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  #1  
Old 04-08-14, 08:56 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Default A, B, C & RDs of New Zealand Reinforcement Badges.

Today, the 4th of August 2014, is the 100 year anniversary of Great Britain declaring war on Germany.
Interestingly, New Zealand had already made the following commitment on the 31st July 1914. —
“If occasion arises and it may New Zealand Government will ask Parliament and the people of New Zealand to do their duty by offering services of Expeditionary Force to the Imperial Government.”

On Wednesday, 5th August 1914, at 12.15 pm New Zealand time, a “secret cypher telegram” was received by the Governor of New Zealand, which stated. —
“War has broken out with Germany.”
Two hours later at 3 pm, on the steps of Parliament in Wellington, the Governor Lord Liverpool and Prime Minister W. F. Massey announce to the New Zealand public the outbreak of war with Germany.
71 days later, on the 15th of October 1914, a NZ Expeditionary Force of 7,761 men and Reinforcements of 738 men embarked from New Zealand.

To honour such a significant event in New Zealand history, I thought I would take a crack at providing a better understanding of New Zealand Reinforcement badges.
I have loads of information to share, but unfortunately time is not so abundant, so it’s going to have to be a work in progress, as I can, when I can.

Just to start the ball rolling, and to help those who have no understanding of NZ Reinforcements, the following article was published in the Wellington Dominion Newspaper two days after the war ended on the 13th November 1918. —
"The announcement that war had begun reached the Dominion on August 5, 1914, and on that day the Prime Minister (Right Hon. W. F. Massey) moved in the House of Representatives:—
That in view of the fact that Great Britain has become involved in war with Germany, this House approves of the necessary steps being taken by the New Zealand Government to have in readiness an Expeditionary Force.
This motion was passed unanimously, and the Defence Department proceeded at once with the arrangements. Recruits were offering in thousands, and the authorities were able to make a selection, they gave preference first to members of the Territorial Force and then to men who had had previous military experience. Improvised camps Began to fill quickly, instructional staffs were arranged, and the provision of transport was undertaken.

The actual strength of the Main Body when it left New Zealand was 7761 men. It was accompanied by the First Reinforcement, numbering 738 men, so that the total strength of the force that left New Zealand on October 15, 1914, was 8499 men. The recruiting of the Main Body was based upon the Territorial organisation, each mounted rifle regiment providing a squadron and each infantry regiment a company. Thus each military district provided a mounted rifle regiment and an infantry battalion named after the district from which it was drawn. The Territorial organisation has been maintained throughout the war, the exception being the Rifle Brigade, which was a new departure.

The Main Body first left New Zealand on September 25, 1914, but they were ordered back to port. The German armed forces in the Pacific were a menace and the authorities did not consider that the escort then available was adequate. The troops resumed their training ashore until the arrival of the British cruise Minotaur and the Japanese cruiser Ibuki. Then the men were re-embarked on October 15, and early the next morning the transports put to sea. The destination of the troops was not known to the public of New Zealand at that time. It was learned later that the men had gone lo Egypt, where they continued their training and prepared for the great ordeal of Gallipoli. The Main Body, according to the promise made by the New Zealand Government, was to be reinforced regularly and adequately during the period of the war. The rate of reinforcement varied from time to lime, but it is a proud boast that the drafts never failed. There was a shortage of reinforcements in the early days on Gallipoli, when the casualties were outrunning all expectation and preparation. Big drafts were sent away to meet that position, and there was never a shortage of reinforcements for the New Zealand units at any other stage of the campaign.

