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  #31  
Old 08-04-11, 07:17 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Thanks Tinto, it is indeed stirring stuff, especially considering I have really only covered 6 days of the Gallipoli campaign.

The capture and garrisoning of Chunuk Bair was truly New Zealands finest hours of the Gallipoli campaign.
Its subsequent loss by the British, the wounded New Zealanders which littered it slopes that were left to die, and the blame wrongly placed on the gallant Colonel Malone by those most responsible for its loss, would sadly see it incorrectly entered into the early official histories as some of its darkest hours of the campaign.

Last edited by atillathenunns; 28-04-11 at 01:59 AM.
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  #32  
Old 28-04-11, 02:01 AM
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Default Captain Edward Purdon, Chief Musketry Instructor, N.Z.E.F Training Camps

Major J. H. Luxford, official historian of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps (With the Machine Gunners in France and Palestine) sadly has only dedicated one brief paragraph on the pioneering work of Captain Wallingford and his officers. This omission fortunately was not lost on Major General Edward Chaytor who wrote the second forward for the book on page 14. —

“Starting with the advantage of instruction by such musketry experts as Captains Wallingford, Rose, and Henderson, the New Zealand Machine Gunners, from the first, accepted the doctrine that their work must be of the highest possible standard, and that no difficulty, however insurmountable it might appear, must be allowed to prevent them from giving their comrades the full support of their guns.
This doctrine soon became a tradition which was fully maintained when the Machine Gun Sections were formed into Squadrons and Companies of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps, and all ranks of the Mounted Rifles and of the Infantry know, far better than this short history can tell, how much they owe to the efficiency and to the devoted gallantry of their comrades of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps.
E. W. C. Chaytor
Major-General,
Commanding New Zealand Military Forces.”


The following is Major Luxford’s brief paragraph that is mentioned in the Preface on page 19. —

“The New Zealand forces before the war had been extremely fortunate in having three of the ablest machine gun instructors in the British Army to assist in the training of the machine gun sections: Majors P. B. Henderson, J. M. Rose and J. A. Wallingford. These officers demonstrated on Gallipoli that not only were they able instructors, but were equally able fighters. The wonderful achievements of the New Zealand Machine Gun Corps in the Great War are in no small measure due to the work and example of these three officers.”

In reality, the New Zealand forces before the war had been extremely fortunate in having “four” of the best machine gun instructors in the British Army to assist in the training of the machine gun sections.
The fourth Hythe musketry instructor was Sergeant Major (Later Captain) Edward Purdon (New Zealand Staff Corps), who prior to WW1 was the musketry instructor for the Dunedin military area.
(Pre war, Captain Wallingford was the musketry instructor for the Auckland military area, Lieutenant Rose was the musketry instructor for the Wellington military area and Lieutenant Henderson was the musketry instructor for the Christchurch military area)

Captain Edward Purdon is important to the understanding of the weapons training that was received by the NZ Reinforcements, as well as the formation of the Specialist Machine Gun Section. As when Wallingford, Rose and Henderson embarked with the NZEF Main Body, Captain Purdon remained behind and replaced Wallingford as Chief Musketry instructor. (From the establishment of the Reinforcements training camp at Trentham, up until the 22nd Reinforcements, Captain Purdon was chief musketry instructor of the instructional staff at Trentham camp)

The last of the four musketry instructors to arrive in New Zealand, Sergeant-Major Purdon was initially placed in the New Zealand Permanent Staff. On his promotion to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant (Gazetted July 1914) Purdon was transferred to the New Zealand Staff Corps. In early September 1914, Purdon was attached to the General Staff at Headquarters, with the temporary rank of lieutenant while so employed.
On the 14th October 1914, Purdon was appointed Chief Musketry Instructor, N.Z. Expeditionary Force Training Camps, and was given the temporary rank of captain whilst so employed.
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  #33  
Old 28-04-11, 02:06 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Default Captain Jesse Albert Wallingford, NZ Brigade Machine Gun Officer.

