The New Zealand Railway Corps Cap Badge
 

Hi !

I've not found any conversation about this badge and so I wanted to ask some help to learn more about it.
In a previous message about the NZE and Tunnelers badges, COREY showed us a picture with this badge.
Maybe its story is the same but I would like to be sure.

The only informations I've got are in "Military Badges of the British Empire 1914-1918" by Reginald COX.
So I know that this unit belonged to the New Zealand Engineer Corps and used to wear its own cap badge which was made in brass or in bronze for OSD.

Do you know how this badge was manufactured?
Probably die-struck like many badges, but maybe die-cast too?
The back of the badge could be flat?
What were the different types of fitment? (slider/lugs(and which type?))

If I'm right, as I read on the forum, most of the NZ badges were made by English makers during WW1 and especially Gaunt. So I guess this one could have been made by Gaunt too and can be found with the maker's mark or the famous tab on the back?
Maybe Stokes/Wellington/J.W. Tiptaft and Son made it as well? (like NZE badge)

If you have any pictures of this badge, front and back, I would be so glad to see them. And it's always easier to understand :)

Thank you very much.

Regards.

NZ Railways Corp/Battalions
 

Hi,

Here is one that is die-stamped and I am pretty sure it is a NZ made one, I had two others which I have since sold that were also die-stamped but they had flat backs and at least one was by JR Gaunt London although I think I may have seen a Tiptaft made one also but can't be certain. Most of the ones I have seen had flat backs. They were formed in 1911 and disbanded 1921 and were part of the Samoan Relief Expeditionary Corps of 1914. There is info and pictures in the Corbett and Oldham books on the unit. I have included a photo of my badge. The blue paint on the back was placed there by seller so he could identify who owned the badges he was selling.

Regards
Steve

Here are my 2 examples of this badge. The GM badge has a Gaunt London plate to the rear of the crown, lugs E & W. My other is Bronze, no maker name and is flat backed with lugs N & S.

My two brass and bronze...both J R Gaunt

Thank you for all these informations and the pictures.
The OSD ones are very nice !

So Gaunt made them too, and like many others, we find these badges with maker's mark or a tab.
I'm really surprised that the brass badge could have been made with a flat back, it's not usual for a die-struck badge.
I've already seen one like this but I doubted :/
So next time I see one like this or like yours I take it :)

I used to have a STOKES Melbourne version.
may still have a pic somewhere
will try and find for you
bc