To summon help a signal gun was fired. Usually a warning was sounded first. Followed by a second firing of the signal gun to summon the rocket brigade.
The day before the Ben Venue disaster, all through the night Captain Mills, the Harbourmaster, kept constant watch on the ships riding in the roadstead. Daylight revealed these "ships riding heavily", so he fired the signal gun, at 8am to summon the rocket brigade. Straight away the brigade assembled. There were huge rollers, for several miles out, "were breaking foam". That sea was one of the heaviest known on the Timaru coastline for many a day. By 1pm the Benvenue was drifting. As a measure of precaution, the rocket brigade hastened to the cliffs at Dashing Rocks, in order to make ready to rescue the crew of the Benvenue with the aid of lifelines.. A boat was lowered from the ship, the crew clambered into the boat and made for the City of Perth. 

This gunnade is believed to have been delivered to Timaru for the use of the Brigade in 1882. Positioned outside the Timaru lighthouse, it probably saw little use. The gun is through to ave remained there for many years. Eventually it passed to the local collector, Keith McFadgen, who had the present gun carriage made to rest the cannon upon. - On display at the South Canterbury Musuem - Photography by Roselyn Fauth

Carl George Vogeler wore this leather armband as a member of the Timaru Volunteer Rocket Brigade. It consists of an oval patch, painted on the front with a white background, a red border, and a blue anchor with a brown rope. Above the anchor are the letters ‘T.V.R.B’ in blue with red highlights. A brown leather strap with a buckle is sewn across the back of the patch. Handwritten on the back in black is ‘Timaru Volunteer Rocket Brigade – C. G. Vogeler – 1882. nzmuseums.co.nz/collections/3359/objects/86233/armband

Timaru Rocket Brigade

In 1877, Harbourmaster Captain Arthur Mills was instructed by the Harbour Board to dismiss his lifeboat crew due to lack of funds. While Mills complied, he inquired of the Board on whom he should rely for assistance in operating the rocket apparatus, a life-saving device for ships in distress, now that his previous aids had been laid off. In response, the Board called for volunteers to form a rocket brigade.

Within a few months, the new volunteer brigade held its first meeting. Less than three weeks later, it proved itself by saving the entire crew of the 'Craig Ellachie.' The Brigade went on to assist numerous other ships in distress before it was disbanded in 1887, by which time the completion of the harbour breakwater and the purchase of a tug had left little need for its services.

In 1878, the Harbour Board purchased ‘badges’ for Brigade members. This armband is probably one of them. Carl George Vogeler, the owner of this example, participated in the events of Black Sunday, 14 May 1882, when the 'Benvenue' and 'City of Perth' were shipwrecked and a total of nine lives lost. Although the rockets were not needed, brigade members, including Vogeler, assisted by manning the lifeboat.

Vogeler was born in London, England in 1860 and taken to New Zealand by his parents in 1861. The family settled in Kaiapoi. In 1875 Vogeler joined the Post and Telegraph Department and for six years moved from town to town as assignments changed. He then quit and became accountant to Priest and Holdgate, ironmongers, of Timaru. He remained in their employ until his death in 1953.

Vogeler was active not only in the Brigade, but also in the Timaru Naval Artillery, Methodist church community, several lodges, the local YMCA, and the Timaru Main School Committee.