Before WW1 Captain Jesse Albert Wallingford was already famous throughout the British Empire, his exploits at Gallipoli would earn him the nickname of the ‘Human Machine Gun’ and the title ‘Hero of ANZAC.’
Wallingford’s successes at Gallipoli with his brigaded machine gun sections, fit perfectly with the timing of the call for the British Machine Gun Sections to be brigaded together and ultimately become the Machine Gun Corps.
(The loss of each Battalions machine gun sections was supplemented with issue of the then new lightweight Lewis machine gun)

Captain Wallingford was a professional soldier and had trained his whole life for war; the Gallipoli Campaign would be his first and last taste of battle. Captain Wallingford would be felled not by a Turkish bullet, instead, two weeks after the battle of Chunuk Bair, he would be evacuated around the 29th August 1915 to the Military Hospital at Raseltin in Alexandria, with his medical condition being listed as ‘suffering from syncope.’
(Syncope interestingly is the medical term for fainting, a sudden, usually temporary, loss of consciousness from fall of blood-pressure, and also generally caused by insufficient oxygen in the brain)

All evidence suggests to me that Captain Wallingford had a heart problem, and it is most likely that Wallingford’s evacuation was the result of a heart attack. This would also be a reasonable explanation for his earlier evacuation in June 1915.

In a letter to his parents sent from Raseltin hospital, Captain Wallingford mentions. —

“I tried to stick to it, but for 14 days after we had beaten off the Turks I was crawling round my guns with a stick. I got home with a revolver, killing four, one at a foot, another at five feet, a third at ten feet, and the last at 20 yards. The poor devils were all youngsters. I am sick of killing with the rifle.”

In another letter from Raseltin to a friend in Christchurch, Captain Wallingford writes. —

“We had some terrible fighting from August 6th to 13th. The Fifth Reinforcements arrived in time to take part in the finish. The machine guns did splendidly. The Canterbury guns are still intact, but nearly all the personnel went out, including poor Conway, who did very well. I would like to give you a full history of it, but of course it would take too long. Ten of our guns literally mopped up the Turkish counter blow. As luck would have it, we were all ready. I was sittings repairing one of the Canterbury guns, and was just finishing, when, looking about 600 yards away we saw the Turks going down the slope in beautiful lines, and from 3000 to 5000. While the, guns were ranging, they were coming down, and when they got to a point which was a perfect enfilade we let the poor beggars have it. It was such s sight as I had dreamt of, but never expected to see. When they arrived into the death zone they went down and never rose, and line upon line followed them. It was magnificent on their part. There were about 1500 in each line. You will notice that Ashmead Bartlett gives the Navy and the Artillery part share in the credit. They didn’t see it. The New Zealand Infantry guns did the trick. I am proud of being a New Zealander, and consider we are second to none— that is the Mounted Rifles and Infantry— but of course there are many weak points, and we are likely to go down hill if we are going to exist on our name. As riflemen I have nothing to complain of. We can always raise parties of snipers— not snipers in name only. Now I don't see why every man in New Zealand should not be graded as a sniper.”

On the 9th October 1915, three days after the King gave his approval for the formation of the Machine Gun Corps, Captain Wallingford was invalided to the Third London General Hospital.
Suffering from a strained heart, Captain Wallingford was unable to be certified as fit for routine work, and was struck off the strength of NZ Expeditionary Force, with his rank reverting to Lieutenant, which seems to have been the standard practice at the time.

During his short time in England, Captain Wallingford gave a number of reporter interviews and is reported to have toured through some of the big armament factories in England. This appears to have included factories producing machine guns and in particular, the then new Lewis machine gun.
Wallingford was so impressed with the scale of the British production, he mentioned that “it would not be necessary to consider the question of manufacturing machine guns in New Zealand.”

Wallingford’s first taste of firing the Lewis machine gun is worth mentioning, for this Wallingford was placed in an in an Army aeroplane which ascended over his old training ground, the Hythe Musketry School, and he fired the Lewis gun on to the beach that he knew so well.
When questioned as to the sensation of firing the new lighter and portable machine gun from an aeroplane, Wallingford replied. — “It was just like sitting down to dinner.”
Wallingford also mentioned. — “How our boys have toiled through day and night with our heavy maxims is simply marvellous. In fact they seem to be superhuman.”

On the18th November 1915, Captain Wallingford along with five NZ officers and 201 n.c.o.'s and men, boarded the Ruahine at Plymouth, all of which were convalescents.
The Ruahine sailed via Teneriffe, Capetown, and Hobart, arriving in Auckland at 11pm on the 4th January 1916.

(Worthy of a mention is that within the short time that Wallingford was in England, the Machine Gun Corps Training Centre was established at Grantham in Lincolnshire)

Also travelling on the Ruahine to New Zealand with Captain Wallingford, was Major J. L. Sleeman of the Royal Sussex Regiment who had a wide military experience, at the commencement of WW1 he went to France with the First Division, seeing action at Flanders and Loos.