The first big increase in the strength of the Expeditionary Force was made at this end. The Government, in April, 1915, decided upon the creation of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, with some additional artillery, including a howitzer battery. The organisation of the Brigade went ahead rapidly, and the first two battalions sailed from New. Zealand on October 9, 1915, with a strength of 2250 men. The 3rd and 4th Battalions followed early in February, l916, and numbered 2111 men. The Rifle Brigade, like the Main Body, was to be reinforced monthly for the duration of the war."
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Old 08-08-14, 02:33 PM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Now I would firstly like to point out that I am no expert when it comes to NZ Reinforcement badges, but then again I am no novice. Much of my knowledge is drawn from NZ badge books, and it is Geoffrey Lowe’s book “New Zealand Reinforcement Badges 1914-1918” that has helped me the most when it comes to putting Reinforcement badges into a logical order, so much of my own research is inspired by what Geoffrey Lowe wrote over 27 years ago.

Lowe’s book was never intended to explore relative rarity of NZ Reinforcement Badges, so in order to further my own understanding I contacted owners of two of the oldest badge collections in New Zealand. The first collector was Laurie Osborne whose badge collection is legendary among NZ badge collectors, and Laurie is also one of the few people who originally supplied badges and information for Lowe’s book. The second collector who has also unstintingly provided me with photos of his rare reinforcements badges is fellow forum member Tinto.
Without their help this thread this thread would not have been possible.

However, to really truly understand the beginnings of NZ Reinforcement badges we need to start with. — Who were the first Camp Jewellers at Trentham Camp? As this is where the first reinforcement badges were manufactured and worn.

The first Camp Jeweller to set up shop at Trentham Camp was Horace William Lloyd who was the Michael Hill Jeweller of his day.

Horace Lloyd had learnt his trade as a watchmaker, jeweller, and optician in England, and had worked in Cheapside, London, before moving to New Zealand and taking up employment with W. Littlejohn & Son, who were jewellers located at 85 Lambton-quay in Wellington.
Lloyd with around 15 years’ experience opened his own first jewellery shop at 65 Lambton-quay in 1897.

The second Camp Jeweller to set up shop at Trentham Camp appears to have been Arnold Ashworth Binns.

Interestingly, back in late September 1912, Arnold Binns was employed by Horace Lloyd to manage his jewellers shop located at 114 Cuba Street in Wellington. Unfortunately for Lloyd, Binns had a bad gambling problem, and had resorted to pawning and selling jewellery from the shop to fund his addiction. Binns had gambled that with a win he could return the items he had taken, but luck was not on his side, and only 9 months after he was employed as manager, Binns was arrested and charged with 13 counts of theft of jewellery with a retail value of £165. (Binns salary was £4 a week)
Binns pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.
The total loss to Horace Lloyd was finally calculated at £86, and just prior to sentencing, a draft of £100 had been cabled from Binns family in England to make good on the value of the articles stolen.
His Honour the Chief Justice Sir Robert Stout was on the Bench when Binns was sentenced on the 18th of August 1913, and passing what he considered to be a very light sentence, gave Binns a sentence of eight months imprisonment with hard labour.


The following advert is dated the 20th October 1915.

Last edited by atillathenunns; 29-07-17 at 01:15 AM.
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  #3  
Old 08-08-14, 08:32 PM
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Hi Brent,

Firstly let me say you have embarked on a very worthwhile project and I will watch this thread with interest. Thanks for your kind mention, I'm sure there are other Reinforcement collectors who would be willing to help.

In regard to the Trentham Camp shop, my father told me that when he was at the Camp in the early 1920's on a Senior Cadet Course, he found this shop locked up but looking through the windows could see many badges suspended on wires from the ceiling. You have to wonder what became of those.

All the Best,
Tinto
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  #4  
Old 12-08-14, 10:57 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Tinto, I don’t have all the answers, but some answers with a touch of speculation are better than nothing at all.

