New Zealand Artillery Buttons
 

Please can anyone tell me if there was a pre 1911 New Zealand Volunteer button for the Artillery with the gun in the centre?

Thanks
Rob

Hi Rob,

Geoffrey Oldham's catalogue, "Badges and Insignia of the New Zealand Army" shows a Dunedin Artillery Volunteers button with same wording around rim and a gun in centre (dated 1870). There may have been other such regional buttons.

Cheers, Tinto


P.S. In addition to the buttons you have shown, there was also the British type artillery button with "N Z".

Thanks for the reply Tinto, so there is no generic Volunteer Artillery button, good.

As to the NZ marked British style Artillery button, in which year did that take over from the NZF Artillery button?

Rob

Hi Rob,

As far as I know, the British pattern Volunteer Artillery button was worn in New Zealand, ie. Crown/Gun type.

I also note that Oldham has New Zealand Territorial type button (1911) with same wording and gun in centre.

I'm sorry I do not know when the "N Z" Gun type button came in, Oldham doesn't show it.

Cheers, Tinto

Hello Rob

The only reference I have to New Zealand buttons is Corbett's book "The Regimental Badges of New Zealand" which includes 5 pages of buttons.

Much of what is illustrated agrees with what Tinto has already said - 'standard' British single gun Royal Artillery button in white metal for "Volunteer Artillery 1870"; "Dunedin Artillery 1870" (interestingly the gun on this button points to the viewer's right!); "Territorial Artillery 1911" and "NZ Artillery 1911" (your third button).

Corbett does not illustrate or mention the NZ marked British style Artillery button.

He also illustrates a button for "Naval Artillery 1903" but the photo is not very clear although it appears to be the Gothic letters 'NAV' spread across the anchor of a normal naval button of the period.

Roger

Thank you Tinto and Roger

So its WM British style but possibly with the gun pointing the other way up until 1911, even though the pre 1911 GS is also marked Volunteer and is in GM.

And the NZ marked gun button is later, perhaps WW2 period or later?

Rob

Unfortunately the New Zealand Volunteer button book is a bit out of date.
Based on uniforms I have seen, I'm speculating that both brass and white metal gun buttons were worn in New Zealand from the 1860s to 1895, from then on only the brass gun button was used up until 1910 with a change of crowns.

https://s9.postimg.cc/qtmmks8vj/Dune...Volunteers.jpg

I have posted this NZ Naval Artillery Volunteers button before, but as it is not pictured in the badge books it is worth posting again.

https://s9.postimg.cc/rec815vpr/NAV_Button.jpg

The following are the 1889 NZ Dress Regs, and of importance is that they clearly mention the style NAV lettering to be old English characters.

https://s9.postimg.cc/68if69ndr/NAV_Button_reg_1889.jpg

https://s9.postimg.cc/xx52e25bz/NAV_...reg_1889_a.jpg

The Australians used plain NAV characters.

https://s9.postimg.cc/quuq8twzj/NAV_...ian_button.jpg

New Zealand Naval Artillery Volunteer Officer.

https://s9.postimg.cc/4yklrb1cf/New_...Volunteers.jpg

https://s9.postimg.cc/d47pmbo4f/New_...ers_button.jpg

https://s9.postimg.cc/xpmheqdkf/NZ_NAV_right_side.jpg

Nice

Are there any local New Zealand button back marks?

Rob

Did NZ Artillery ever wear double breasted tunics, which may account for cannon facing in different directions?

Manufacture of buttons in New Zealand can be dated back to the early 1880s.

https://s9.postimg.cc/ix0b73jof/NZA_...g_button_a.jpghttps://s9.postimg.cc/3s479lawv/NZA_...g_button_b.jpg

I personally have not seen any NZ Artillery wearing double breasted tunics.
The following tunic is typical of those commonly worn by NZ Volunteer artillery 1895 - 1910. The buttons are brass kings crown gun buttons that do not have the "NZ" letters.

https://s9.postimg.cc/6or89k3sf/Militaria_fair_017.jpg

N battery ,Lyttleton .New Zealand Artillery.

Guys,
and here is a 1902 to 1911 British Patt, with NZ marks to back.
Also included is a Territorial Artillery Button, Post 1911.

All the best
James