New Zealand Pioneer Battalion badge
In 1914 Two Maori Companies were formed, A Company from North Auckland, West Coast North Island and South Island; B Company from the Centre and East Coast of the North Island. They left New Zealand called the Maori Contingent, though their formal name was the New Zealand Native Contingent, in February 1915 and took part in the Gallipoli Campaign from July 1915.
After Gallipoli the Contingent was split up for a brief period with the men being posted to Territorial units but this was found to be unacceptable and the Unit was reformed as the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion on 20 February 1916 and served in France. Initially the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion had two Maori Companies but from September 1917 became an all-Maori unit and was renamed as the New Zealand (Maori) Pioneer Battalion. The battalion was finally disbanded in March 1919.
These changes were reflected in the regimental badges, and the example shown here is the New Zealand Pioneer Battalion badge as worn from February 1916 to September 1917. The original badge and the final badge both incorporated the motto Te Hoko Whitu a Tu (The twice seventy (140) warriors of Tumatauenga, God of War).
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Collection Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, 1995x2.86.22.
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