ID of unit please NZEF

[Aaron Nelson]

Hi pals,

Below is a picture of my wifes Great Uncle.

He was Rifleman Colin McOnie, his unit according CWGC was 3rd Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade.

His service record states he did spend time with the "N Z Eng Tun Coy" Could this be New Zealand Tunneling company ?

Anyway my question is can anyone identify the unit his collar badge may represent. he was part of the 17th reinforcements to the NZEF, and he was killed on the 7th of June 1917.

Any info would be greatly appreciated by the pals.

All the best Aaron.

[Captain Dave]

According to the book, 'The Regimental Badges of NZ', this is the Reinforcements collar badge for the 17th Infantry Reinforcements.

Pg 181. So that fits nicely with your info.

Regards

Dave

[Aaron Nelson]

Thanks Captian Dave for your kind advice and confirmation.

Best regards Aaron.

[NZRB]

Hi Aaron

My grandfather was also a 17th Reinforcement NZRB rifleman - H Coy. A good NZ book based on the diaries and letters of two riflemen who also came through with the 17th was written by Rae Collins and is titled "Mates at the War" (Rae Collins 2003). There has been the odd article in the NZ Genealogists and the latest in Nov/Dec 2007 on the 17th was for Rifleman William James Watts 25657. he died on the 12 of October 1917.

Sometime before Messines riflemen were draft into a working battalion and sent elsewere to assist digging gun emplacements for the French and cable burying.

This may have been the time noted as being spent with the NZ engineers, but I may be wrong on this.

Cheers Richard Bate