circa 1878/1911

Victorian period British Royal Artillery brass helmet plate. Measures 100mm high. Worn 1878 to 1902. Also worn in NZ by British Officers.

Artillery & Engineer Unit helmet plates, hat/cap badges  & collar dogs

• The New Zealand Regiment of Volunteer Artillery was raised 3 December 1878 from existing volunteer Artillery Companies. They reformed January 26 1903 into the Regiment of New Zealand Field Artillery Volunteers and on May 1, 1911 they became a Territorial Regiment.
• The New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers were raised on 19 December 1902.
• The Royal New Zealand Artillery was formed on 15 October 1902. At that time the Permanent Militia became the Permanent Force.

• The New Zealand Engineer Volunteers were formed on 26 January 1903.

• New Zealand Regular Forces (Artillery
  • See below left

• Royal New Zealand Artillery helmet plate
  • See below centre

Helmet plate of the Staff & Inspectors from the  Central School of Instruction established in Wellington in 1898. It closed for lack of support. Another School was established 1 April 1902 and was transferred to Trentham Camp in 1938 and later to Waiouru Military camp in 1952.

A Battery NZ Field Artillery

B, C, D, E, F, G & H Batteries

NZ Field Artillery Volunteers

• Unknown "Volunteers" Artillery hat badge. Possibly NZ, possibly (probably) Australian.

Westport Garrison Artillery

Hat badge & collar dogs of No 2 Company Garrison Artillery

Badges of other Corps & Departments of the pre 1911 New Zealand Army

• This badge was brass and carried the letters "BC" and the Company number.

• New Zealand Bearer Corps. 5 Companies of the Volunteer (stretcher) Bearer Corps were raised near the turn of the century.
  • No 1 Company was raised in Auckland, 4 May 1898
  • No 2 Company was raised in Dunedin on 20 May 1898.
  • No 3 Company was raised in Christchurch on 16 March 1899.
  • No 4 Company was raised in Wellington on 6 November 1899.
  • No 5 Company was raised in Nelson on 15 May 1901.

• The Volunteer Bearer Corps became the  New Zealand Field Hospital & Bearer Corps on 31 January 1905. later, (7 May 1908) it was absorbed into the new New Zealand army Medical Corps.

• Chaplains Department. 

Although New Zealand Chaplains accompanied the troops to the Boer War the Chaplains Department was not raised as a separate unit until 1911.

• Cyclist Corps Volunteers.

There were Volunteer Cycle Corps in existence in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Nelson & Wellington.

• New Zealand Field Ambulance.

• 4 May 1898 saw the formation of 5 Companies of Field Ambulance.
  • No 1 Company, Auckland
  • No 2 Company, Dunedin
  • No 3 Company, Christchurch
  • No 4 Company, Wellington
  • No 5 Company, Nelson

• No 3 Company had it's own badge and was the only Company that did.

• NZ Field Hospital.

• 4 May 1898 saw the formation of 5 Companies of Field Ambulance.
  • No 1 Company, Auckland
  • No 2 Company, Dunedin
  • No 3 Company, Christchurch
  • No 4 Company, Wellington
  • No 5 Company, Nelson

• No 3 Company had it's own badge and was the only Company that did.

• New Zealand Submarine Mining Volunteers.

• This Unit was formed in 1886 and was responsible for sub-marine mine defences of Auckland and Wellington.

photo. Shaun Aumua

• New Zealand Torpedo Corps.

• This unit was raised in 1886. 

• It operated 4 second class torpedo boats. Their main job was removing obstructions from the major harbours of New Zealand.

• 3rd Battalion Auckland Mounted Rifles
  • 1902-1911

• This information is provided as a guide only. No commercial decision should be based on it.

  • Many images from Phillip James of New Zealand. 

  • Some details from Badges & Insignia of the New Zealand Army by Geoffrey P Oldham. I recommend any collector uses his publication ISBN 0-473-04378-5

  • I do not buy, sell, trade or provide valuations. Any advice I gave may be commercially worthless.