Major Sleeman is important to the story for two reasons; the first is that he was travelling to New Zealand to take up the appointment as Assistant Director of Military Training to the New Zealand Government.
(Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Sleeman was Director of Military training to the New Zealand Forces from 1916 to 1921)

The second reason is that shortly after the NZMGC official history was published, Sleeman would write a well-known article titled “A Prince of Riflemen,” which was published in the 1924 August issue of the London Chamber’s Journal.
The subject of Sleeman’s “highly appreciative article” was Major J A. Wallingford.

On his arrival in New Zealand Major Sleeman is quoted as saying. —

“It has been a great pleasure to me to come out on this boat with some of the heroes of the Gallipoli landing, particularly as the feeling of the Army in France was one of intense admiration for the gallantry and skill displayed in the landing, which did so much to draw off pressure at an opportune time.”

Sleeman had first met Wallingford at the musketry course at Hythe around the time of the Boer War. —

“Already his fame had spread throughout the army, and I remember the intense interest with which we young officers looked forward to the demonstration of rifle fire given by Wallingford to each party of officers attending a Hythe course…. Tall, wiry, cool, and determined, Wallingford was the beauideal of a soldier, while he possessed those clear, steel-blue eyes so curiously typical of good rifle-shots.”
Subsequently in Africa and in India, Sleeman Mentions Wallingford's name was held in immense respect by the private soldier. —
“Any man in my regiment who particularly distinguished himself in rifle shooting was always nicknamed Wallingford, the sincerest form of flattery that can be offered by the British soldier.”


As Director of Military Training to the New Zealand Government, Major Sleeman would have been the man responsible for overseeing the formation of the NZ Specialist Company along the same lines as its British counterpart.
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  #34  
Old 28-04-11, 02:09 AM
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Default Captain Jesse Albert Wallingford continued.

Captain Wallingford had expected to be fit for duty in one month, instead it took two, on the 11th March 1916 Wallingford returned to duty and reported at Trentham camp for instructions.

The return of Captain Wallingford is interesting for two reasons. The first is that this places him as a member of the NZ Staff Corps attached to Headquarters Instructional Staff at Trentham when the NZ Specialist Company was formed. The second is that his junior officer Captain Purdon occupied his old job as Chief Musketry Instructor.

The most obvious solution was that Wallingford should have replaced Purdon as Chief Musketry Instructor. Purdon however had risen through the ranks just as Wallingford had and by all accounts was a good officer and had done a good job as Chief Musketry Instructor.

I think that at this point it is worth mentioning that contrary to popular belief that it was General Godley who brought the four Hythe musketry instructors to New Zealand. The truth is, Sir Joseph Ward who at the time was the New Zealand Prime Minister and Minister of Defence recruited Wallingford.
During a visit to England, Sir Joseph Ward had heard of Sergeant Major Wallingford’s desire of promotion, but due to the ineffable stupidity of War Office that he could only be promoted for service in the field, resulted in his promotion being refused. Ward promptly offered the expert a commission in the New Zealand Forces (Rank of Lieutenant) and the post of musketry instructor. Both were promptly accepted.
(It was a good thing for New Zealand and a bad deal for the Mother Country, at the time a question was raised in the House of Commons about his loss to England)

Records of the time show that Wallingford took a short trip to Nelson on the 16th March 1916 and gave a course of instructions to the 20th Company of Senior Cadets.
Records also place Captain Wallingford as assisting Major Neave with new improved musketry training to the 12th Infantry Reinforcements in early April 1916.

Unfortunately I have as yet found no evidence linking Captain Wallingford to the training of the first Specialist Machine Gun Sections, although I am positive that he would have been one of the architects of their training.

In May 1916 Captain Wallingford was assigned on behalf of the Government to inspect rifle ranges around New Zealand. Although it seems to me that his inspection of rifle ranges around New Zealand was more of a promotional tour to increase enlistment.

On the 3rd March 1917 Captain Wallingford reported for duty at Trentham Camp to replace Captain Purdon as Chief Musketry Instructor. Captain Purdon was proceeding on active service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (With effect from the 12th March 1917)

Although I have been referring to Wallingford as Captain, his actual rank at this point was Lieutenant.
Lieutenant Wallingford was appointed Captain on the 30th April 1917, NZ Gazette 78, 3rd May 1917.
Captain J. A. Wallingford, M.C. while “attached to the General Staff for musketry duties at headquarters, and granted the temporary rank of Major whilst so employed.” (Dated 30th April 1917).

