How Many Reinforcements Left Our Shores?
 

My Grandfther became a soldier in training in March 1918. He was 37 years of age. His service ended with a Leave in lieu of discharge status in September 1918.
His Army records show that he was assigned to C/47 at Featherston Camp.

I understand that the number 47 relates to the reinforcement number when he shipped out to England.
Yet according to Oldham, 1997, p29, reinforcement numbers topped out at 33.
Assuming that 47 was a reinforcement number and not my grandfather's shirt size, what happened to the reinforcements from numbers 34- 47?

All the best.
Bruce.

Hi Bruce, if you try page 25, you will see mention that the "infantry and mounted rifles each having 43 separately numbered reinforcement drafts."

Dave Corbett's NZ badge bible page 187 says "the 43rd (Infantry) reinforcements and the 40th to the 43rd Mounted Rifle reinforcements were on the ship when the war ended so that badges with higher numbers than these would not have been worn."

However, in reality the last reinforcements to enter camp were the 51st Reinforcements, and men who were to make up the 52nd, 53rd and 54th Reinforcements had received their call up papers and dates of which they had to report at camp.
So badges up to the 51st reinforcements is possible, but it would be rare to find a 51st badge.

This is the highest numbered badge I can currently find on file.

Attachment 215241

Here's a link to Geoff's website if you want to upgrade to a 2011 book.

https://www.milimem.com/product_info...oducts_id=4518

Brent

One from my collection, and Face Book page , Unknown warriors of the NZEf . N.C.O's of the 54th reinforcements .

Hello Brent and many thanks for coming to the aid of my knowledge gap.

Perhaps it really is time to up-date and buy a copy Geoff Oldhams 2011 edition . My 1997 issue has served me well over the years and maybe my copy, the old war horse, can take a rest in the face of its imminent replacement.

I sold my copy of Corbett some years back after I thought that I had no further use for it now that my project was, what I thought then, to be completed.

So, thanks again for your help.

Bruce.

Hello Pukman.

An interesting photo pleased to see it.
Perhaps the short pants uniform indicates a summer time photo?

Many thanks
Bruce.

Photo is dated 1st of November 1918 Bruce, so late spring in NZ . There a number of photos in the Otago Witness of these later reinforcements , so might be worth a look at Papers Past NZ website .


Cheers Iain.

Thank you Iain.
I'll head over there now.
Regards
Bruce.