Silver War Badge, New Zealand issue, WW1
Badge issued to 23/1903 Major William Arthur Greener Penlington, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, NZEF.
The Silver War Badge (1916-1922) for ‘Services Rendered’, was originally intended as a token of recognition of service to be worn in public when wearing civilian dress to indicate that the recipient had "done his duty" and had been honourably discharged from the Service (for reasons of age or physical infirmity due to ill-health or wounds caused by war service.
A full list of the conditions governing the issue and wearing of the badge was published in New Zealand papers in February 1918, and readers were advised that “Sufficient silver badges have just been received for issue to every discharged soldier at present in New Zealand, and their issue will commence from 1st March next.” [Evening Post, 22 February 1918, Page 8]
William Arthur Greener Penlington enlisted as a Lieutenant in 1915. He was appointed to the rank of Temporary Captain in 1916 and in May the following year, became Captain. Following his return to New Zealand he remained with the military and attained the rank of Major when appointed to the position of Vocation Officer (NZ Defence) Auckland and then Director of Vocational Training in Wellington in 1920.
William Arthur Greener Penlington was a lecturer at Auckland Teachers’ College at the time of his enlistment. He served on the Western Front with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and was wounded (gas shell) at Messines on 7th June 1917. He was hospitalised back to England and spent periods in the No 1 NZ General Hospital and at the NZ Convalescent Hospital at Hornchurch. It is very likely that he worked up some of his watercolour sketches while at Hornchurch. Towards the end of 1917 Penlington was classified medically unfit, and he returned to New Zealand on the Arawa in early 1918. Following his return he was (briefly) a science lecturer at the Training College before taking up vocational training with Defence in Auckland and Wellington. In 1922 hereturned to teaching as acting director of the Hastings Technical High School, and in 1926 was made headmaster of the school(reconstituted as Hastings Boys’ High Schoo)l, a position he held for 23 years. He died in 1982.
Promotions:
Enlisted as Lieutenant in 1915.
Promoted as Temporary Captain (15.10.1916) and Captain (8.5.1917). This was his rank when discharged from active service. However, he was appinted to the rank of Major (Temp) with his appointment to the position of Vocation Officer in Auckland and later as Director of Vocational Training for disabled servicemen.