Interestingly, the November 1917 NZ Army Appointments and Promotions list shows. —
“The undermentioned to be Captains, to complete establishment: —Lt. (temp. Major) J. A. Wallingford, M.C. (8th June, 1917)”

In July 1917 Major Wallingford was appointed Inspector of Rifle Clubs, Drill Halls, and Rifle Ranges.

The following picture shows the Camp Staff, 1917.
Captain Wallingford is in the second row on the far right.
Captain Purdon is seated in the front row on the far right.
Major Neave is seated third from the left in the front row.


In July 1919 Wallingford relinquished his rank of Major and position as Musketry Officer of the Headquarters Staff at Wellington, and accepted an appointment as Staff Captain for instructional duties on the Auckland staff.
Captain Wallingford was promoted to Major with effect as from 1st August 1919.

Major Wallingford held various staff posts in the Auckland district until his retirement in August 1927.
From March 1929 to 1941 he was Superintendent of the Mount Roskill Veterans Home.

On the 6th June 1944 in his 73rd year Major Wallingford the Prince of Riflemen died in Auckland.
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  #35  
Old 28-04-11, 06:45 AM
Quicksilver Quicksilver is offline
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Re the Specialist badges. I was advised by Dave Corbet who wrote the bible for NZ cap badges, and who I worked with at Air New Zealand, that the badges were worn on the troop ships but taken down at Sling Camp near Salisbury. The Signal Specialists were as far as I have found out only Regimental Signallers. Some may have found their way into the Divisional Signal Company but I am not aware of any. These specialist badges are also in bronze for type one and may be for other types. Some were made in gold for sweethearts. Unrelated but of interest to NZ badge collectors, I have a silvered collar for the NZP&T. The lady who gave it to me, who was ex signals her self from the NZCS in WW2, said her father was in the Postal Section in England and they wore the badges silvered. Has any one else heard of that?
Quicksilver
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  #36  
Old 28-04-11, 09:29 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Quicksilver View Post
Re the Specialist badges. I was advised by Dave Corbet who wrote the bible for NZ cap badges, and who I worked with at Air New Zealand, that the badges were worn on the troop ships but taken down at Sling Camp near Salisbury. The Signal Specialists were as far as I have found out only Regimental Signallers. Some may have found their way into the Divisional Signal Company but I am not aware of any. These specialist badges are also in bronze for type one and may be for other types. Some were made in gold for sweethearts. Unrelated but of interest to NZ badge collectors, I have a silvered collar for the NZP&T. The lady who gave it to me, who was ex signals her self from the NZCS in WW2, said her father was in the Postal Section in England and they wore the badges silvered. Has any one else heard of that?
Quicksilver
Hi Cliff,

I have made mention to several keen people that I will do a post on the specialist badges worn by the Specialist Signal Section, and I should have done it as an earlier post, but I have been so busy for the last 5 months, when I do find the time and especially the inclination to write something, I tend to only write about what fascinates me the most. At this time of the year it is always about the Gallipoli heroes.

Cliff I somehow doubt that I can offer any new information regarding the Specialist Signal Section that you might not be aware of. But I am sure it will be new information to those who only have Corbett’s and Lowe’s badge books for reference.

I would like to point out that “Specialist” was strictly a distinction only used as NZ Reinforcements, once in England the distinction of the specialists title was no longer used.
In my opinion, the term Specialist was a recruitment tool. It certainly sounds better than the Suicide Club.

I too have heard of bonze first type specialists badge, I just haven’t seen one yet. Hopefully someone will post a picture one day.

The silvered collar for the NZP&T sounds interesting. I am assuming that it has lugs and is not broached?
While I cannot offer anything about the Postal Section in England, I can say I have seen silver NZP&T buttons. I think I may even have one, I will have a bit of a search and see if I can find it. Perhaps a connection???

Will post some badges of the Specialist Signal Section soon as I can.

Brent
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  #37  
Old 28-04-11, 11:20 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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The following two pictures are the original documents for the Formation of a New Zealand Machine Gun Half Depot Company attached to the Machine Gun Training Centre at Grantham.






The following provides a bit of an insight as to what happens to the NZ Machine Gun Section Reinforcements on arrival in England.

The War Effort of New Zealand.
Author Lieutenant H. T. B. Drew, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
Chapter XV. — The New Zealand Camps in England

The Machine Gunners At Grantham. (Page 259)
Each New Zealand reinforcement included a certain number of machine gunners, who, in addition to the ordinary reinforcement course received special training in this work before they left the Dominion. The specialisation was greater as the war went on. They ranked as "specialists" with the reinforcements, but in England no such distinction awaited them, for they went to the infantry camps with the rest. It was so in the case of all "specialists," signallers, machine-gunners, and others. In the infantry camps they received a thorough training in drill and musketry, bombing, gas precautions, wiring and trench work. Afterwards when "specialists" were called for, these men's applications usually received first consideration.

