Maori Poineer patch
 

Hello again.This nice card arrived in the mail a few days and i was wondering about the patch on the greatcoat.The soldier is wearing a NZ Maori poineers circa 1917 or even possibly Cook Island company cap badge.I would like your opinions on this one

Cheers Iain

Looks like a Infantry reserve group diamond patch (Issued at Sling Camp) and worn on the Greatcoat arm from January 1917 to March 1917.

Thats Brent for your knowledge about patches.So more than likely to be a soldier from the Maori Pioneer battalion,given those dates.The Cook Island company were in Palestine around then.

cheers Iain

Iain, I wish I could claim to have great knowledge, but really its just that I have a better database of information, or more precise, I have the two books (New Zealand Army Distinguishing Patches 1911 - 1991) by Malcom Thomas and Cliff Lord.

My thinking/guess is that the soldier in question is probably wearing a 'red' 3rd Reserve Battalion diamond patch that was worn by the Canterbury and Otago Regiments, as many of the New Zealand Pioneers were drawn from the Otago Regiment.

I also assume he has just been posted from the3rd Reserve to the NZ Pioneer Battalion, issued with a set of NZ Pioneer badges and had his photo taken on his final leave before being sent to the front.

Noel Taylor has been working on a book on the Cook Island Contingent. Despite having access to the OCs photo album, visiting archives in Rarotonga and NZ and me having direct access to the RSMs uniform (from family) there is no evidence of the Cook Island badge being worn except by the Home Guard in WW2. Anyone seen a photo where the badge can be made out from a know member of the unit?

Shaun

Shaun, I am at a bit of a loss as to why they are referred to as the "New Zealand Cook Islands Company" or the "Cook Island Contingent" as historically I have found very little to none in the way of these designations being officially used.

The title I have found that was normally used is "Rarotongan Contingent" which was used up until the end of 1917, and in January 1918 orders were issued that they were to be known as the "New Zealand Rarotongan Company," and they became a separate unit from the Maori Battalion which up until that point they had been attached too.

IMO I doubt that the Cook Islands badge which is known to have been worn in WW2, was ever worn during WW1.

The following photograph is of Corporal Angene, Service No. 16/1205, who served with the Rarotongans, attached to A Company of the Maori Contingent. (Embarkation Date 5th February 1916)

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ceNo161205.jpg

Interestingly Noel Taylor made the following comment about the photo in June 2006.-
"looking at the Blanket Roll, patched SD hat and 1913 pattern NZ webb the photo was taken at Narrow Neck Camp prior to embarkation as I have not seen the pattern 13 web in any the overseas photos. There is also a photo of a hut at Narrow Neck Camp Also with similar walls to background in photo." (Photograph kindly provided for Cenotaph by family and delivered by H. Wichman Vice President Cook Islands RSA 2009)

The "patched SD hat" is the red and black distinguishing patch of the Maori Contingent.

The following photo is titled "Apu Tepuretu, Anthony Manuel, Augere Angene, Raitia Tepuretu on cannon, provided by Mr. Tekau Framhein via Kees De Boer."

The red and black distinguishing patch of the Maori Contingent on the helmet is pretty cool.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...eServiceNo.jpg

You've probably trumped me Brent ,but here's a few that i found yesterday.Nuie.

Iain, I still have a lot of cards to play, because as you know I have a big interest in the Maori Battalion, but have kept most of my research to myself as Shaun has put his hand up to write an artice on the Maori Battalion badges. (Hurry up Shaun)

My interest in the Maori Battalion is primarily due to my great uncle "Hemi Te Miha" who enlisted in the 2nd Maori Contingent as a Private on the 1st of July 1915 at the age of 22.

Unfortunately when Hemi's medals came up for sale in February 2009, I was unable to come up with the funds to purchase them, but as soon I can get some spare cash I hope to bring the medals back into family hands again.

Interestingly, during a Wellington badge club meeting that was held at forum member Wayne Ihaka's house in December 2010, I was introduced to another badge collector by the name of Hemi who just happened to have the following wartime photo of my great uncle Hemi Te Miha.

Unfortunately Hemi is not wearing the red and black Maori patch which suggests that the photo was taken shortly after his arrival at Narrow Neck Camp.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...HemiTeMiha.jpg

Like many young maori who enlisted, Hemi Te Miha adopted a more european sounding name, and by using extended family names, he enlisted as James Danger, Service No. 16/575.

Corporal Hemi Te Miha (James Danger) died of wounds on the 3rd September 1917 at the 2nd Australian General Hospital, and is burried at Wimereux Communal Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.

Some more Hemi Te Miha/James Danger stuff-
http://beta.natlib.govt.nz/items/22439467

Another interesting person that Wayne introduced me to at the badge meeting in December 2010, allowed me to take a copy of the following photograph of his father "Sergeant Poutawera Leonard Rahiri" Service No. 60610, who embarked with the Maori Contingent's 30th Reinforcements on the 13th June 1918.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...rcements-1.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...forcements.jpg

Sergeant Rahiri is photographed wearing the distinctive Maori Contingent's 'reinforcement' badges that were made in Auckland by Watts Ltd.

Dave Corbetts book (The NZ badge bible - The Regimental Badges of New Zealand) unfortunately states that these so called "First pattern badge was worn by A Company only."

Sadly Dave was very wrong and the Watts made badges are in fact unofficial reinforcement badges that were only worn in New Zealand and on the transport ships.

The good news is that Sergeant Rahiri's son still has his dads red and black Maori Contingent patch, unfortunately I haven't got a photo of it, but hopefully Wayne might be able to sort that for us.:)

I am mighty impressed you manage to get that level of definition from John's fathers photo Brent - well done - and the first actual photographic proof I have seen of those round badges being worn.

Unlike the Cook Island badges and the NZ Camel Corp badges which seem to be increasing mythical as no photographic evidence exists for them actually being worn?

Keep up the good work

Wayne, John's father is in good company with Corporal Danger.
Perhaps you could invite John along with his dads battalion patch to the February meeting?

The following pictures are believed to be of Private Matataia Pararaki Wikiriwhi, Service No. 76108, Maori Contingent 31st Reinforcements.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...ikiriwhi-1.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...iWikiriwhi.jpg

(1) NZNC badges and patch,photo published 5th January 1916

(2) Maori Battalion

(3) Rarotongan contingent

Maori Battalion colour flash on a solar topee ,the man behind him has his patch in profile

Here's my Cook Island Company hat badge(WW1,WW2 ??????).......


Any one want to comment about the colour flashes on the Rarotongan,Nuie guys. To me they differ in hew from the standard NZNC red/black?

Khaki /red???