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This
badge was first worn by the NZEF on their well known 'slouch' hats. It
illustrates a fern leaf, the emblem of New Zealand and the same design
on a smaller scale was worn by the NZ Staff Officers as a collar badge. |
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This badge was
specially designed for the New Zealanders resident in UK in the early
stages of WW1. They formed a unit of the original New Zealand
Expeditionary Force (NZEF). It later became recognised and accepted as
the 'universal' badge and was worn by the NZ Contingent in the Empire
Parade, 9th November 1915 in London
| Note. If you compare this to the
current RNZIR badge >>> it
is easy to see the history. |
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In
Australia we sometimes forget that it is impossible to spell ANZAC
without the NZ. Although this site deals with the Australian Armed
Services their story is so closely linked with that of the Kiwi's that I felt it
necessary to add this section.
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 New
Zealand Mounted Rifles
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| A trooper of
the Otago Mounted Rifles and carrying a 'Universal' Military Saddle with
mounted pattern mess tin and rolled greatcoat wrapped in a groundsheet,
attached. He is wearing the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Bandolier
Equipment. A canvas haversack and a P.H. gas helmet satchel are slung on
the shoulders. On his slouch hat he wears the mounted rifles
khaki-green-khaki puggaree. The weapon is a 303 No1 Mk III* service
rifle and 1907 Pattern bayonet. |
Trooper of the
NZMR Reinforcements wearing the SD greatcoat partially covering the NZMR
Bandolier Equipment. The pouches are cut to the same pattern as the 1903
Pattern Bandolier pouches but larger size.
The khaki-green-khaki
puggaree denotes a mounted rifle regiment.
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| Otago Mounted
Rifles in the uniform and kit used when dismounted in France and
Flanders. Note the tin hat. |
Contrary to popular belief
the Kiwi's did not all wear the lemon squeezer style slouch hat. The
official NZMR orders were to wear the slouch
hat in the following form, 'brim, horizontal, crown, dented with a
crease running from front to rear. The regimental flash to be sewn on
both sides of the puggaree. |
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1915.
These Troopers from the Wellington Mounted Rifles
are enjoying a drink.
Note the variety of head dress.
The NZ
Army later tightened their rules to insist on uniformity. |
| New Zealand raised and
supported 12 Mounted Units in WW1. Their proportion of mounted to
infantry was different from Australia's. We raised 15 Mounted Regiments
and 60 Battalions of Infantry. The Kiwi's raised 12 Mounted Rifle Units
and 17 Infantry units. Like the Australian Light Horse the New Zealand
Mounted Rifles were Mounted Infantry not cavalry ( despite names like
'hussars' or 'yeomanry cavalry') and they were sometimes
used as infantry. |
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| 1st
Mounted Rifles (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) |
Queen
Alexandra's 2nd (Wellington West Coast) Mounted Rifles |
3rd
(Auckland) Mounted Rifles |
4th
(Waikato) Mounted Rifles |
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| 9th
(Wellington East Coast) Mounted Rifles |
10th
(Nelson) Mounted Rifles |
11th
(North Auckland) Mounted Rifles |
12th
(Otago) Mounted Rifles |
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| NZ
Mounted boots, spurs and leggings with wooden storage blocks. |
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