New Zealand’s Earliest Military Badge Collectors.

[atillathenunns]

The origins of British soldiers being authorised to attach distinguishing metal badges to their headdress is customarily dated as far back as 1768, shortly after which, regimental badges/numbers began to be worn on the sword cross belt and waist belt.

New Zealand also has a long history of attaching metal badges to their belts; in fact New Zealand’s oldest sporting trophy is the “Ballinger” NZ Champion Shot Belt, which was first presented by the NZ Government in 1873.
(The 2012 Ballinger Belt winner is Brian Carter of Te Puke Rifle Club)

The oldest New Zealand military trophy belt is the “Auckland Champion Belt” for Volunteer Rifle Shooting, which was won by a Mr Stewart of the City Company, Auckland Rifle Volunteers in 1860.

In 1861, the NZ Government presented a "NZ Champion Shot Belt" to promote Volunteer rifle shooting, the belt was first awarded in 1861 to Lieutenant E. W. Brighton of the Rutland Company, Auckland Rifle Volunteers.

In 1871 and 1872, Captain Wales of the No. 1 Company Dunedin Rifles succeeded in winning the NZ Champion Belt twice, and in accordance with the rules, the belt became his private property.

In 1873, the NZ Government presented a second “NZ Champion Shot Belt” to the winner Lieutenant Hoskins.

In 1893, 1897 and 1907, Arthur Ballinger of the Wellington Guards won the NZ Champion Shot Belt. Ballinger was entitled to retain it on the third occasion, however he very generously handed the historic belt back to the N.Z.R.A. to be competed for as a trophy at their annual gatherings. It cannot now become the property of any winner.

The 1873 Ballinger Belt as it looks today.

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Trooper Patrick Buckley Fitzherbert, Roberts' Horse
On the 6th October 1899 the Imperial authorities accepted the services of a New Zealand contingent for service in South Africa. (NZ First Contingent departed Wellington aboard the SS Waiwera on the 21st October 1899)

Patrick Fitzherbert the son of a Palmerston North barrister was rejected from the NZ First Contingent on account he was under the required age. Unable to obtain admission into the ranks of the New Zealanders Fitzherbert went to South Africa, and there enlisted in Roberts Horse. (Service No. 921)

With Roberts Horse Trooper Fitzherbert is mentioned as having taken part in 42 engagements, including the relief of Kimberley, the battle of Paardeberg, and Cronjes surrender, and afterwards took part in the triumphal march into Pretoria.

New Zealanders serving in British or other Commonwealth units is nothing unusual, what makes Trooper Fitzherbert important as far as NZ badge firsts go, is that he forwarded to New Zealand a belt with badges he had collected from the uniforms of British soldiers who fell in the siege of Cronje's forces.

The badge belt was received by Patricks father in April 1900, and was for a while put on display in a shop window in the Palmerston North square.

The following is a list of the known badges that were on Trooper Fitzherbert’s belt.
Warwick
Yorks
Cheshire
RHG
2D
2RG
RAMC
HLI
RA
Norfolk
Hants
R-I
DG
14RHA
Buffs.

Until better evidence can be offered up, it would seem that Trooper Fitzherbert is the first New Zealander to bring back a military souvenir badge belt, which in a sense makes Trooper Fitzherbert the earliest known New Zealand collector of military badges.

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Trooper Rowland Spencer Young, No. 1 Company First Contingent NZMR.
Trooper Rowland Young’s poor business skills as a milkman in Karori (Wellington) ended in a bankruptcy court in Wellington on the 2nd of October 1899. Having served in the Heretaunga Mounted Rifles, Trooper Young joined the NZ First Contingent (Service No. 80) with the intention of starting a new life in South Africa after his year of service.

Unfortunately for Trooper Young in the first few weeks in which he was at the front he was seriously wounded in a clash near Arundel on the 18th December 1899. This is the same action where Trooper George Roland Bradford was wounded, Bradford would be the first New Zealander in the Boer war to die from his wounds on the 28th December 1899.

Trooper Young at the time of his wounding was with a small New Zealand reconnaissance party, and was acting in the capacity of a horse-holder, having five horses in his charge, when a well directed shell landed right in the midst of them, at the same time a hail of bullets was playing all around.
Young's horse was hit three times in as many minutes, and his led horses received a bullet each. Driven to desperation, the animals started pulling in all directions, and, dragging Young out of the saddle, were soon all over the top of him.
Still holding on to the reins, in the midst of battering, scrambling, stamping hoofs, Young had become entangled in the reins, until his comrades released him from his predicament, and eventually succeeded in conveying him beyond the firing line, where it was found that his spine and hips had been severely injured.

