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What does “NZMGS” stand for??????
My guess is that most NZ badge collectors on this forum know the answer to the question, as it is mentioned on page 79 (#12/64) of Geoff Oldham’s 1997 badge price guide.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...1-02-17001.jpg “NZMGS” = “New Zealand Machine Gun Section.” Unfortunately not everybody has Geoff’s book, which has led to some confusion as to what the “S” in NZMGS stands for. I know one person who thinks that the “S” stands for “Specialists,” and he has met others who suggest that it stands for “Signallers.” Another person suggests that it represents “Squadron.” Admittedly, both Geoff and Dave Corbett’s badge books contain some mistakes, but the few paragraphs that relate to the NZMGS and Specialist Company are in my opinion correct. Worthy of debate???? I think so, and am only too happy to play Devil’s advocate representing the “New Zealand Machine Gun Section.” |
To start the ball rolling, although British “Machine-Gun Sections” date back to the Boer war, I would like to begin with the NZ Territorial Defence Scheme that was introduced in May 1910.
Under the 1910 Defence Scheme, the Machine-Gun Section became an integral part of each Mounted Rifle Regiment and Infantry Battalion. The Machine-Gun Section of a Mounted Rifle Regiment consisted of one subaltern, one sergeant, and 11 rank and file. (One gun and 18 horses) The Machine-Gun Section of an Infantry Battalion consisted of one officer, one warrant officer, and nine rank and file. After the Gallipoli campaign the NZEF Machine-Gun Sections were used to form the nucleus of the NZ Machine Gun Corps (forming 3 MG Companies in January 1916, and one Mounted MG Squadron formed July 1916) Officers and men were sent from the battalions and regiments to a machine gun school that had been established in Cairo under the command of Major F. L. Pardoe, an officer who is mentioned of having a wide study experience in the machine gun and its tactics. Up until the formation of the NZMGC the Infantry Machine-Gun Sections wore the standard NZR shoulder titles. The first shoulder titles worn by the three companies of the NZ Machine Gun Corps were brass with “NZ” at the top, Company number (1, 2 or 3) in the middle, and “MGC” at the bottom. (These shoulder titles were replaced by the NZMG shoulder title) http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3.../101148533.jpg http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...1-02-17003.jpg So far I have only seen photos of NZMG Squadron members wearing NZMR shoulder titles. I would be very interested if anyone has a photo of their squadron patch being worn or a different shoulder title to NZMR???? To supply specially trained reinforcements to the NZMGC and the NZ Signal Corps, a “Specialist Company” was formed at Featherston camp. The Specialist Company, consisted of two sections which trained in cooperation, comprising of a “Specialist Machine-Gun Section” and a “Specialist Signal Section.” (Originally called the Specialist Signalling Company) The formation of the Specialist Company can be traced to the 13th Reinforcements, of which a number of men along with men from the 14th Reinforcements were transferred into the 15th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section. (It can get a bit confusing with 4 different reinforcement drafts in camp at the same time) Although a Machine-Gun Section attached to the Mounted Rifles Brigade embarked with the 13th Reinforcements, the 15th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section was the first reinforcement draft to receive special instruction, and were given five months training before they departed New Zealand. (A month more than other reinforcements) However, the new Lewis gun and Vickers gun did not arrive in time for the 15th SMGS to receive their full course of instruction on. (These did arrive in time for the 16th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section to train with) At this time, Captain Fraser was the Featherston Camp Machine Gun Instructor (Under the supervision of Major Neave, Chief Musketry Instructor at Featherston Camp) The NZ Defence records from August 1916 to December 1916 list all the shoulder titles that were purchased and issued by the NZ Defence Department. An example of a typical document is included below. It shows the NZR, NZE, NZMR and NZP&T shoulder titles that were issued to the Specialist Signal Section. This and the other copies of shoulder title documents that I have DO NOT SHOW the NZMGS shoulder title. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...9-11-13011.jpg The document in itself does not prove what NZMGS stand for, but it does prove that the NZMGS badges were not Government Issue and that they were privately purchased. They possibly may have been paid for from a Corps fund, the money coming from the Machine-Gun Sections camp canteen profits, as this was common practice within the NZ Reinforcement camps. |
Prior to the adoption of the Specialist reinforcement badges, machine gun reinforcements wore the same reinforcement badges as the Infantry, sometimes with the letters “MG” in centre position.
