They Came Home from WW1 - Waiuku and Awhitu Peninsula

In August Gerald took part in the battle of Chunuk Bair,
witnessing the slaughter suffered by both sides. He was
stationed at No 3 outpost and knew the ANZACs claimed Hill
971, a post they held for 36 hours. The Turks mounted a
massive counterattack and many of the gains were lost.
Physically and emotionally exhausted, the troops continued to
fight but on August 23 while throwing a bomb over a barricade
at about midnight, Gerald was hit in the head by a bullet. He
was wounded through his cheek and nose and suffered
blindness for three days.

He was sent back to Alexandria, then on 28 August was
transferred to the Abbassia Hospital on the outskirts of Cairo
to recover from his wounds. As his nerves were bad, it was
later recommended that he be repatriated to New Zealand.
On 25th September 1915 Gerald left from Suez with scores of
other wounded countrymen and women aboard the SS
Willochra. He had served for 1 year and 16 days of active
service. He received the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal
and Victory Medal and was discharged on 3 February 1916.

Post-war
Gerald married Emily Elizabeth Fletcher at St Paul’s Church in Auckland 1 December 1915. The couple
leased an orchard in Papatoetoe for two years, and here their first daughter Moya was born. A second
daughter Patricia was born shortly after they moved to a farm at Te Toro. It was a 56-acre property
bounded on one side by the Ohiku Creek, a branch of the Manukau Harbour. This is where they finally
settled. The family was completed with the addition of a son, Ralph, and third daughter Norene.
After he returned from Gallipoli, shell-shocked and wounded, Gerald’s health was never the same.
Although he appeared well, he endured bad dreams and sleepless nights. He would attend ANZAC
Day services but suffer terribly for days afterwards. Gerald worked hard on the farm, but the
economic depression of the 1930s also took a toll. Suffering from depression, Gerald was admitted to
Wolfe Mental Home for treatment. He wrote home to his family telling them of his work in the
gardens there.
Gerald returned to Te Toro and with the help of a worker and family members farm life continued. In
the meantime, war between Britain and Germany was declared in September 1939. Memories of the
‘war to end all wars’ only 25 years previously flooded back as he saw young men from the district
enlisting and going off in uniform. Gerald felt he too should be going off to do his duty. On a winter’s
morning in July 1940, Gerald could no longer bear the pressure he felt. He died by his own hand at
his farm in Te Toro. New Zealand lost yet another serviceman because of the disastrous Gallipoli
campaign of the Great War. A small funeral service was held for relatives and close friends, and he
was buried at the Waiuku Cemetery.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 31 Plot 035.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph: Gerald Cutfield WWI Diary, Biography by Pat Polglase, Photo
Papers Past: Death notice, NZ Herald 27 July 1940
Researched by his daughter, Patricia (Pat) Polglase (nee Cutfield)
Written by Colleen van der Laan in collaboration with Pat

Francis Edward Denys DAVY

Service Number: 26/442
Regiment: New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Last known Rank: Rifleman
Died: 29 April 1968
Age: 71 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA RowS2 Plot 015

Pre-war
Francis Edward Dennis DAVY was born on 9 October 1896 to Francis Robert DAVY and Matilda Mary
DUNHAM at Mangamahu in the Whanganui District. Most records, but not his birth record, quote
Denys and this is the name he was known by. His parents were both from England and they married
in 1872 in Bridport, Dorset. They arrived in New Zealand 1882-83 and by 1890 Francis was working
as a bushman at Taueru in the Wairarapa District. He was employed as an engine driver at a sawmill
in Hunterville when Denys was born in 1896. Denys was the ninth child in a family of ten. His
mother passed away on 28 February 1909, aged 57, and is buried at Taihape Cemetery. Denys
remained near Taihape working at Smith’s Mill, Mataroa but Francis, daughter Gladys, son Alfred
and his wife Flora, moved to the Patumahoe-Waiau Pa area and began farming.

Enlistment and Training
Denys was at Trentham Camp on
12 October 1915. He attested he was active as a
member of B Coy, 7th Regiment and had two years
in the cadet scheme. His record shows a birth
date of 1894. He was described as single,
Anglican, 5 feet 8 inches (172cms), 147 lbs (66kgs)
with fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.

