NZ Camel Corps/NZMR reinforcement badges
 

Hello fellow badge collectors.I bought a genuine NZ Camel corp badge several months back (1 of about 15).I posted a picture and started a forum on the excellent NZMR association website(NZ camel corps made up from troopers of the NZMR) In that forum an Australian gent sent a picture of another unofficial badge of the NZ Imperial Camel corp which was shown in the Official magazine of the Camel corp.The fern badge was unknown by me at the time ,although consulting with a leading NZ badge collector and authority on the matter as well as NZ's leading militaria dealer.The badge they identified was the set of badges wrongly referred in Corbetts book as King Edwards Horse,NZ squadron,1st pattern.It is in fact , sandcast badges made in Palestine in 1917,ruling out KEH involement(the British colonial unit served in France in W.W.1.) The NZ camel corp seem to have adopted these fern badges in 1917.I recently bought the Cap badge on trademe as no one else was bidding.It seems that the cap badge of this set is rarer the the standing camel one.There seems to be more collar badges, although in W.W.1 collar badges were sometimes worn as cap badges.I am having a short article published in the New Zealand Military Historical Society's journal on camel corps badges,although i don't profess to being an expert at all.

Also of interest on the NZMR site to badge collectors ,i have a forum subject and a webpage illustrating some of my NZMR reinforcement cap badges(excellent graphics).Cheers Pukman

hey pukman
can you post web address details for this site and in particular your pics
bc

Sure thing Badgecollector,either www.nzmr.org or simply google NZMR assocciation.My page is on the site map under reinforcement badges as well as the discussion board/forum(NZMR General discussion) ,subjects( CAMEL CORP CAP BADGE and NZMR reinforcement badges),open to vistors to read..I have some of my badge collection pictured in the NZMR reinforcement forum.The NZMR site is easy to use and has great graphics and very informative on our Mounted rifles.Cheers pukman.

My two penny worth.......

- Sand cast badges were worn and manufactured during the Boer War. The majority of these were brass titles.
- New Zealand soldiers made their own badges in North Africa during WW2 e.g. seige of Tobruk. It would not suprise me if they made a fern leaf.

Thanks fo that Jibba Jabba, No doubt that sandcastings and fern badges exist in various forms from the Boer war to W.W.1.They were worn by either staff,nurses ,volunteers or reinforcements.(all reinforcement badges were made in NZ so are pressed).The fern badge i have has been identified by two of NZ's leading badge authorities(''Sniff'' and Geoff Oldham) as being of Palestine manufacture in 1917.(65mm length) These are extremely rare and maybe only a dozen or so in existance.

Any chance of photo of your badge ,If i could pick up a rare large Boer war fern badge for 2-4 pound,i would be all over it.Sell between $125-$185 range over here so thats not a bad exchange rate.

You should try Mr Shotton's web site, trading under Clanfield Militaria.

I`m not sure I agree with that anyone can accurately date a generic sand cast badge, not with a design so common as this used by an entire country.

This is my badge, seriously common and worth only a few quid here in the UK. My badge is 45 mm in length, the lugs are unusual and 12mm in length. Too long for a collar badge. Its either WW1 or WW2 but I`m betting it was made in North Africa during WW2 as I have similar british made shoulder titles that have almost identitical lugs.

http://www.btinternet.com/~steve_v/fern.jpg

I'm only relying on the independent testimonies of a 30 years plus serious collector, specialising in New Zealand badges and insignia,also as well as the author of ''Badges and Insignia of the New Zealand army''.I didn't know there was a higher authority on the matter till now.Myself only being a rank and file collector/enthusiast.

Your fern badge is pictured in D.A.Corbetts 1980 publication,as well as Geoff Oldhams 1987 effort as permanent staff.Yes its reasonably common.

Actually depending on the back it could be a 1937 Coronation Collar as they do get mixed up.

Shaun,sandcast and according to "Sniff",W.W.1 manufacture.

yes I know Craig very well. If you mean your NZ camel corp badge they are all sand cast. Ww1 sand cast brass is a bit of a unique colour and the lugs (and or slider) are typical of the period in copper and a tell tale shape that the fakers always get wrong.

Do I know you mate?

Shaun ,i was referring to the picture the other bloke sent in ,although the Camel corps are also sandcast.

You may remember me,i bought a couple of badges off you in the past(several years ago) and sent you a picture of a bronze officer NZ Pioneer collar badge earlier in the year

Regards Iain D

yes mate I remember you can you send me an email?

It seems that New Zealand badge reference books have failed to see the significance of the fern badge as a NZ Camel Corp badge.A fern collar badge the same design as the permanent staff/staff corps was worn by some members of the 16th/17th /18th mounted rifles reinforcements as a reinforcement badge.This was latter adopted as an unofficial badge of the 15th and 16th companies of the NZICC,as pictured on the Official newspaper's of the Camel Corp.Later reinforcements also wore a Palestian sandcast variety(fern ,both cap and collars) as well as the referenced ''Camel'' badge.

well there are only 3 real NZbadge books - Oldham is based on Corbett and Dave made a great effort but the internet age has enabled things to progress more in terms of research and communications between collectors. A great example is the Maori Battalion section in Corbett - A, B and C company badges YEAH RIGHT.

No doubt Shaun ,its up to collectors like us to spot the mistakes made and amend them.

Egyptian and Palestian sandcast unofficial NZ camel corp badges