First pattern Specialist Company badges. (Produced in brass, bronze and silver, although I have yet to see a bronze version) http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...1stPattern.jpg Second pattern Specialist Company badge. (Produced only in cap badge size in brass and silver) http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...rgeflags-1.jpg http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2ndPattern.jpg Third Pattern Specialist Company badges. (Produced in brass, brass with silver machinegun, bronze and silver machinegun worn by officers, and silver) http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...3rdPattern.jpg All three Specialists pattern cap badges were worn with the first and third pattern collar badges as well as other generic reinforcement collar badges. The Specialist Company badges were worn up until the 33rd Reinforcements, from the 34th Reinforcements onwards, the Specialist Machine-Gun Section reinforcements more commonly wore the ‘Stubby barrel’ crossed machine gun cap and collar badges. (These were worn with the NZMGS shoulder title) The following arrived in my mailbox today, it is a rare NZ Specialist Machine-Gun Section reinforcement qualification badge, these were usually worn on the left arm, but I do have photos showing these being worn on the right arm. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...1-02-17007.jpg Lance Sergeant Hereward Regenald Ludbrook, Service No. 54667, 33rd Reinforcements Specialist Company, Embarkation Date: 31 December 1917. (Died of wounds France 8th September 1918) Sergeant Ludbrook is wearing Third pattern Specialist collar badges and a Reinforcement Machine Gun qualification arm badge. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...istCompany.jpg |
Good work, Brent! I'm pleased you got the cloth arm badge, not many of them around. I agree, the S is for Section.
Cheers, Tinto |
whoahhh!!!
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the gaunt document is a top! i can happily lap this up again that is the most information ever! how do you know all that ...fantastic ... everyone else is eating cornball or what only vic gough like you in the north east and the kiwis come out top in all actions, the book i just read again popski raves about them and you know its true of them lads that served then went home. thank you, it had to be defended, but a waste of life badges b, brandy regards, martin that |
£965! 1916
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"S" for Section or Specialists?
Section seems a rather small unit to have it's own title?? Just a thought! Andy |
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also a few bi-metal examples including this one.I have been told that their is a bi-metal flat ferns variety ,very rare.
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Hi Brent,
I've just had a look at my "NZMGS" shoulder titles. I do not have any maker-named ones but they vary in thickness, three are quite thin with hexagonal lugs, which leads me to think that they were made locally in New Zealand. Another couple are thicker and have short copper wire lugs. Cheers, Tinto |
Thanks Tinto, It has taken me a long time to find one. (I should mention that the brass 2nd Pattern Specialists MG badge belongs to Tinto)
Martin, the Gaunt invoices are very important. I have two NZMGS shoulder titles in my collection, William Bock of Wellington manufactured one, and the other has no maker mark, which suggests it was made in New Zealand. Stokes of Melbourne also manufactured them in Australia. I have yet to find a Gaunt made title. The important part of the Gaunt invoice, is as you point out £965! From 1910 until 1917, J. R. Gaunt and Sons were the NZ Governments authorised supplier of military badges, buttons etc. (The early New Zealand sealed pattern badges were made by Gaunt) To cut a long story short, the NZEF Quartermaster-General started questioning the Gaunt prices, the outcome was Gaunt lost the NZ Government contract. (Worthy of its own thread) For us badge collectors this helps put a time line on what period Gaunt badges were in use, and when other manufacturers kicked in making badges. (NZ Regimental and Corps provided their own badges and had the freedom to choose their own preferred manufacturer, which was usually Gaunt prior to WW1) Andy, it does seem small, but I think you can appreciate that when the NZ Machine Gun Sections were first authorised in 1910, they would have seemed a formidable unit of that time. The formation of Machine Gun Sections into Companies and Squadrons of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps was a necessary expansion, however they still operated as Machine gun sections up until the end of the war, but instead of one section, there was a lot of sections working together. Its like fitting a round peg into a square hole, sure it may fit, but is it correct??? The addition of the word “Specialist” to the newly formed Company of Signallers and Machine-gunners didn’t take place until the 13th Reinforcements. From that point on, the official designations were Specialist Company, Specialist Machine-Gun Section and Specialist Signal Section. (I have lots of copies of original wartime documents that have these designations) The following 3 pictures are all 15th Reinforcements. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...unSection1.jpg http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...unSection2.jpg http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...unSection3.jpg 51st Reinforcements http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...istCompany.jpg |
When I get a chance I will post photos of various NZMGS reinforcements wearing Specialist badges.