Machine gunners had the advantage—it was usually considered an advantage—of a considerably longer period of training in England,—and certainly they had in New Zealand—than the infantry. For their training in England they were sent to Grantham—a railway junction town of considerable size on the Great Northern Railway, 102 miles from London. This was the centre of the British machine-gun world. In 1918 over 50,000 men were camped around there undergoing training. It was not so in the very early days of the war, before the value of the machinegun was fully realised! There were three Imperial camps at Grantham—Harrowby (where the general officer commanding, and the schools were), Belton Park, and Chepstone, the latter some distance away. At each of these places the drafts were divided into battalions, and the New Zealanders, who were camped at Belton Park, comprised one battalion. There were sometimes as many as 550 of our officers and men there. By having the training in the vicinity of the British machine gun camps, facilities in respect to ranges and instructors were available.

To Belton Park from Grantham was four miles. Busses, for a small fee and motor cars for a high one, carried you there. The Park was the private property of Earl Brownlow, and the grounds, which were magnificent in their tree-clad undulating sweeps, surrounded Belton House, an old, roomy, mediaeval mansion. High lands stretched away north and south; and through the calm air perpetually came the distant tock, tock, of the ceaseless machine-gun fire, so familiar-at the front. The New Zealanders in this beautiful spot with its historic associations, and with Nottingham, Leicester, and Lincoln not many miles away, had ample to interest them, and, indeed, were very fond of the place. The average time spent there was seventy days. There was more to be learned in machine gunnery than accuracy of fire, and the mechanical construction of the weapon.

When our men first went to Grantham, New Zealand had only three machine-gun companies in the field. Another went with the 4th Brigade just prior to the Battle of Messines, and a fifth was sent to France in December, 1917. New Zealanders won the reputation at Grantham of learning quickly.

There was ample amusement for the men in camp in theatre entertainments, concerts, and pictures, while at Harrowby, two miles away was the garrison theatre, and at Grantham other public attractions. In most forms of sport the New Zealanders held their own in the district. There was not great scope in the camp grounds for agriculture, but though cultivation was not carried out to the same extent as at other New Zealand training depots, as much use as possible was made of the ground available. The camp was closed very soon after the termination of the war.
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  #38  
Old 29-04-11, 08:57 AM
Quicksilver Quicksilver is offline
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Brent,
I concur with your comments re the Specialists and am impressed with your knoweldge of the MG Specialists. Attached is a pix of a bronze collar. I have seen the cap as well. As they are regimental signallers and so many varieties, gold, bronze etc I gave up trying to get more varieties, and I suspect people may have been bronzing the brass ones. As regards the NZPT buttons in silver. Yes, I have seen them and may have one. Not sure if I still have it. A number of people told me that they were not military and I must admit I have no reason to believe that they are. However, perhaps some one has a dress reg to prove it. The silvered NZP&TC silver collar I have is rather interesting in that it has had a brooch fitting applied. The lugs have been cut off and it shows bronze where it is cut which indicates it was silvered before becoming a brooch.
Quicksilver
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  #39  
Old 29-04-11, 01:30 PM
stevjp stevjp is offline
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Guys,
Just a follow-on from Cliff's comments on a silvered NZP&T Corps collar, I also have a cap which is silvered, and has a Gaunt plaque to back (with lugs). Attached are a few photo's and have included a Bronze (made by Gaunt as well) and Brass for comparison.
Regards
James.
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File Type: jpg sg 025.jpg (28.4 KB, 29 views)
File Type: jpg sg 026.jpg (27.4 KB, 24 views)
File Type: jpg sg 023.jpg (29.3 KB, 27 views)
File Type: jpg sg 024.jpg (25.5 KB, 24 views)
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  #40  
Old 03-05-11, 08:27 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Default New Zealand Post & Telegraph Corps

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Originally Posted by Quicksilver View Post
Brent,
I concur with your comments re the Specialists and am impressed with your knoweldge of the MG Specialists. Attached is a pix of a bronze collar. I have seen the cap as well. As they are regimental signallers and so many varieties, gold, bronze etc I gave up trying to get more varieties, and I suspect people may have been bronzing the brass ones. As regards the NZPT buttons in silver. Yes, I have seen them and may have one. Not sure if I still have it. A number of people told me that they were not military and I must admit I have no reason to believe that they are. However, perhaps some one has a dress reg to prove it. The silvered NZP&TC silver collar I have is rather interesting in that it has had a brooch fitting applied. The lugs have been cut off and it shows bronze where it is cut which indicates it was silvered before becoming a brooch.
Quicksilver
Hi Cliff,
My grandfather served with the 27th MG Battalion in WW2 so the NZMGC is high on my interest list.
Unfortunately I am certainly no expert when it come to NZ Signals badges, and as yet, I have not read your book “Swift and Sure: A History of the Royal New Zealand Corps of Signals and Army Signalling in New Zealand.”