Service Abroad
Denys embarked for war on 5 February 1916
aboard the HMNZT43 Mokoia as part of a three-
vessel convoy with 2,228 troops from the 3rd and
the 4th Battalions NZ Rifle Brigade, 3rd Maori
Contingent and No.2 Field Ambulance. Denys was
in 4th Battalion, B Coy. They arrived at Suez on
12 March and on 4 July he boarded the Alannia at
Alexandria for France. Shortly after arriving he
spent a week in hospital before returning to his
unit at Rouen. In April 1917 Denys spent a period
back at Rifle Brigade Headquarters before joining
his unit in France in May. Denys was given two weeks leave in England in July and on returning to his
unit on 7 August he reported sick and was dispatched via Field Ambulance and Casualty Clearing
Station to 51st General Hospital in Etaples. Denys had several periods in hospital during late 1917
but was with his unit again in January 1918. Denys was wounded in action on 28 March and sent
back to No.2 General Hospital in Walton then spent time convalescing at Hornchurch and Codford
before going to the NZ Rifles Base at Brocton.

It was there he attended the 21st Lewis Gun Course at the School of Musketry and qualified Class 2.
Denys proceeded back to France in October 1918 but by early December he was again admitted to
hospital at Etaples and discharged late December. Denys returned to England on 14 January 1919.
He left Liverpool on 28 March 1919 in Draft 243 (1,336 men) aboard the Northumberland and
disembarked in Wellington on 10 May 1919. Disembarkation took just under 20 minutes, a record
for the whole operation (men and luggage). Denys served 144 days in New Zealand, 3 years 95 days
overseas, a total of 3 years 239 days and received the British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was
discharged on 7 June 1919.

Post-war
Denys returned to Patumahoe on discharge. On 25 October 1922 Denys married Harriet WALKER,
affectionately known as “Johnnie”. Harriet was born to David Nimmo WALKER and Isabella Rennie
KERR on 6 January 1888 at Miller’s Flat, Central Otago. Denys and Harriet did not have a family.
They lived at Wharf Road, St Heliers, Auckland, for a period where Denys worked as a confectioner.
By 1928 the couple had moved to Forbury Road, Caversham, Dunedin where they ran a grocery store
and Harriet was involved in golf and charitable works.
Denys and Harriet continued to live in Caversham until late 1935 when Denys purchased the license
for the Royal Hotel in Waimate. Denys was
involved with the local RSA, Racing Club and the
Old Boys Rugby Club. However, by December
1936 he transferred the license to Ernest SHAW
and took over The Commercial Hotel, Green
Island, Dunedin. Both Denys and Harriet settled
back into the St Clair area. Harriet proved herself to be a very good local golfer. In June 1941 Denys
transferred the license for The Commercial Hotel to Andrew SIBBALD.
In early 1941 Denys attempted to enlist for World War 2 but a second medical found him unfit for
any service.
It is around this time that Denys and Harriet appear to have separated. Denys headed to Waiuku,
and Harriet remained at St Kilda. She committed herself to her interests in the community and
continued to enjoy her golf. In the 1967 Queen’s Birthday Honours List she was awarded a British
Empire Medal for “Services to Meals on Wheels”.
Denys joined his sister Gladys in Waiuku. Gladys was a highly respected Nursing Sister and married
Leonard BARRIBALL on 4 October 1939. Len had a farm in Waiuku and a runoff in Otaua and Denys
gained work as a farmhand for Len. Denys continued to live with Gladys and Len in King Street,
Waiuku and settled quietly into the rural social life. He passed away on 29 April 1968.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery RSA Row S2 Plot 015.
Patumahoe Roll of Honour, Patumahoe War
Memorial Hall.