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Stokes & Sons(Melbourne) makers mark on a NZMGS shoulder title
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Yes I have a cap and collar bi-metal set somewhere. I will find and scan. They came in brass and white metal and bronze and white metal. Very hard to find especially the collars.
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Rifleman George Rae Shaw, Service No. 24/2089, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4th Reinforcements 2nd Battalion, F Company. Embarkation Date: 4 March 1916.
Rifleman Shaw is pictured behind the business end of a Maxim, the cap and collar badges are New Zealand Rifle Brigade, and on his left arm he is sporting an early version of the Machine-gun qualification badge. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...onFCompamy.jpg Trooper Louis Lennan, Service No. 16101, 16th Reinforcements New Zealand Mounted Rifles, Mounted Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 10 August 1916. Trooper Lennan is wearing a ‘Type 15’ Reinforcement fame hat badge with the letters ‘MG’ in the centre. The shoulder badges appear to be the NZMGS shoulder title and a fern leaf badge with MG. Unfortunately the collar badges are to obscure to identify. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...forcements.jpg Example of a ‘Type 15’ Reinforcement fame hat badge with ‘B’ company letter (Wellington) and ‘XIV’ (14th) Reinforcement number. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...1-02-20001.jpg Private Francis Edward Oldman, Service No. 17098, 16th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 19 August 1916. Killed in action, Ypres, Belgium, 23 July 1917. Private Oldman is wearing a 1st Pattern Specialists cap badge and NZ Rifle Brigade collar badges. This photo is the earliest reinforcement draft that I have found wearing the 1st Pattern Specialist badge. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...GunSection.jpg |
Private Howard Benjamin Walter, Service No. 31161, 19th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 15 November 1916.
Died of disease, Belton Park Military Hospital, 28 February 1917. Private Walter is wearing a 2nd Pattern Specialists cap badge and 1st Pattern collar badges. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...GunSection.jpg Private Edward Albert Mason, Service No. 24389, 19th Reinforcements Specialist Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 15 November 1916. Died of wounds, Belgium, 13 October 1917. Private Mason is wearing a ‘Type 12’ Reinforcement fame hat badge with the letters ‘MG’ in the centre, and 3rd Pattern collar badges. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...GunSection.jpg Example of a ‘Type 12’ Reinforcement fame hat badge with ‘B’ company letter (Wellington) and ‘XV’ (15th) Reinforcement number. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...forcements.jpg Private Charles Sweet, Service No. 31794, 20th Reinforcements Specialist Company, Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 2 January 1917. Died of wounds, France, 31 October 1917. Private Sweet is wearing a 2nd Pattern Specialists cap badge and 3rd Pattern collar badges. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...GunSection.jpg Private Percy Melville Close, Service No. 33237, 22nd Reinforcements Specialist Company, Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 16 February 1917. Died of wounds, France, 13 January 1918. Private Close is wearing a 3rd Pattern Specialists cap badge and 1st Pattern collar badges. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...GunSection.jpg Private Frederic Leslie Kimbell, Service No. 35372, 26th Reinforcements Specialists Company, Machine-Gun Section. Embarkation Date: 9 June 1917. Killed in action, France, 20 January 1918. Private Kimbell is wearing 3rd Pattern Specialists cap badge and collar badges. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...GunSection.jpg Unidentified officer wearing bronze 3rd Pattern Specialists cap badge and collar badges with silver machinegun and flags. http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...enantNZMGS.jpg |
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