A GUIDE TO NEW ZEALAND REINFORCEMENT BADGES

by Geoffrey J. Lowe & Allen Young

The fact that the wearing of definite hat and collar badges, by regiments and corps, never appears to have been strictly enforced in the New Zealand Army, unlike the British Army, together with their natural independent outlook, was probably the basis for the wearing of these individualistic badges.

• They may be broadly grouped under three main headings, as follows:
  • Infantry reinforcements
  • Mounted rifle reinforcements
  • Specialist reinforcements 
    • machine gunners 
    • signalers 
    • bandsmen 
    • rifle and 
    • reserve brigades, etc.

• In turn, the infantry reinforcement badges, which numerically are by far the greater of the three, may be classified into two main groups:
  • (A) Those made for use by the 1st to 43rd reinforcements, using certain basic frames with numbers and letters superimposed.
  • (B) The badges destined for individual reinforcements from the 17th to 33rd inclusive. These were seventeen different designs, mostly with a New Zealand motif, such as the moa bird, maori canoe, etc, and came with matching collar badges.

After the 33rd, a general pattern badge with matching collars, incorporating "NZ" within fern leaves, and "Expeditionary Force", on a scroll at the base, became popular.

To a lesser degree, the previous types with basic frames as in (A), were in use conjointly with (B).

This article now attempts to explain and illustrate the basic frames used as hat badges in group (A). The collar badges will be dealt with in a later article.

As these images show there were also New Zealand Field Artillery Reinforcements badges. The badge on the far left carries the word "REINFORCEMENTS" in the scroll

The following listing of reinforcements is included to provide some background on the badges used.

NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITIONARY FORCE INFANTRY REINFORCEMENTS

Each reinforcement leaving New Zealand consisted of several companies. The Rifle Brigade reinforcements listed above were combined with the infantry reinforcement numbers, which sailed at the same time, but given different company letters. This will now be explained in more detail, as the majority of these badges bore a company letter, as well as a reinforcement number.

• Company Letters ;To commence with there were four infantry companies:

  • A Auckland 

  • B Wellington 

  • C Canterbury 

  • D Otago

These first four letters applied all the way through. Each of the 1st to the 6th reinforcements were made up of A B C & D companies of infantry only.

• From the 7th to the 10th reinforcements, A B C & D companies were supplemented by E & F.

  • E - 1st Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade reinforcement.

  • F - 2nd Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade reinforcement.

With later reinforcements, the letters E to J were not used consistently for the same type of unit. 

e.g. As from the 21st reinforcement E & F were infantry companies.

• The 11th reinforcement included A B C & D companies of infantry, 

  • E (1st Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade 5th reinforcement)

  • F (2nd Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade 5th reinforcement)

  • G (3rd Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade 2nd reinforcement)

  • H (4th Battalion N.Z. Rifle Brigade 2nd reinforcement)

  • J & K were infantry reinforcements. 

    • This was the only time that K was used.

The 12th reinforcement consisted of A B C & D companies of infantry, E F G H companies of the N.Z. Rifle Brigade, and J company, Wellington infantry battalion, reinforcements.

The 13th to 16th reinforcements were similar to the 12th, except that J company was an infantry reinforcement.

It should be noted at this point, that as the soldiers ordered their badges according to individual preference from the selection of frames available, the designs can vary, even within the same company, hence the wide variety. The hat badges of group (A), were also used in conjunction with collar badges of group (B) by some soldiers.

Infantry Reinforcement Basic Frame Types of Hat Badges

The following information on the basic frames of hat badges illustrated, and individually numbered, has been compiled from photographic evidence of the badges having been worn on actual uniforms, together with a knowledge of the units which traveled on each reinforcement; rather than from badges existing in individual collections.

	Type No. 1  Numbered for reinforcements I to 3. Reinforcement number 1 sailed with the Main Body. This type appears to have been mainly worn as a collar badge, and some had a scroll underneath, with the word, "Reinforcement".  The scroll also exists, for reasons unknown, with the words, "England", "France", and "Russia".
	Type No. 2  This type has a solid back, and was worn by reinforcements 3 to 8.
	Type No. 3  This type was worn by reinforcements 4 to 9.
	Type No. 4 Worn by reinforcements 6 to 8.
	Type No. 5  This type has "N" and "Z" set in circles, on the fern leaves, and was worn by reinforcements 7 to 11.
	Type No. 6  This type has "N" and "Z" on the fern leaves, and "R" at the base of the leaves, and was worn by reinforcements 7 to 13.
	Type No. 7  This type is fairly similar to Type 2, but has a pressed back, and was worn by reinforcements 7 to 9.
	Type No. 8  This type has "N.Z. EXPEDIT. FORCES", on scroll, and was worn by reinforcements 9 to 14.
	Type No. 9  This type has "N" and "T' on the fern leaves, and "EXPEDIT. FORCES-, on scroll, and was worn by reinforcements § to 16.
	Type No. 10  This type has a small crown, centred on tips of fern leaves, and was worn by reinforcements 10 to 14.
	Type No. 11  Worn by reinforcements 11 to 21.  Badge A/XI being the first, was made in one piece.
	Type No. 12  This type has a large crown, placed on top of the tips of the fern leaves, and was worn by reinforcements 11 to 20.
	Type No. 13  Worn by reinforcement 12 only.
	Type No. 14  Worn by reinforcements 13 to late reinforcements.  Badge XIII being the first, was made in one piece.
	Type No. 15  Worn by reinforcement 14 only.
	Type No. 16  This type has a large size kiwi, and was worn by reinforcement 14 only.
	Type No. 17  This type has a small size kiwi, and was worn by reinforcements 15 to 18.
	Type No. 18  This type was worn by reinforcements 16E and 16F only.
	Type No. 19  Worn by reinforcement 17 only.
	Type No. 20  Worn by reinforcements 17 to 21.
	Type No. 21  Worn by reinforcements 16 to later reinforcements.

It is not within the scope of this article to explore relative rarity. However, it will be seen that the different types appear more or less in sequence, and that these badges did not become really popular until about the 7th reinforcement.

In the majority of badges, the reinforcement number and company letter has been superimposed by the manufacturer, on to a basic frame, by the use of a separate letter joined to a number, such B/12. But the first badge produced for some types was made in one piece, eg types 11, 14, 16, 18, 19 and 20. It is quite possible that the highest numbers shown may have been exceeded in some cases.

• The known manufacturers were as follows: 

  • Anderson Allen - Auckland 

  • Blacksell - Wellington 

  • Wm. Bock - Wellington 

  • Mayer & Kean - Wellington 

  • Moller & Sons - Dunedin 

  • Moller & Young - Christchurch 

  • Robertson - Palmerston North 

  • John Swan & Co - Dunedin 

  • Watts - Auckland 

  • Young & Co - Auckland 

  • G & T Young - Oamaru, Timaru, Dunedin & Wellington.

It is hoped that this article will be of use to historians and collectors, and will no doubt provoke and provide some interesting points for discussion, and will it is hoped produce further evidence in this field.

• Appreciation is expressed to Laurie Osborne for a record of his extensive collection.

• The writer would be most interested to hear from readers with information on unusual reinforcement badges, for possible inclusion in future articles. Please send details and pencil rubbings, if possible, to: PO Box 39-254, Auckland West.

as published in the journal of the NZ Military Historical Society, June 1984