As mentioned, it is all “a bit of a minefield” when it comes to Reinforcement/Home Service badges, and as Craig has so eloquently put it “these guys (camp jewellers) were in business, had multiple employees and were there to make money.”
Some camp jewellers, long after the end of WW1 continued to supply Reinforcement/Home Service badges for museums and collectors, which makes it almost impossible to separate the original wartime badges from the original post war copies and to a certain point modern copies.
In regards to the RD957 number on the brass FCTB badge and RD958 number on the silver FCTB badge, my records show these were both registered to Trumpet Major Frederick Charles Chegwin, Featherston Military Camp, on the 26th March 1917.
Trumpet Major Chegwin is pictured below with the Featherston Camp Trumpet band, seated front row center. On his left breast he wears the South Africa medal with 1901 clasp, and the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee medal, and I suspect the medal on the right breast is from his service with the Woolston and Christchurch Garrison Bands.
Chegwin served as a bugler with the NZ 5th Contingent rising to Trumpet Major. During WW1 he was employed by the Home-service Branch, NZEF, attached to HQ Featherston Camp in charge of training trumpeters and buglers.
Private Chegwin entered Tauherenikau camp on the 13th October 1915, he was promoted Trumpet Major on the 22nd December 1915.
Tauherenikau camp is known to have 3 Bands in November 1915, a brass band, a bugle band, and a trumpet band. The Trumpet band was the first of its kind in New Zealand due to Featherston camp being a mounted camp, as such it was entitled to a trumpet band, which was undoubtedly started by Chegwin. All bands were under the command/baton of Bandmaster A. J. Wicks, and the bugle and trumpet band which became Featherston Camp Trumpet Band were under Trumpet Major Chegwin.
The FCTB was comprised of both Reinforcements and Home Service personnel, so would have had an ever changing membership. It appears they were disbanded in December 1918, so the FCTB badge was only in use for 1 year and 9 months, and IMO it was likely only worn on the shoulder straps.
featherston camp trumpet band featherston%20camp%20band.jpg
DOMINION, VOLUME 10, ISSUE 2924, 9 NOVEMBER 1916, PAGE 6
featherston camp trumpet band Bandsman 1.JPG
featherston camp trumpet band Bandsman 2.JPG
featherston camp trumpet band Bandsman 3.JPG