So your joining the discussion is rather timely as I have more questions than answers, and your input/corrections and answers would be much appreciated. Most of my questions pertain to the origins of the 1912 – 1921 NZ Signal Corps badge, but seen as we have started with the NZP&TC badge, we can do it next up.

In regards to the silver NZP&TC buttons, they are common, and I too believe they are civilian not military.
The Silver NZP&TC cap badges are not that common, I can only speculate that they were either done for one specific occasion or most likely IMO it is a simple conversion into a patriotic badge.
As for your silvered collar NZP&T badge with brooch fitting, I would think that it was worn and then silvered to convert it to a patriotic badge.

Unfortunately the NZ Dress Regs are only good for shoulder titles and totally useless when it comes to Corps and Regimental badges, as apart from their being approved by the GCO and registered with the Quartermaster Generals office, cap and collar badges were entirely up to the Corps or Regiments to supply.

The good thing is that I do have quite a lot of information on Wellington Volunteer and Territorial Regiments from which the nucleus of the NZP&TC was formed from.

The Post and Telegraph Corps in a bit of a round about way can be traced back to the ‘Wellington Post and Telegraph Rifle Volunteers’ who were formed on the 8th June 1898. (Gazetted June 1898, with acceptance date 21st May 1898).
The Wellington Post and Telegraph Rifles were formed as a ‘rifle company’ with Mr. William Russell Morris was elected Captain. Their official designation was “E” Company, 1st Battalion Wellington Rifle Volunteers.

In early October 1905, the Post and Telegraph Rifles received authority to increase their establishment by two officers and thirty-four men to form a signalling section.

In early January 1911, A memorandum was issued from headquarters to officers commanding districts stating that the “cycle and signalling companies at each of the four centres will form the nuclei of the infantry brigade signal companies; the signal companies for the mounted brigades are to be formed at suitable centres in each district.”

When General Alexander Godley redesignated the Territorial Regiments on the 17th March 1911, the order of precedence was not given according to seniority, instead it was simply based on the order in which they were redesignated.
At this stage the Wellington Post and Telegraph Rifle Volunteers were reformed as “E” Company, 5th Regiment (Wellington Rifles).

In May 1911, “E” Company, 5th Regiment (Wellington Rifles) was reformed into an infantry brigade signal corps, to be known as the Wellington Infantry Brigade Signal Corps.

On the 7th October 1911, the formation of the NZ Post and Telegraph Corps was authorised as part of the Public Service Corps. —
The main reason for the formation of the NZP&T corps was to establish and keep open lines of communication, and the training of the men was carried out with that objective kept always in view. The nucleus for the formation was initially drawn from the Wellington Infantry Brigade Signal Corps

David Robertson (Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department) was appointed as Director of Post and Telegraph Services, with the rank of Colonel.
Lieutenant Colonel William Russell Morris (Assistant Secretary to the Post and Telegraph Department) who was instrumental in forming the Wellington Post and Telegraph Rifles in 1898, and held the command of that company for ten years, was appointed as Staff-Officer to Director of post and Telegraph Services, with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Lieutenant Colonel Morris was probably the most instrumental in the organisation of the Post and Telegraph Corps. On the 1st January 1913, when Mr. Robertson was appointed to the position of Public Service Commissioner, Colonel Morris replaced him as Director of Post and Telegraph Services, a position that he held until June 1920.
(Lieutenant Colonel D. Miller who was the first commanding officer of the Civil Service Rifles became Colonel Morris's chief assistant.)

The following is the original sketch presented to the Quartermaster Generals office on application as a regimental badge. Given its similarities to a sketch of the original Maori Battalion badge, I would suspect the Defence Department draughtsman did the sketches.
The badges Latin motto “Celeritas” translates as Swiftly, swiftness or “speed.”
The winged foot of ‘Mercury the messenger of the gods’ alludes to the message service performed by the unit.


