[1] The band is based in the south eastern Auckland suburb of Mount Wellington, and was part of the Army Reserve (Territorial Force) up until 2012.

[3] After the arrival of the 58th (Rutlandshire) Regiment of Foot in 1845, many were discharged and transferred to the Band of the Auckland Volunteer Rifles, formed in 1858.

[7][8] 12 years later, the band became the first musical groups to perform God Defend New Zealand, the future national anthem.

During the early 1910s, band practices were held in an old shed in Sale Street, Freeman's Bay, under the baton of Lieutenant G. F. Cater (Bandmaster 1908–1926).

[15] Prior to the First World War, there were plenty of engagements for the Band, such as picnics,[16] sports meetings, shows and races.

Other duties involved manning guns and searchlights at Fort Cautley during four hour shifts at night, and playing for patriotic ventures and recruiting for the army.

Band competitions were attended in: 1921, Wellington; 1922, Nelson; 1923, New Plymouth, 1924, Palmerston North; 1925, Auckland; 1926, Dunedin at the New Zealand and South Seas International Exhibition.

Under the pen name Kenneth Alford, it was he who wrote such famous marches as Coloney Bogey, Great Little Army, Thin Red Line and others.

The Band spent three and a half months in camp, training each day and performing a daily Retreat ceremony.

The Band members were to expected to become efficient as stretcher bearers and received lectures from the camp doctor on elementary first aid.

Different batteries of the Regiment absorbed a certain number each of bandsmen with the result that the Band was in grave danger of losing its identity.

With winter closing in, lack of suitable practice quarters and difficulties in getting together a whole band, it appeared that the hitherto unbroken service of the unit was about to be terminated.

However, at this stage strong representation was made in the right quarters to such effect that the Band was retained by the Army as a separate unit.

[20] The Band entertained troops arriving at the wharfs and was a forerunner of similar event thereafter: Playing troopships in to berth, leading troops from the wharves to the Auckland Railway station, playing at hospitals and the Red Cross vessel "Solace" which regularly called at Auckland.

[21] During the civic parade of the 4 Troop, New Zealand Special Air Service in May 1971 organised to welcome home the units during the Vietnam War, protesters attempted to block the progress of the band through the city.

It formerly received around $112,000 a year for providing support to communities from Kaitaia to Palmerston North from the New Zealand Defense Force.

Bob Davis, secretary of the Auckland Artillery Band Association criticized the decision saying it was "unnecessary, expensive and flawed".

[30] During the week of October 9, 1964, the band of the Royal New Zealand Artillery Northern Military District, station in Auckland, celebrated its centenary.

To end of weekend of centennial celebrations then bandmaster Captain Smyth mustered together a band of present and past players, 100 strong, to perform at a spectacular concert in the Auckland Town Hall.