“The advantages of Reinforcements, apart from making good wastage in the field, were obvious. They are. —
(1) The improvement of the morale of the existing troops by the knowledge that on due date their losses will be repaired (nothing is so disheartening to armies in the field as evidence of constantly vanishing strength)
(2) The absorption of the recruits among an invariably much larger proportion of seasoned veterans and placing them under experienced officers
(3) Preservation of the Regimental traditions won during the various military campaigns. The result, in effect, is the creation of a veteran army, as the newcomers, trained up to a certain standard before being absorbed among the seasoned troops, soon become veterans themselves.”
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Old 17-08-14, 12:56 AM
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Photograph taken in Christchurch by Adam Henry Pearson Maclay, of an unidentified couple. The soldier is wearing brass (Type No. 28) 21st Reinforcement cap badge and collar badges featuring the NZ Fantail bird.



The lady is wearing what looks to me to be a sterling silver (Type No. 28) 21st Reinforcement sweethearts badge, and a locket with a photo of the soldier.







The 21st Reinforcement collar badge design (Rd 892) was officially registered on the 12th September 1916, and the 21st Reinforcement cap badge design (Rd894) was officially registered on the 14th September 1916, and both were officially registered to a Mr H. F. Edgecumbe of Mayer & Kean, who were ‘General Engravers and Die Sinkers’ and were located at 4 Willis Street in Wellington.
(The 21st Reinforcements embarked on the 19th January 1917)

Last edited by atillathenunns; 29-07-17 at 01:38 AM.
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  #6  
Old 17-08-14, 09:25 AM
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Due to other collecting habits I am a bit of a late starter when it comes to NZ Reinforcement badges, and the following triple fern badge picture is literally the very first NZ Reinforcement badge that I collected. (At the time it was my 2nd most expensive badge purchase)



Geoffrey Lowe’s badge book was “compiled from photographic evidence of the badges having been worn on actual uniforms, - rather than from badges existing in individual collections.”
Unfortunately Lowe’s book does not include a picture of a ‘triple fern badge’ being worn, and has only dedicated one short paragraph describing the (Type No. 1) triple fern badge.

Fortunately for us speculators of brass metals, photographic evidence of a triple fern hat badge was discovered and commented on by fellow forum member Pukman on the 16th November 2009.
The picture shows Trooper Robert Scott from Longridge in Southland, who embarked with the Otago Mounted Rifles 6th reinforcements on the 14th August 1915.


Trooper Scott was the first piece of the puzzle, and with focus drawn on the 6th and 7th Reinforcements, more triple fern photograhs were uncovered, adding enough evidence to make a reasonable speculation that the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reinforcements triple fern badges were simply modified excess badges (As first worn by the 6th and 7th Reinforcements) that were purposely altered for the collectors market.

In all, there appears to be 4 variations/patterns of triple fern badges, my own 1st Reinforcements triple fern badge rates as a 3rd Pattern- made for the collectors market.
The following triple fern badge from Tintos collection, rates as a 1st Pattern badge – and was worn by men of the 6th and 7th Reinforcements.
On the back of the badge is the letters “C.B” for C. M. Bay of Willis Street, who was the manufacturer of this badge.



The second and most important piece of the puzzle is the collection of NZ Reinforcement badges featured on page 17 of the book Historic Trentham, which was written by Will Lawson (New Zealands leading poet at the time) and printed by the Wellington Publishing company. (First edition was released on the 1st September 1917)
The collection of NZ Reinforcement badges (page 17) is credited to Mr Elden S. Neill and appears to have been photographed around May 1917.



In order to successfully analyse the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Reinforcements triple fern badges, as well as other early reinforcement badges that are displayed in the collection credited to Mr Elden S. Neill, we need to understand who Elden S. Neill is?

This brings us full circle to our two first Trentham Camp jewellers, Horace William Lloyd and Arnold Ashworth Binns, who were undoubtedly the two of the main players when it came to NZ Reinforcement badges.

As mentioned earlier Horace William Lloyd was the Michael Hill Jeweller of his day, that is, he would open a store, stock it with fine jewellery, and employ a suitably qualified manager to run it for him.
To manage his shop at Trentham Camp Horace Lloyd employed Mr E. Looser, who before moving to New Zealand, had done his apprenticeship (about six years) as a watchmaker in London, and then gained further experience in leading watchmaking houses in Europe, particularly in Lucerne (Switzerland) and then in Nice (France).