The following is the original submission for the approval for the badge.


The following is the original submission by Colonel Robertson requesting permission from the GOC, which is notarised as approved at the bottom.


J. R. Gaunt was the official badge supplier to the New Zealand Government and as such was the first to produce the NZP&TC cap and collar badges. When the NZ Government dropped Gaunt as a supplier around April 1917, it would be likely the NZP&TC would have followed suit.

It is mere speculation on my part, but I suspect Wellington badge maker William Bock made the New Zealand NZP&TC badge dies and produced the second run of badges. The Bock NZP&TC badge dies would have been stored with the defence department and issued to badge suppliers when more badges were required.
(A comparison of badges needed to test this theory)


As for the NZP&TC shoulder titles, these unfortunately were not authorised by the time the 1912 NZ Dress Regulations were printed. I can however pin point that they were authorised in September 1912 or at the very beginning of October 1912. (Manufactured by Gaunt up until April 1917)

On the 1st July 1913 the NZ Post and Telegraph Corps were placed under the NZ Engineers.

By the outbreak of WW1, the Post and Telegraph Corps organisation had been completed.
The NZP&T corps was divided into two battalions, one in the North Island and one in the South Island, and comprised of a total of thirteen companies.
Lieutenant-Colonel G. B. Harton was in command of the North Island Battalion and Captain A. M. Rattray acted as O.C. of the South Island Battalion. Prior to the war there was around 980 men enrolled.
(In addition there were four companies of Senior Cadets, with strength of around 600 that was under the NZP&TC)

My questions are. —
Why was the NZP&TC badge adopted by the NZ Signal Corps in 1921????
Were the NZP&TC the first to use ‘Mercury the messenger of the gods’ as a unit insignia or was it the British or USA?????

Last edited by atillathenunns; 03-05-11 at 09:18 AM.
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Old 03-05-11, 09:26 AM
Quicksilver Quicksilver is offline
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Brent,
An excellent posting from you and at a quick look I would agree with most if not all of what you have said. I need to go through it again carefully when I have some time and reply to you. However, as regards your two questions, I had always thought of Royal Signals as having the first Mercury headdress badge even though the Indian Corps of Signals was formed a few months before Britains Royal Signals they did not have a Mercury badge for about another 15 years. You are right of course, NZP&TC used Mercury's feet before R. Signals and as far as I know were the first to use Mercury. I had not thought of it that way before.
Why did the NZP&TC badge get used? The Div Signals disbanded quickly on return from Europe. The NZP&TC units were mainly within New Zealand. (ANZAC Wireless Troop in Mesopotamia was an exception) Therefore when they decided to create the New Zealand Corps of Signals the units were formed from the old NZP&TC and continued to wear their old badges. Some of the old Div Sigs people did join up of course. The Mercury badge was introduced from memory in the mid thirties (I dont have my notes to hand) but they did not have much money so they continued wearing the old badges. When they had a shortage of the NZP&TC badges they then used up old stocks of the NZ Signal Corps badge from WW1 and I have a photo of them being worn up till about 1941! Thats the story in a nutshell. There is more but time is running out.
Rgds Quicksilver
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Old 03-05-11, 11:08 PM
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fougasse1940 fougasse1940 is offline
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Were the NZP&TC the first to use ‘Mercury the messenger of the gods’ as a unit insignia or was it the British or USA?????

Don't know about the USA, but the British Telegraph Battalion Royal Engineers, forerunners of the Signals, used Mercury as emblem. It was first used in the Battalion magazine, Military Telegraph Bulletin, on 15 September 1884. Introduced by Major C.F.C. Beresford.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

Last edited by fougasse1940; 03-05-11 at 11:15 PM.
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Old 04-05-11, 12:22 AM
Quicksilver Quicksilver is offline
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Yes, that is correct, but not as a cap badge until 1920.
Rgds Quicksilver
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  #44  
Old 04-05-11, 11:56 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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I think everybody has heard the phrase “Hold the Fort.”
It is of course the famous American Civil War message “Hold the fort, for I am coming” sent by US General Sherman at Kenesaw, to General Corse at Altoona in June 1864.
General Corse’s message of reply was “I am short a cheek bone and one ear, but can whip hell out of them yet.”

What is probably not so well known is how the message was sent. —
General Corse handed the message to Lieutenant J. W. McKenzie of the US Signal Corps who was at the time in command of the signal station and a small detachment of signallers. Lieutenant McKenzie asked for a volunteer among his men to send the message. When none stepped forward to what was inviting death (Including Lieutenant McKenzie’s brother), the General, seeing no man go forward, said to the Lieutenant, “I thought you said this message could be sent.”

