Over the course of the late nineteenth century a large number of volunteer corps were raised and disbanded in Nelson, Marlborough and the West Coast.

Men from these battalions served in South Africa during the Second Boer War as part of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Contingents.

[4] At the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the decision was made to form a New Zealand infantry brigade of four battalions from the existing territorial regiments.

[6] One member of the regiment, private Henry Nicholas, won the Victoria Cross during the war.

Nicholas was serving in 12th Company of the 1st battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment and was awarded the VC for single-handedly capturing a German strong point near Polderhoek Chateau on 3 December 1917.

[7][8] In 1920 Major General Sir Edward Chaytor, Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces, was appointed as Honorary Colonel of the regiment.