After being treated for seven days in a Field Hospital Trooper Young was sent on to the Cape, where he spent four months in hospital, and the doctors were at the time, very dubious of his ability to bear the voyage back to New Zealand. Trooper Young is described as saying “he dreading only that he might have to spend a further time in hospital,” and that “as the result of strenuous pleadings on his part, he was placed upon the Moravian, returning to New Zealand.” (Transferred to the SS Westralia in Australia)

It appears Trooper Young was one of only five invalided New Zealanders that were passengers on the steamer Westralia, which arrived in Wellington on the 12th June 1900.
Records of the time state “the wharf was densely crowded,” and that they were greeted by the Acting-Premier the Hon. Mr Ward, and the Commandant of the NZ Forces Colonel Penton.
“At 12.30 the troopers descended the gangway amidst tumultuous cheering, and were conveyed to the Council Chambers, where they were entertained at luncheon by the Mayor and Councillors.”

What makes Trooper Young important to us NZ badge enthusiasts, is that he is earliest serving New Zealand soldier that I have found so far, to bring back a “splendid trophy in the form of a belt composed of badges of the principal corps in South Africa.”

12th June 1900.
“He was exhibiting a most unique and handsome trophy in the form of a belt studded with the badges worn by many of the Imperial corps in South Africa. These badges, which were of various designs, had been obtained with much difficulty, in some cases by way of exchange for his own buttons, which he had parted with to the last one, substituting a miscellaneous assortment of buttons from the tunics of British soldiers. These little exchanges are examples of the comradeship existing between tha troops of the Mother Country and those of the colonies. “

“The badges on the belt comprised those of St. John Ambulance Association, Marabout 7th Dragoons (to which Lieut. Lindsay has been transferred), the Manchester’s, Suffolks (severely cut up on New Year's Day), Royal Engineers, King's Own, 6th Carbineers, Royal Army Medical Corps, East Lancashire, Royal Horse Artillery, Prince of Wales, Gordon Highlanders, Army Ordnance Corps, a button from the dress of a Canadian nurse, Army Service Corps, Seventeenth Lancers ("Death or Glory Boys." a silver skull and cross bones), and many others. Among them was the badge of my own old corps, the Lancashire Regirnent (the old 40th), Egypt, surrounded by a wreath of laurels.”

Trooper John Cassils Seelye (Service No. 178) seated left and Trooper Rowland Spencer Young (Service No. 80) aboard SS Westralia on the12th June 1900.

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Trooper Edward Nairn Knapp, No. 1 Company Second Contingent NZMR.
Trooper Edward Knapp (Service No. 375) was a Hawkes bay sheep farmer and had served with the Waipawa Rifle Volunteers from its formation on the 16th April 1898.

According to Trooper Knapp’s service records, Knapp embarked with the 2nd Contingent aboard the SS Waiwera on the 20th January 1900, and then latter transferred from the NZMR to the Transvaal Constabulary, where he suffered three attacks of dysentery, which hospitalised Knapp in September 1900, where he was pronounced as medically unfit for further service.

Invalided back to New Zealand, Trooper Knapp was granted 6 months leave of absence on full contingent pay as of the 22nd November 1900.

On the 24th November 1900, Trooper Knapp was escorted by the Waipawa Rifle Volunteers and a band playing “When Johnny comes marching home,” from the train station to the Waipawa Post office, where Captain Rathbone of the Waipawa Rifles, on behalf of the town, formally welcomed Trooper Knapp home again.

The following is a list of items (described as “spoils of the war”) that were exhibited on the 26th November 1900 in Captain Rathbone's shop window: —
Lee Metford (10 shot) magazine rifle, a powerful revolver, a pair of bandoliers filled with cartridges, belt, sword, handcuffs and whistle, uniform hat, police cap, a pouch of explosive bullets, and a collection of badges.

Trooper Harry Sycamore, No. 7 Company Fourth Contingent NZMR
Trooper Harry Sycamore (Service No. 1277) was a Southland coachman by trade and had served a year with the Christchurch City Rifle Volunteers, before embarking aboard the SS Gymeric with the 4th Contingent on the 31st march 1900.

Harry Sycamore was discharged on completion of service of 1 year and 122 days abroad, and was awarded the South Africa medal clasps: — Cape Colony, Transvaal, Rhodesia and SA1901.