Without further delay Lieutenant McKenzie mounted the signal station and commenced ‘Bending’ the message, expecting every moment to be shot. The flag was about eighteen feet long and the wind was blowing some, and the Lieutenant found it very hard work and felt as though he would give out before it was done.
At the moment when it seemed he could stand it no longer, a stranger, not a member of the signal corps, came up behind him, put his arms around the Lieutenant and along his arms, took hold of the flag-staff, and standing behind him, helped him to wave the answer back to Sherman.

I can only wonder how long it took to bend 17 words (53 letters)?
The US Army and the Confederate Army both formed Signal Corps during the Civil war, as to which was formed first, I can also only wonder?

Wikipedia states the origins of the British Army signallers can be traced back to 1870 when “C” Telegraph troop, Royal Engineers was founded under Captain Montague Lambert.
Given that the New Zealand military authorities always closely followed the guidelines of the British, this would explain the traditional connection of the Engineers with the NZ Telegraph and Signal Corps.

The big question I am hoping Cliff might answer, is who and when was the first NZ signal unit formed????????

From a Wellington Regiment perspective, it seems to me that the Russian War scare of 1885 was when most NZ “Signalling Squads” or sometimes referred to as “Signalling Sections” began to start forming.

The earliest Wellington unit that I have found to have formed is the Wellington Guards Signalling Squad which held their first practice of semaphore flags on the 11th October 1884. The stations extended from Oriental Bay to the Hospital at Newtown and is recorded as “not quite so successful”

While Cliff may come up with an earlier NZ Signal unit that may have been formed. I believe the Wellington Guards Signalling Squad would probably be the first to have adopted a specialist badge.
Unfortunately I have not heard of any surviving examples, however I do have a description of the badge which dates November 1884.

The lacework badge consisted of crossed flags of white corded silk, edged with silver on a crimson ground.
One flag bearing the letter “W” and the other “G,” both in gold.
Flagstaffs are crossed in the centre of a circle of blue, edged with silver, the motto “Sub Silentio” being worked round the circle in silver, and above the circle is placed a gold crown.
The manufacturer of the badges was C. W. Robert of Palmerston North.
(Sub Silentio is Latin for ‘under silence’ or without notice being taken)

I think it is worth mentioning that Charles William Robert is extreamly important to the NZ badge enthusiasts.
Although I have not checked the geneology, it is recorded that Charles ancestor had brought the art of Silver and Gold lacework embroidering to England after fleeing from France due to the persecution of prodestents in the late 1600s. The art was passed from generation to generation until Charles assumed control of the London Business.

Charles quickly demonstrated that the perfection of the art had lost nothing in his hand. At the London Exhibition of 1866 Charles Robert obtained eight first-class prize medals and is said to have made the communion cloth used at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Charles is also credited for the emblems for Sir John Lawrence, Vice-regal Governor of India, and those for the Emperor of Russia on the occasion of his visit to Buckingham Palace as the guest of Her Majesty Queer Victoria.

Charles along with his 12 year old son Percy Robert, arrived in New Zealand around 1874, setteling on land at Stoney Creek in the Manawatu District. For 8 years Charles devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, the traditions of generations proved too strong for him, and in 1882 he established himself in his old gold and silver embroidery business at Palmerston North.
(The local Palmerston library mentions Charles arrived in 1872, however some of their information was very wrong, so I am sticking with 1874)

Prior to 1882, Gold and Silver woven badges were generally orderd from England, although I would accept locally produced one offs. From what I can tell, Charles Robert had no compeditors in his business, and virtually supplied all the NZ Volunteer cloth badges until his death in June 1898.

Percy Robert who had served in the Alexandra Cavalry, worthily followed in his father's footsteps taking over the business. He made a reputation that extended not only to all parts of New Zealand, but also to Australia, and also received seven first-class exhibition medals for his work. During WW1, Percy was the official supplier to the NZ Government of cloth insignia.

I think it is also woth mentioning that neither Charles nor Prercy Robert used machines to manufacture badges.





Last edited by atillathenunns; 15-05-14 at 02:24 AM.
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  #45  
Old 04-05-11, 05:57 PM
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Tinto Tinto is offline
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Hi Brent, and Cliff,
Thanks for your recent gems of information. A pleasure to read this thread.
Cheers, Tinto

Last edited by Tinto; 04-05-11 at 05:58 PM. Reason: typo
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