gun Section)		 40 Officers
930 Men
569 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 10 “Arawa” 9,372 12 Wellington Wellington Infantry Battalion (less West Coast Coy. and 7 and 8 Platoons)
Wellington Mounted Rifles Regt. (less 2 troops)
Field Artillery Brigade (in part)
Signal Troop N.Z.E.		 59 Officers
1,259 Men
215 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 11 “Athenic” 12,234 12 Lyttelton Headquarters Mounted Rifles Brigade
Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regt. (2 Squadrons)
Canterbury Infantry Battalion (less 1 Company)		 54 Officers
1,259 Men
339 Horses
N.Z.T. No. 12 “Waimana” 10,389 14 Auckland Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment
Auckland Infantry Battalion
N.Z. Signal Company
N.Z. Divisional Train		 61 Officers
1,400 Men
496 Horses

In addition to the units mentioned each transport carried the usual details—Naval Transport Officer, Medical Officers, Chaplains, etc. N.Z.T. No. 1 (s.s. “Moeraki”) and N.Z.T. No. 2 (s.s. “Monowai”) took the Samoan Force in August. 1914.
(source: NZG Waite)


 Trooper Pat Dunning of the Auckland Mounted Rifles writes home from Western Australia as the men of the Main Body make their way by convoy to Egypt:

29/10/14
Dear Dolly

Arrived in Albany about ten yesterday morning. We are anchored out near the entrance and all the Australian Troopships are also here and the harbour is just about full up with big ships. We are stopping here till Sunday and we don't know for sure where we are going to next. The New Zealand cruisers left shortly after we came in and the Japanese boat left last night. So it looks as if the Australian fleet is going to take us on. Eddie is sick now, he went into hospital last night, but I have not heard how he is getting on today. The doctor thought he was getting the measles, but they had not showed on him then.
This photo of the "Star" was taken in Wellington and it will give you a good idea of what Wellington is like. The weather is a bit warmer here than it is in Auckland. - Pat.
On the 16th October 1914 the "Star of India, His Majesty's New Zealand Transport number 8 (HMNZT 8), leaves Wellington Harbour in convoy with the Main Body of troops being sent to the Great War.
The picture postcard Pat Dunning sends home shows the "Star" leaving the protection of Wellington Heads. Clearly seen on the fore decks are lines of "Horse Boxes" that were used to house a few dozen of the Auckland Mounted Rifles lucky steads. The majority of the Regiments horses were housed below decks and later have to suffer the stifling heat as the convoy crosses the tropics. Even though the Regiments Veterinarian Officer erects canvas sail funnels to force air below decks the heat is still very intense. Most of the men elect to sleep on the steel top decks rather than sleep in bunks below.