(Part of Memorial pictured on right)

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph
New Zealand History, Memorials
Papers Past –
New Zealand BDM
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Photo: Herman Schmidt Collection Ref 31-D376 Auckland Libraries

Researched by Lois Hopping

Robert James DAWBIN

Service Number: 23/117
Regiment: New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Last known Rank: Rifleman
Died: 6 April 1969
Age: 72 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA RowS2 Plot 028.3

Pre-war

Robert (Bob as he was known) James DAWBIN was
born on 17 August 1896 at Riverlea, Taranaki, the
seventh of thirteen children of Robert DAWBIN (1861-
1972) and Jane Margaret SUTHERLAND (1863-1930).
Robert and Jane were married in Taranaki in 1885.
Robert had been born in Somerset.
Bob was educated at Mangatoki School and passed his
proficiency exam in 1910.
Before he enlisted, Bob was a farmer at Mangatoki.

Enlistment and Training
Bob enlisted on 28 May 1915 and was posted to the
1st Battalion as a Rifleman in A Company. He named
his father, R. C. DAWBIN, Mangatoki, Taranaki as his
next of kin.

Service Abroad

Bob embarked for Suez on 9 October 1915 as part of
the 3rd Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. On
15 November 1915 the men moved to Marsa and
then disembarked at Alexandria on 17 February 1916, from there they sailed on the Arcadian for
Marseilles.
Like many of the soldiers, Bob had a number of admissions to hospital; firstly with tonsilitis in
Marseilles in April 1916, then with scabies in early 1917 and then conjunctivitis in May 1918. He was
also subjected to several gassings.

In September 1916, Bob was wounded in France and sent to
Hornchurch where he spent two months in hospital before being
discharged to Codford Base.
In March 1917 he received a slight wound in the thigh and in July
1918 he was shot in the left thigh. This was a serious wound and
after treatment at several hospitals it was two months before he
was discharged to Hornchurch to convalesce.
Bob boarded the Horarata at Plymouth and arrived back in
New Zealand on 20 September 1919 after serving 216 days in
New Zealand, 3 years 347 days overseas, a total service of 4 years and 198 days

He was discharged because he was no longer
physically fit for war service on account of
wounds received on active service and
appendicitis. His discharge address was
initially to Eltham, but was changed to Otaua,
Waiuku.

Post-war
In 1919 Bob was a settler in Otaua. He married
Sophia Mary (known as May) GARLAND on 8
December 1922 at Aka Aka. May was the
second of six children of Henry Perry GARLAND
(1872-1952) and Mary Elizabeth HOSKING
(1872-1958) and had been born in Awhitu on 2
April 1902. Bob and May had three sons:
Robert Allen, who farmed in the Awhitu and
Waipipi area; Colin Henry who moved to
Manurewa and was a freezing worker and James Russell who farmed in the Waipipi and Kariotahi
area.
In 1928 Bob and May were farming in Otaua and by 1935 they had moved to farm at Taurangaruru
Road, Waiuku. They continued farming there until retiring to King St, Waiuku in 1957.
Bob died on 6 April 1969 and was cremated, and his ashes buried in the Waiuku RSA Cemetery. May
was buried in the Waiuku Cemetery on 6 May 1985.

In Memoriam
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Cemetery, Row S2 Plot 028.3.
Mangatoki WW1 Memorial Board.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Auckland Museum Cenotaph
Photo: Family member Heather Guest
Archives New Zealand, Probates
New Zealand BDM
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Ancestry
NZHistory memorial boards
Papers Past: School results, Hawera and Normanby Star; 24

Dec 1906; Proficiency 21 Dec 1910; Welcome Home, Hawera
Star 29 Sept 1919; His mother’s obit, Hawera Star 22 Nov 1930

Researched by Barbara Raven

Roy Gordon DELAMORE

Service Number: 2/2812
Regiment: New Zealand Field Artillery
Last known Rank: Gunner
Died: 16 June 1967
Age: 73 years*
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Row S2 Plot 028.4

*Age at death differs from plaque.

Pre-war

Roy Gordon DELAMORE was born in Normanby, Taranaki on 18 December 1893, the second child of
Arthur John DELAMORE (1867-1920) and Clara SHEPARD (1865-1941). He had an older brother and
a younger sister. His brother was a lawyer who established a legal practice in Malaya after serving in
WW1. His father was a farmer in Normanby, Te Kowhai and then Remuera.
Roy received his early schooling at Normanby and was a mechanic in Frankton, Hamilton in 1914.

