John Holmes Posted 6 October , 2004 Share Posted 6 October , 2004 Hi, seeing the 2nd Aukland Regiment with a red diamond, did all the other battalions wear a diamond in different colours as part of their I. D.? Regards John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Dave Posted 7 October , 2004 Share Posted 7 October , 2004 All of the Battalions wore an arm patch denoting which Battalion they were part of. It was sticky, as the Regiments were spread across the Brigades. Thus the Canterbury Regiment had 1st and 2nd Bns in the 2nd Bde, and the 3rd Bn in the fth Bde. To make matters worse each Coy was drafted from an indivuidual TF Bn in NZ. So each Canterbury Regt Bn had 1st Cant (A Coy) 2nd South Cant (B Coy) 12th Nelson (C Coy) and 13th Westland (D Coy) I will list them tonite for you when I get access to the records. It's fairly confusing when they could have just formed provicial Bdes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Dave Posted 8 October , 2004 Share Posted 8 October , 2004 Right, here we go. 1st Bde HQ Black Diamond 1st Bn Auckland Regt Dk Blue Square with Red Stripe 2nd Bn Auckland Regt Dk Blue square with Red diamond 1st Bn Wellington Regt Black square with yellow stripe 2nd Bn Wellington Regt Black square with yellow diamond 2nd Bde HQ Black square 1st Bn Canterbury Regt Black square with hlf dk blue and red diamond (long split 2nd Bn Canterbury Regt Black Square with hlf red and dk blue diamond (side split) 1st Bn Otago Regt black sqre w hlf orange and blue diamond split longways 2nd Bn Otago Regt Black square w hlf orange and blue diamond sprint sideways Rifle Brigade HQ Black Star 1st Bn Black Diamond 2nd Bn Black square 3rd Bn Black Triangle 4th Bn Black Triangle (inverted) 4th Bde - Nil HQ marking 3rd Bn, Auckland Regt Red square w black stripe 3rd Bn Wellington Regt Yello square w black stripe 3rd Bn Canterbury Regt Blue square w red stripe 3rd Bn Otago Regt Blue square w orange stripe Reserve Bde 4th Bn Auckland Regiment Red sqare with black diamond 4th Bn Wellington Regt yellow square w black diamond 4th Bn Canterbury Regt Red square w blue stripe 4th Bn Otago Regt Orange square w blue stripe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Chip Minx Posted 9 October , 2004 Share Posted 9 October , 2004 Captain Dave, What would be the date for the patches that you have listed? They were worn from when to when? Thanks, Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Dave Posted 9 October , 2004 Share Posted 9 October , 2004 Captain Dave, What would be the date for the patches that you have listed? They were worn from when to when? Thanks, Chip Good question, and one that send me back to the books for clarification. From what I can see the patches were introduced in 1916 when the Division arrived in Europe from Gallipoli. The NZ Div was expanded and three Bdes of Infantry were committed to the Western Front. The first and second Bdes saw service continuously up till the end of the war. The Rifle Brigade was raised as a non provincial unit in Egypt, and was originaly the Earl of Liverpools Own, (quite an odd name for a NZ unit) These patches are still used by the 7th Wellington (City of Wellington's Own) and East Coast Battalion Group. The Rifle Bde ceased to exist in 1919. Like any good Rifle Bde, everything was black, including the patches, embelishments etc) The forth Bde was raised for a short period from March 1917 to Feb 1918, and was disbanded due to the need for reinforcements and the need to bring the NZ Div back into line as a three Bde Div. There were no patches identifying NZ tps at Gallipoli as the provincial badges did the job. However with the enlargement of the Infantry in 1916, there was obviously a need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Holmes Posted 11 October , 2004 Author Share Posted 11 October , 2004 Cheers Dave, for your response on the patches, I've just read a short article on the New Zealanders attack on Le Quesnoy with the method adopted the Black Prince would have recognised. Thanks again John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvivash Posted 25 February , 2007 Share Posted 25 February , 2007 Right, here we go. 1st Bde HQ Black Diamond 1st Bn Auckland Regt Dk Blue Square with Red Stripe 2nd Bn Auckland Regt Dk Blue square with Red diamond 1st Bn Wellington Regt Black square with yellow stripe 2nd Bn Wellington Regt Black square with yellow diamond 2nd Bde HQ Black square 1st Bn Canterbury Regt Black square with hlf dk blue and red diamond (long split 2nd Bn Canterbury Regt Black Square with hlf red and dk blue diamond (side split) 1st Bn Otago Regt black sqre w hlf orange and blue diamond split longways 2nd Bn Otago Regt Black square w hlf orange and blue diamond sprint sideways Rifle Brigade HQ Black Star 1st Bn Black Diamond 2nd Bn Black square 3rd Bn Black Triangle 4th Bn Black Triangle (inverted) 4th Bde - Nil HQ marking 3rd Bn, Auckland Regt Red square w black stripe 3rd Bn Wellington Regt Yello square w black stripe 3rd Bn Canterbury Regt Blue square w red stripe 3rd Bn Otago Regt Blue square w orange stripe Reserve Bde 4th Bn Auckland Regiment Red sqare with black diamond 4th Bn Wellington Regt yellow square w black diamond 4th Bn Canterbury Regt Red square w blue stripe 4th Bn Otago Regt Orange square w blue stripe Hello, Sorry to drag this up from the past but I was doing some research and found your post. I have a bush hat with a black diamond inside a yellow square sewn to it. I always assumed it was WWII in date but reading your post could it be WWI? Unfortunatley the part of the leather lining band with the date on is missing, the badge has been sewn through the hat onto the band and the leather has come away in the vital place! Were these badges used through to WWII? Is there any way I can date the hat from the style etc? From your list it would appear the hat is from 4th Bn Wellington Regt. It does seem to have a name written in pen very faintly, could be: Jake Kimu... could it be from NZ? Any information you could supply would be gratefully received. Thanks. