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Old 30-10-22, 06:06 AM
nbroadarrowz nbroadarrowz is offline
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Default Next of Kin Badges

Next of Kin Badges
By Barry O’Sullivan
For a number of years, the black ‘On Active Service’ badge has been a mystery. What period where the badges used and who and why were they produced?
With the centenary of the First World War these badges have been coming to the fore, presumed by some to be of WW1 vintage. The badges can be found with both WW1 and/or WW2 family keepsakes. Holding on to Home by K. Hunter and K. Ross provide a picture of a badge on page 25 which indicates that the badges are WW1. The price guide Badges and Insignia of the New Zealand Army by G.P. Oldham lists the badges and gives them a catalogue number but does not give a date. Some collectors believe that they are from WW1, hopeful to get good prices on resale. Once researched, the keepsakes in family collections can be attributed to different family members who served in either war or badges that can be associated with both wars. While I strongly believed the badges were WW2, proof was still needed and up until now I have found no evidence to support the cause either way.
Papers Past, that great online research tool, proved to hold the answers (as with many other answers) but this resource is only as good as the search terms used. The obvious ‘On active service’ proved to be a search with far too many results. The search term ‘Father, Son, Brother, Husband and Badge’ was successful in narrowing down the search results and provided the answers to Who, When and Why.
The badge is black enamel with white metal (sometimes copper coloured) frame and highlights with a broach pin to the rear and is 30mm by 19mm. The four corners are chamfered to create an eight-sided badge. The top line reads ON ACTIVE SERVICE. The centre has a fern frond between the letters N Z. and on the bottom is the next-of-kin designation. The original relationship designations were Son, Father, Brother and Husband. Although the original advertisement states that these are the only relationships available, badges with the purl Brothers and Sons were produced and as noted in Oldham, a ‘Daughter’ badge seems to have been produced, but as yet I am still to confirm this.
The original advertisement states that the badges were artistically designed in silver and black enamel and in the New Zealand’s national colours. Whether the badge is true silver is doubtful as there is no indication on the rear that it is silver, i.e., STG SIL. as was common at the time on New Zealand made silver items. The badge is also referred to as an Honour Badge, giving an indication as to why they were made and sold.
The badges were made by Young & Co of Auckland, and this is embossed on the rear. While Young & Co. made the badges, it is unlikely that they retailed them. The badges were advertised in a few local and national newspapers from June to August 1940 (but there may have been in others). The first being a small three-line ad in the classified section. Later, larger ads with a picture of the badge appeared. The company behind the scheme was Business Services, P.O. Box 1228 Auckland. The badges were sold to the public for two shillings and six pence plus two pence worth of stamps to cover postage. One would think that at the time these badges were produced that they were sold to raise funds for, and to promote patriotic purposes or an organisation, but as there is no mention of any patriotic connection in the ads it is most likely that the badges were simply a commercial enterprise, designed to make money from the hype and separation of overseas service. Being advertised as an honour badge they played into the hearts of those who were left behind and the guilt and distress felt by many. When worn, the badge indicated to others that the wearer had a family member overseas and as such could feel proud, but there was no checking to see if those who brought the badges had a legitimate relation overseas on active service.
For collectors the badges should be known as ‘Next of Kin’ badges and are a legitimate WW2 home front collectible. While the production numbers are unknown, the numbers of badges on the collector market is an indication of the numbers produced. The badges are not rare in themselves but some of the relationship designations are harder to find than others, i.e., Brothers and Sons. It is very unlikely that a ‘Daughters’ badge was produced. Photos of the badges actually being worn by family members in civilian clothing are harder to find than the badges. There is a photo at Puke Ariki (New Plymouth Museum) that shows the badge being worn by a teenager.

If anyone has any more information about these WW2 next of kin badges, photos of them being worn or a photo of a DAUGHTER badge I would appreciate hearing from you.

Barry O’Sullivan
This edition 21st April 2018

If anyone is interested in my original article with newspaper clippings and references, please ask.
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Old 30-10-22, 09:40 PM
woronora woronora is offline
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Hi Barry

A top piece of research once again. Many thanks for your painstaking efforts in clearing up another mystery of NZ war related badges. Good luck in finding a 'daughters' badge. Hopefully the manufacturers didn't forget the contribution of women, particularly the nurses, during WW2.

Cheers

John
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Old 31-10-22, 06:12 AM
nbroadarrowz nbroadarrowz is offline
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Hi John,
Thanks for your thoughts about my research.
I don't believe that a 'daughters' badge was produced. Because this was a business it would not make commercial sense.
Being promoted in 1940, women were not yet to the fore on active service so would not have been in the forefront of a thinking.

I would like to be proved wrong.
Barry
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Old 31-10-22, 10:19 AM
nbroadarrowz nbroadarrowz is offline
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If a daughter badge, why not 'sister' or 'wife' badges?
Barry
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