Enlistment and Training

Roy enlisted and passed his medical at Pukekohe on 15 September 1915, but it was not until
17 November that he entered Trentham Military Camp. He was posted to the 10th New Zealand
Field Artillery as a Gunner. He stated that he had spent six years in the Territorials and Machine Gun
4th Mounted Rifles and gave his occupation as a mechanic, working for H. H. SHAW in Hamilton.
He was described as single, Anglican, 5 feet 8 inches (172cms), 152 lbs (68kgs), with a fresh
complexion, light brown eyes and brown hair. He gave his mother, Mrs A. J. Delamore, Orakei Road,
Remuera as his next of kin.

Service Abroad
The 10th New Zealand Field Artillery embarked on 4 March 1916 on HMNZT47 Willochra and Roy
disembarked in Suez on 10 April 1916. Within a week he was
on the Kinfauns Castle on his way to Etaples and the war in
France.
On 20 September he marched out to his Division and was
posted to 1st Field Artillery Brigade.
In July 1917 he was detached to the School of Instruction for
six weeks and another month later was given leave to UK, re-
joining his unit late September. On 4 October Roy was
wounded in action and after being admitted to two field
hospitals, he was sent to England on the hospital ship
Brighton and admitted to the No. 2 New Zealand General
Hospital in Walton on Thames. A Medical Board classified
him as being unfit for further service on 19 November and
two days later he embarked on HS Marama.
Roy was discharged on 28 March 1918 after serving 198
days in New Zealand, 1 year 300 days overseas, a total
service of 2 years and 132 days and he gave his discharge
address as his parent’s home in Orakei Road, Auckland. On board journal of the 10th Reinforcements on

the Willochra

Post-war
By 1924 Roy was farming near Glenbrook Beach. He had 900 acres, a large farm for those days and
had dairy cows and sheep. Roading was obviously not good as from 1924 until 1932, Roy presented
various petitions to Council for better conditions, all reported in the local paper. He employed
Cedric RAMSAY as a sharemilker for many years before selling part of the farm to him. Cedric’s
family remember Roy getting around the farm on a push bike and giving them a morse code
flashlight. They said he was a collector of machinery and trucks and would get Chevy trucks and
convert them into fertiliser spreaders. The young boys down the road used to love looking at all the
trucks. He also had vintage cars and jalopies cut down to use around the farm and had cocker
spaniel dogs.

In January 1934, Roy married Cilma Ivy FOUNTAIN,
daughter of Arthur James Fountain (1873-1915) and
Mary Gertrude EDWARDS (1884-1950). An extensive
report of the wedding was in the local paper (this is an
abridged version of the wedding report).
The couple had one daughter Patricia, who never
married.
Roy served in the Home Guard and in 1941 was
appointed a Lieutenant.
He was active in the Glenbrook Cricket Club and served
on the committee in 1944.
By 1963 Roy and Cilma had moved off the farm and were
living in Brough Rd, Manurewa. They were living at this
address when Roy was admitted to Middlemore Hospital
and he died there on 16 June 1967.
Cilma died on 13 September 2002, aged 89 years.

In Memoriam
Waiuku RSA Cemetery Row S2 Plot 28.4.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Record
New Zealand BDM
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Papers Past: Normanby School, 18 Oct 1900, 1902 & 1903; Wedding report, Franklin Times 24 Jan 1934; Cricket

committee, Franklin Times 22 Sept 1944

Local information

Researched by Heather Maloney

Alexander James DONN

Service Number: 2/1971
Regiment: Field Artillery
Last known Rank: Gunner
Died: 2 June 1965
Age: 73 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA S2 Plot 008

Pre-war
Alexander James DONN (usually known as Jim) was born on 11 October 1891 at Timaru, the eldest of
four children of Alexander DONN (often
known as Alex) (1868-1948) and Janet
Isabella WARD (1868-1933). Alex and
Janet were married in 1891. Alexander
was a plumber in Timaru between 1890
and 1911 and the family lived in Beverley
Rd. Janet had been born in Geraldine, one
of eight children. They moved about 1914
to Arapae, Te Kuiti to farm.
Jim had been in the 16th Waikato
Regiment and in 1915 was living in
Arapae, Te Kuiti. Prior to this he had been
a shepherd at Lake Heron, Mt Somers and then was working as a musterer for D. URQUHART of
Ashburton Gorge.

