Prefix Numbering System.
Used to denote a individual soldiers unit
during World War One.
South Canterbury Mounted Rifles Hat Badge
Hat Badge of the 8th South Canterbury Squadron
All members of the South Canterbury Mounted Rifles Squadron
carried the pre-fix number "7 ".
Example: Commanding Officer Major Wain of the 8th Squadron,
Canterbury Mounted Rifles is recognised as:
7/138 Peter Jenkins Wain, Major.

1/ Samoan Advance Force
2/ Royal New Zealand Artillery
3/ New Zealand Medical Corps
4/ New Zealand Engineers
5/ New Zealand Army Service Corps
6/ Canterbury Infantry
7/ Canterbury Mounted Rifles
8/ Otago Rifles
9/ Otago Mounted Rifles
10/ Wellington Rifles
11/ Wellington Mounted Rifles
12/ Auckland Rifles
13/ Auckland Mounted Rifles
14/ Army Service Corps Divisional Train
15/ New Zealand Expeditionary Force Headquarters Staff
16/ Maori Battalion
17/ New Zealand Veterinary Corps
18/ New Zealand Chaplains Department
19/ Samoan Relief Force, Infantry
20/ Samoan Relief Force, Mounted Rifles
21/ New Zealand Army Pay Corps
22/ New Zealand Nursing Service
23/ 1st Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
24/ 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
25/ 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
26/ 4th Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade


This system was employed until the formation of the 10th Reinforcements. After this time the prefix was omitted and a strict numerical sequence was introduced.
(photograph right, circa 1914 - computer colourised)


Trooper Stichbury of the
Auckland Mounted Rifles
prefix number 13/