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Appendix A. Badges, Patches and Numbers

Owing to the scheme adopted in the formation of the original Auckland Battalion from the four existing regiments of infantry in the military district, and the companies thus formed retaining the names and badges of the original regiments from which they were drawn, four separate badges were used in each battalion of the Auckland Regiment. These were the 3rd (Auckland), 6th (Hauraki), 15th (North Auckland), and 16th (Waikato) regimental badges.

When 2/Auckland was formed, on the model of 1/Auckland, with the same companies, wearing the same badges, it was found necessary to devise some method of distinguishing the men of the two battalions. To do this the "patch" system was adopted. The colours of the Auckland Regiment were red and black, and the first battalion patch was a "red diamond on a black square," worn by 2/Auckland.

For some time 1/Auckland, as the original battalion, did not wear any patch, and rather gloried in the fact; but gradually, they too, fell into line, wearing the red and black in vertical strips—black, red and black.

When the 3/Auckland Battalion was formed they adopted the three vertical strip arrangement of colours, and wore them—red, black and red.

Patches were about two inches square, and worn on the back of the tunic an inch below the collar line.

For purposes of accuracy in returns every man on joining the N.Z.E.F, was given a distinctive number. The system first adopted was changed during the course of the war. When page 266the Expeditionary Force was formed it was divided up into various units, each one of which was given a separate number:—

The first man on the Auckland Roll was Lieutenant Colonel Plugge—his number being 12/1. As the names were added, the numbers rose from 12/1 to 12/4000. For a considerable period the men joining the Battalion were all numbered 12/—. After the evacuation of Gallipoli, however, the system ceased to be satisfactory. First of all it was found to be necessary to draft a certain number of mounted men into the infantry. They came with their 13/—numbers. Next it was found that the most convenient system was to train reinforcements in New Zealand, and then to forward them to the Expeditionary Force, and not to particular units. It was found that if a man was given a 12/—number he was perhaps not needed with the Auckland Regiment, and so was sent elsewhere. So by degrees the "bar" system became utterly confused, and lost its original usefulness and distinction.

After the Ninth Reinforcements, numbers were given consecutively, without reference to the unit or arm of the service. Gradually the "straight" numbers swamped the "bars," and in the latter stages of the war a "bar" number was not frequently met with, and the possessor of it felt a reasonable pride in his distinction.