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 25 February , 2007 Share Posted 25 February , 2007 Hello, Sorry to drag this up from the past but I was doing some research and found your post. I have a bush hat with a black diamond inside a yellow square sewn to it. I always assumed it was WWII in date but reading your post could it be WWI? Any information you could supply would be gratefully received. Thanks. Carl Carl Does your hat look like a New Zealand "Lemon Squeezer"? http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-uniforms/nz-slouch.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvivash Posted 25 February , 2007 Share Posted 25 February , 2007 Carl Does your hat look like a New Zealand "Lemon Squeezer"? http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-uniforms/nz-slouch.htm Hi, No, it is the standard type of slouch hat with 3 vents on either side and the side worn up with the badge sewn to it. The reason I think it may be NZ is that the only reference to a black diamond in a yellow square is to do with the Wellington Regt. NZ troops wore both sorts didn't they? Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Hauraki KIA KAHA Posted 26 February , 2007 Share Posted 26 February , 2007 Hi, No, it is the standard type of slouch hat with 3 vents on either side and the side worn up with the badge sewn to it. The reason I think it may be NZ is that the only reference to a black diamond in a yellow square is to do with the Wellington Regt. NZ troops wore both sorts didn't they? Thanks for your help. karl it sounds like a WW2 British Bush Hat. I used to have a 1944 dated one, that had RAF Regiment patch on the side. With the 3 vents on the side. The 3rd New Zealand Division in the Pacific, wore patches sewn onto the side of the Puggaree. Do you have you a photograph of your hat?. jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvivash Posted 26 February , 2007 Share Posted 26 February , 2007 karl it sounds like a WW2 British Bush Hat. I used to have a 1944 dated one, that had RAF Regiment patch on the side. With the 3 vents on the side. The 3rd New Zealand Division in the Pacific, wore patches sewn onto the side of the Puggaree. Do you have you a photograph of your hat?. jonathan I have always assumed it was WWII in date but have not been able to find any other information ref the black diamond on yellow square badge apart from this thread. Does anyone know if the Wellington Regt carried on using these badges after 1918? I will try to take some pictures tonight. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvivash Posted 27 February , 2007 Share Posted 27 February , 2007 Here are some photos. The style seems to be WWII I think but the badge seems to be the one mentioned above. It has had at least two badges sewn to the brim at some point and also one sewn directly to the crown. It also looks as if it has had a metal badge pinned to the front. The badge that is on at the moment has a hole in the centre that goes through the brim, possibly to hold a metal badge like the fern leaf?? The mark where the Puggaree was seems to indicate that it was a bit smaller than most. I would be interested to hear what you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvivash Posted 27 February , 2007 Share Posted 27 February , 2007 A couple more: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6th Hauraki KIA KAHA Posted 27 February , 2007 Share Posted 27 February , 2007 Hi It looks like a WW2 bush hat. It appears to of had a band rather than a Puggaree. The patch is similar to the 4th Reserve Battalion Wellington patch. This was only worn during WW1 and not worn on the hat During WW2 patches were worn on the right side of the Puggaree only the 8th Brigade MMG patch was worn on the left. 29 Batt 30th 34, 35,36,37 plus 14 Brigade MMG Company and 8 Brigade MMG company were the only ones. The hat is something I have never seen before, the patch is like something from WW1 and the hat is a WW2 British style. Here is a WW1 made Wellington patch and a WW2 34th battalion patch. A photo of 30th Battalion patch WW2 During WW1 patches were worn 2 inches from the centre back of the collar. What maker is on the press stud. Jonathan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvivash Posted 27 February , 2007 Share Posted 27 February , 2007 Thanks for the information. The press stud is made by "Newey Brothers Ltd B'ham" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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