Arnold Ashworth Binns also employed a manager to run his shop at Trentham Camp.
Arnold Binns employed Elden S. Neill as his manager.

Last edited by atillathenunns; 29-07-17 at 01:58 AM.
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  #7  
Old 11-04-15, 12:06 AM
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Default Reinforcement badges 4 to 10

Reinforcements badges 4 to 10, I need images of, including soldiers wearing these badges.

As these reinforcements are very rare!
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Old 16-04-15, 09:27 AM
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atillathenunns atillathenunns is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnLynch View Post
Reinforcements badges 4 to 10, I need images of, including soldiers wearing these badges.

As these reinforcements are very rare!
Hi John, I have lots of photos of early reinforcement badges as well as period images of the reinforcements wearing these badges, and will be posting them on this thread hopefully in the near future. (I will post them in the order they were worn)
I will also try to provide some sort of understanding as to which camp jeweller was responsible for the design/production of the earliest reinforcement badges.
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Old 19-04-15, 06:04 AM
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With the 100th anniversary of the 25 April 1915 Gallipoli landings only a few days away, It is worth considering.—
Who was the first New Zealand soldier to land on Gallipoli on the 25th?

Thanks to Frank Glen’s most excellent book, Bowler of Gallipoli, the answer is the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Reinforcements, Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund Robert Bowler was the first New Zealand soldier to land on Gallipoli.

Lieutenant-Colonel Edmund Bowler’s appointment as one of four Beach Landing Officers (BLO), placed him as responsible for the No. 1 section, the northern-most section of the beach.
Glen’s research places Bowler arriving ashore at 4.30am with the first troops from the Australian infantry, who were only preceded by the Australian covering party.
(New Zealand troops arrived approx. eight hours later)



Interestingly Bowler’s great-great-grand-daughter has been awarded the Gallipoli youth award from the AFS Intercultural programme.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/loca...-to-Anzac-Cove

It could be considered that the first New Zealander ashore was Bernard Freyberg VC., who on the evening of 24 April 1915, won his first DSO when he famously swam ashore at Bulair and set off flares to divert Turkish attention from the Gallipoli landings.

Firstly, Freyberg was not born in New Zealand, he was born in Richmond, Surrey, England on 21 March 1889, and moved to New Zealand with his parents at the age of two.
Freyberg’s military history is said to have stated with “school cadets at Wellington College (1897 to 1904)” and “from January 1913 served as a lieutenant in a senior cadet company.”
Christopher Pugsley, author of the Gallipoli the New Zealand story, mentions Freyberg served as a second lieutenant with the 6th Hauraki Regiment until 1914.

Secondly, Freyberg left Wellington for San Francisco in March 1914.—
“After some weeks of indecision, Freyberg went south to Mexico, and may have been involved in the civil war then raging in that country. Upon hearing of the outbreak of war in Europe in August 1914, however, he immediately set off for England.
Freyberg secured a commission in the newly formed Royal Naval Division’s Hood Battalion. He was gazetted as a temporary lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and given command of a company. By September 1914 he was on the Belgian front.”

Although Freyberg has claim to having lived most of his life in New Zealand, he was not a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces during World War One.

Last edited by atillathenunns; 26-12-17 at 11:11 PM.
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Old 03-05-15, 09:06 AM
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As a continuation to the Embarkation table in post # 32, the following is a ‘1914/1915’ Reinforcement Disembarkation table.