Unfortunately, as it was with Trooper Knapp, I have been unable to find a list of what badges were included in Trooper Sycamore’s collection.
However like Knapp’s collection, Sycamore’s collection was publicly displayed in July 1901 at “A. Brockett and Company,” which was a boot maker’s shop located at 210 High Street in Lyttelton.

Trooper Sycamore’s collection is described as: —
“The badges, thirty-six in number, are arranged on a broad military belt, and all branches of the service are represented,” and, “nearly all were taken from soldiers killed in action.”

Like many New Zealand veterans of the Boer war, Harry Sycamore also served in the First World War, and while serving at Gallipoli, Harry was evacuated back to New Zealand after he was wounded on the 8th June 1915.

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Sergeant/Lieutenant Gerald Adams Paul, Fifth & Tenth Contingents NZMR
Sergeant Gerald Paul (Service No. 2699) was the son of James Paul, a prominent New Plymouth bowler and Brewer (Egmont Brewery). Gerald following in his father’s footsteps moved to Nelson and was working for Dodson's Brewery when war was declared.

Prior to joining the 5th Contingent, Gerald Paul had served 12 months as a Gunner with Nelson’s “H” Battery NZFA.

Going by Sergeant Paul’s service records, it appears his appointment as Sergeant with the 5th Contingent Reserve Company, and as Lieutenant with the 10th Contingent, was very much influenced by the personal friendship between Gerald’s father and Lieutenant-Colonel Newall, who was the Commanding Officer of the 5th Contingent.

Sergeant Gerald Paul embarked on the steamer Waimate with the 5th Contingent on the 31st March 1900.

On arrival in South Africa, the 5th Contingent were stationed at Beira for 3 weeks due to a lack of rail transportation, after which, Gerald and other members of the Reserve company were sent on to Marandellas, where they wanted men from the 5th contingent to make up a Company to man a battery of six 15 pounder guns.
On the advice of his Lieutenant, Sergeant Paul joined the battery as a sergeant.

After going through a lot of gun practice and drill the New Zealand gunners of the then newly formed 1st New Zealand Battery Rhodesia Field Force Artillery moved to the battle front in July 1900.

For his service in South Africa with the 5th Contingent, Sergeant Paul received the clasps Transvaal, Rhodesia and Cape Colony. Later on he was also awarded the clasps South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902.
Sergeant Paul returned to New Zealand in July 1901.

What makes Sergeant Paul important to us NZ badge enthusiasts is that he too brought back a belt decorated with the badges of regiments that served in South Africa, which was also publicly displayed.

On the evening of the 27th February 1902, the opening ceremony of theTaranaki Museum was presided over by Mr Dockrill the Mayor and Museum chairman.
Just before the opening ceremony had started, Mr James Paul, (on behalf of Sergeant Gerald Paul) donated the badge belt to the museum.

Interestingly, a day before the opening of theTaranaki Museum, Mr W. E. Spencer, Honorary Secretary for the museum is quoted as saying. —
“It is hoped will be of educational value to the present generation, but of still greater value to those, who, in years to come.”

It appears Sergeant Paul received confirmation of his appointment as Lieutenant with the 10th Contingent on the 2nd of April, although his appointment officially dates as the 14th of April 1902, which interestingly is the same date that the 10th Contingent embarked aboard the steamer Drayton Grange.

Lieutenant Gerald Paul was unfortunate enough to be kicked by a horse on board the troopship Drayton Grange, although his injuries were not of a serious nature, he had to stay in hospital on arrival in South Africa. On the 31st May 1902 — The war officially ended with the signing of the Boer surrender at Potchefstroom.

As with Trooper Harry Sycamore, Gerald Paul served again in the First World War, but as he was living in Canada at the time, Gerald Paul enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, serving with the rank of Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant in C Squadron, Lord Strathcona's Horse (Service No. 2588)

Gerald Paul saw service in Flanders and was at the battle of Festubert, (15-27 May 1915). After a series of failed attacks on 18 May the British rested and replaced some units in the front line. An attack by two Canadian Brigades on 24th May failed to achieve any success. It was on the 24th May that Sergeant Paul was wounded by machine gun fire and then invalided to Vancouver, Canada.

After recovering from his wounds, Gerald Paul became inspector of British munitions at Winnipeg, Canada until he was injured in late 1917, when a falling shell exploded smashing his ankle, big toe, and two other toes.

I can only hope Sergeant Paul’s badge belt survives this day in the current Taranaki Museum.

[atillathenunns]

For those who are interested in New Zealand Boer War uniforms, hats, equipment and badges.

http://militarianz.freeforums.org/ne...ent-t1650.html