As more information is uncovered it gives a basic timeline regarding the various badges which "may" make things a bit clearer. This is more about dates rather than the two different badges and the style/crown anomalies .
26th December 1914
Admiralty memo giving a badge the title "Admiralty War Service Badge".
This is assumed to be the enamel OWS 1914 badge , it was issued to
shipyard workers “whose services were indispensable for the rapid completion of HM Ships and Armaments”.
Monday 15 March 1915
Parliamentary question about granting War service badges to those who are engaged in our merchant ships.
Note : "
similar to the War service badges which are now granted by the Admiralty
to those serving in merchant vessels which they have chartered or requisitioned".
This seems to imply that there was already a separate War service badge for those " serving in merchant vessels " as opposed to "shipyard workers". (could this be the 'silver' Admiralty Badge ?)
15 April, 1916
From the article in post #115 and the information I found it appears that the HMNZ Transports badge was introduced when the Military Service Act (conscription) came into force on 2 March 1916.
Food for thought !
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