……………………………………......................Embarked…....Disembarked Egypt
Samoa Advance Party ……………..........15 Aug 1914…...29 Aug 1914 (Samoa)
Main Body………………………..................15 Oct 1914…….03 Dec 1914
1st Reinforcements………………............15 Oct 1914…….03 Dec 1914
2nd Reinforcements………………...........14 Dec 1914…...28 Jan 1915
3rd Reinforcements………………............14 Feb 1915…...26 Mar 1915
1st Maori Contingent…………….............14 Feb 1915……26 Mar 1915
1st Samoa Relief…………………..............27 Mar 1915…..03 Apr 1915 (Samoa)
4th Reinforcements………………............17 Apr 1915…….25 May 1915
5th Reinforcements………………............13 Jun 1915…….24 Jul 1915
6th Reinforcements………………............14 Aug 1915…...19 Sep 1915
2nd Maori Contingent ……………..........19 Sep 1915…….26 Oct 1915
6th Reinforcements (balance)............19 Sep 1915……26 Oct 1915
Advance Party 1st + 2nd NZRB….......19 Sep 1915…….26 Oct 1915
1st + 2nd Battalions NZRB……….........09 Oct 1915…….17 Nov 1915
7th Reinforcements………………............09 Oct 1915…….30 Nov 1915
8th Reinforcements………………............14 Nov 1915…...18 Dec 1915

The excellent book ‘Gallipoli the New Zealand story,’ by Christopher Pugsley, mentions on page 90 that. —
“By the time Godley’s men left Egypt, they had received the Second and Third Reinforcements, each nearly 2000 stong. Also to join were New Zealanders of the British Section recruited in England and a Maori contingent, 500 strong.”

Pugsley, mentions on page 94, that at the time of the April 25th landings. —
“Some 1600 New Zealanders from the Infantry Reinforcements would remain in Egypt, as well as Russell’s Brigade and Bauchop’s regiment of Otago Mounted Rifles. The total number of New Zealanders who would sail for the Dardanelles was 6324. This included 522 reinforcements who were to act as ‘hold’ parties to unload stores and remain on board ship until called for.”

It is worth mentioning that prior to the landing on April 25th, at least 300 New Zealanders, the majority of which were side lined in hospitals for medical reasons, and some that were sent back to New Zealand for refusing inoculations and misconduct, each requiring a reinforcement to take their place.

Pugsley, mentions on page 149, that. —
“Official estimates compiled after the war listed New Zealand casualties from 25 to 30 April as approximately 372 dead and 703 wounded and missing, a total of 1075, the majority from the first day.”

The Third Reinforcements arrived on ANZAC on the 6th May 1915, 839 were sent to Cape Helles to join the NZ Infantry Brigade who had arrived at Cape Helles on the 5th May 1915.

The Fourth Reinforcements arrived on ANZAC on the 7th June 1915.

The New Zealand Maori Contingent, 477 strong, arrived at ANZAC on the 3rd July 1915. They were attached to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade and were sent to No.1 Outpost, which became known as the Maori Pah.



The Fifth Reinforcements arrived on ANZAC on the 8th August 1915, and go into the firing line.

The Sixth Reinforcements and Second Maori Contingent arrived on ANZAC in November 1915

Christopher Pugsley, mentions on page 330 that. —
“By November, the food, the rest and a gradual training programme was restoring the strength of the men. Convalescents were returning and the arrival of the 6th Reinforcements, totalling 2464, slowly built the Brigades up to half strength.
Their arrival marked the end of a chapter. By the end of August, New Zealand casualties numbered 7067 killed and wounded and dead from disease out of a total of for the campaign of 7571.”

“The New Zealand Expeditionary Force by now was mainly made up from the 3rd, 4th and 5th Reinforcements that had joined it at Gallipoli. There were very few of the Main Body left. The Wellington Battalion had 15 and it was the same throughout the brigades.”

