The most helpful guide when it comes to dates of embarkations of NZEF Infantry Reinforcements, is presented on page 11 of Geoffrey Lowe’s NZ Reinforcement badge book.
To provide a better understanding about the flow of New Zealand Reinforcements for the period of 1914 to 1915, I have put together a slightly modified Reinforcement embarkation table, which is based on strength figures published in November 1918.
I have also included dates of when the men of each reinforcement draft arrived into Trentham, however, it should be noted that the officers and NCOs for each reinforcement draft would have arrived 2 to 4 weeks ahead of the men.
Units not trained at Trentham include the NZ British Section, which was trained in England, and the 1st Maori Contingent which trained at a camp set up at Avondale racecourse in Auckland, arriving into camp on the 21st October 1914.
The 2nd Maori Contingent trained at a camp set up at Narrow Neck in Takapuna, Auckland, arriving into camp on the 1st July 1915.
The NZ Tunnelling Company trained at a camp set up at Avondale racecourse in Auckland, arriving into camp on the 06 October 1915.
..........………………………………
Arrived Trentham…….......
Embarked….....
Strength
Samoa Advance Party ...........……………………………………….15 Aug 1914..…..1419
Samoa Reinforcements and Reliefs to the 18 Oct 1918…………..………….......648
Main Body…………………………………………………...................15 Oct 1914.....…7761
1st Reinforcements………………………………………….............15 Oct 1914…….....738
2nd Reinforcements………………….
21 Oct 1914……………...14 Dec 1914….....1974
3rd Reinforcements………………….
14 Dec 1914……………...14 Feb 1915……...1712
1st Maori Contingent…………………………………………...........14 Feb 1915…….....518
4th Reinforcements………………….
12 Jan 1915……………....17 Apr 1915……...2261
5th Reinforcements………………….
15 Feb 1915……………....13 Jun 1915……...2411
6th Reinforcements………………….
16 Mar 1915……………....14 Aug 1915……..2364
6th Reinforcements (balance) ……………………………….......19 Sep 1915…...…….85
2nd Maori Contingent ………………………………………............19 Sep 1915….…...311
Advance Party 1st + 2nd NZRB……………………………........19 Sep 1915…….....102
1st + 2nd Battalions NZRB………
29 May 1915……………...09 Oct 1915……....2250
7th Reinforcements………………….
12 Jun 1915……………....09 Oct 1915……....2450
8th Reinforcements………………….
23 Aug 1915……………...14 Nov 1915…......2576
NZ Tunnelling Company……………………………………............18 Dec 1915…….....416
Tunnelling Reinforcements and Reliefs to the 18 Oct 1918…………………........862
The NZ British Section of the NZEF formed in England went into Bulford Camp on the Salisbury Plains on the 4 Oct 1914. On the 12 December 247 members of the British Section entrained at Bulford siding for Southampton bound for Alexandria, arriving at Zeitoun Camp on Christmas Eve.
On the 25 December 1914, the British Section was used to form the First Field Company of NZ Engineers under Captain Simson, and about 100 other ranks under Captain Lampen joined the NZASC.
A British Section rear-party of 6 other ranks under Lieutenant May remained in London manning an equipment depot until the 16 Jan 1915. “A week later the rear-party, whose strength had increased as more New Zealanders enlisted in London, sailed for Egypt from Swansea on the Port Lincoln. They arrived on 5 Feb and were posted to the NZASC.”
The following NZVC embarkation table is from a NZVC badge thread I posted on the New Zealand Mounted Rifles forum.
http://www.nzmr.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=635
It helps provide a breakdown of the NZVC embarkations that were included with each reinforcement draft.
1914—…………………………................
Embarkation Date………
Strength.
Main Body……………………….............15th Oct. 1914…………….......10
2nd Reinforcements………………......14th Dec. 1914…………........250
3rd Reinforcements……………….......14th Feb. 1915…………….......27
4th Reinforcements……………….......17th April 1915…………..........3
5th Reinforcements……………….......13th June 1915…………........14
6th Reinforcements……………….......14th Aug. 1915…………........11
7th Reinforcements……………….......9th Oct. 1915……………........14
8th Reinforcements……………….......14th Nov. 1915…………........38