Last edited by atillathenunns; 26-12-17 at 11:15 PM.
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Old 02-07-15, 11:57 PM
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One for badge researchers to ponder .Driver James Congreve 11/1528,6th reinforcements, wearing an I over a 6,and a similar looking sweetheart badge, listed recently on Trade Me as a 16th reinforcement .
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Old 21-10-15, 08:50 AM
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Having researched the landing of Edmund Bowler in some detail, after claims for some years by some of his descendants that he was the first New Zealander to land at Anzac Cove at 4.30am, it is quite clear that this is incorrect. He landed in the first tow off his transport, the Lake Michigan, as Beach Landing Officer with the 12th Battalion AIF and Headquarters staff. The first tow left the Michigan (12th Battalion War Diary) including Bowler at 6.50am. This places Bowler landing after 7am and before 7.30am. He landed some two and a half hours after a number of New Zealanders in the AIF had already landed in the first waves and splashed ashore around 4.30am. It seems this information was not accessed and claims checked by Frank Glen (writer of Bowler of Gallipoli). Bowler's own writing about his journey ashore and landing bears little resemblance to the pre-dawn nerve-wracking silent row ashore of the first landers, well documented in contemporary reports, unit documents and unit histories. Bowler was the first member of the NZEF ashore. Confirmation of the facts is relatively easy using readily available on-line access to Australian War Memorial Museum records. It will most probably never be known who was the first New Zealander ashore, although most likely he was a member of the 9th Battalion AIF, the leading boats of the Battalion being the first to disembark onto what was to become known as Anzac Cove.
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Old 22-10-15, 07:55 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Kiwijohn View Post
Having researched the landing of Edmund Bowler in some detail, after claims for some years by some of his descendants that he was the first New Zealander to land at Anzac Cove at 4.30am, it is quite clear that this is incorrect. He landed in the first tow off his transport, the Lake Michigan, as Beach Landing Officer with the 12th Battalion AIF and Headquarters staff. The first tow left the Michigan (12th Battalion War Diary) including Bowler at 6.50am. This places Bowler landing after 7am and before 7.30am. He landed some two and a half hours after a number of New Zealanders in the AIF had already landed in the first waves and splashed ashore around 4.30am. It seems this information was not accessed and claims checked by Frank Glen (writer of Bowler of Gallipoli). Bowler's own writing about his journey ashore and landing bears little resemblance to the pre-dawn nerve-wracking silent row ashore of the first landers, well documented in contemporary reports, unit documents and unit histories. Bowler was the first member of the NZEF ashore. Confirmation of the facts is relatively easy using readily available on-line access to Australian War Memorial Museum records. It will most probably never be known who was the first New Zealander ashore, although most likely he was a member of the 9th Battalion AIF, the leading boats of the Battalion being the first to disembark onto what was to become known as Anzac Cove.
Welcolme to the forum Kiwijohn.
It is always good to get an update of new information, I hear the Australians historians have only just recently acknowledged that 20 sappers, non-commissioned officers and an officer each from Nos 1, 2 and 3 sections of the 1st Field Company Engineers were also among the first ashore at Gallipoli.

I am glad you are able to validate my claim that Edmund Bowler was “the first New Zealand soldier to land on Gallipoli on the 25th” albeit a little over 2 ½ hours later than I had stated.

I was not aware Bowler’s descendants had made claims that he was the first New Zealander to land at Anzac Cove, but to be honest I have seen no evidence so far which proves them wrong.
To prove them incorrect you really need to identify a New Zealander that actually landed before Bowler.
Do you have any evidence to back your claims?

I for one would be very interested to know if any New Zealanders serving in the AIF or Australian 1st Field Company Engineers were ashore before the Commanding Officer of the New Zealand 2nd Reinforcements.
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Old 10-01-16, 02:21 AM
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Yet another triple fern badge being worn .Private Robert Campbell Erikson 6/2608

Scroll -less but unclear if it is numbered or not .Erikson was a 6th Infantry reinforcement .

I look forward to seeing John Lynch's research into this particular badge .



(Onward Volume 3 ,page 125)

The third instalment of the Onward series is available now ,with over 4000 photo portraits of 1st NZEF soldiers ,a real treasure trove for the NZ military genealogist and an interesting array of badges being worn
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