Enlistment and Training
Jim enlisted on 16 April 1915 and was posted to the 6th Reinforcements of the NZ Field Artillery as a
Gunner. He named his next of kin as his father, Alexander DONN, of Arapae, Te Kuiti.
He was single, Presbyterian, 5 feet 10 inches (178cms) and weighing 163 lbs (74kgs). He had brown
hair, grey eyes and a fair complexion. He stated he had served in the 8th South Canterbury Mounted
Rifles and the 16th Waikato Regiment.

Service Abroad
Jim embarked for Egypt on the HMNZT 27 Willochra on 14 August 1915, arriving on 19 September in
Egypt. He was to see service in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France.
On 9 November 1915 he was at Anzac Cove for five weeks and then returned to Moascar in Egypt.
On 6 April 1916 he left Alexandria for France. On 6 January 1917 Jim was attached to the 9th Battery
of the NZ Field Artillery. He, like many of the soldiers, had several trips to hospital, including being
admitted for mumps in March 1917.
In June 1918 Jim was appointed as a Saddler and then in August he was made a Cook.
He sailed from London for home on 1 February 1919 on the Hororata and was discharged from
service on 14 April 1919.
Jim served a total of 4 years – 3 years and 214 days overseas and 151 days in New Zealand. He
received the 1914-15 Star, The British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Post-war
Jim made his home in Kaitoke, Manawatu for several years, where he
was a farmer.

In 1923 he married Mary O’SHEA, one of eight children of Timothy
O’SHEA (1863-1923) and Annie O’ROURKE (1867-1905).
The couple settled at Oparure, Te Kuiti where Jim became involved in
the local community activities and was on the Te Kuiti Cycle Club
committee. They then moved to farm at Kio Kio.

Jim was farming until 1946 when they moved to 72 Victoria Ave,
Waiuku and owned the Sunshine Tea Rooms and Milk Bar in Lower
Queen St, Waiuku.

On the 1957 Electoral Roll Alexander is listed as a photographer and
grandson Michael remembers spending many hours viewing his
slides of insects and flowers, accumulated as he carried his tripod
and camera around the garden in Waiuku. In later years he could not
lift his head or arms, so used a tripod and a remote trigger for his
camera.

Jim and Mary had three sons. They lived in Victoria Avenue until
Jim’s death in 1965.
After Jim’s death Mary moved to the North Shore where she lived
until her death on 29 September 1976.
She was buried in the Glenfield/Birkenhead Cemetery.

In Memoriam
Waiuku RSA Cemetery Row S2 Plot 008.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records and Probates
Family photos and information – Michael Donn, grandson
New Zealand Electoral Rolls

Researched by Barbara Raven

Harry DRURY

Service Number: 13319
Regiment: Mounted Rifles
Last known Rank: Trooper
Died: 22 November 1948
Age: 57 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 34 Plot 030

Pre-war

Harry DRURY was born on 29 June 1891 at Opotiki, the second of five children of Frederick Pigou
DRURY (1854-1929) and Jessie Anne GOW (1860-1954). Frederick and Jessie were married in
New Zealand on 23 February 1889. Frederick’s father, George (1823-1895), was a Major-General in
the Royal Marines Light Infantry.
Jessie’s father, John GOW (1815-1901) was born in Law, New Kilpatrick, Scotland and gained his B.A.
so he could join the Presbyterian Ministry. On his arrival in New Zealand in 1865 with his wife, Jessie
Watson nee BURMAN he began Ministry in Lyttleton. In 1867 the family were sent to Hokitika to
work. In 1871 they moved to Dunedin and then in 1878 to Opotiki.
Harry was bought up on the farm in Waiotahi along with his two brothers and two sisters. In 1914
Harry was farming for his father. He was in the 4th Waikato Territorials.

Enlistment and Training

Harry enlisted on 10 January 1916 and initially named his next of kin as Miss I. M. ROWE (friend),
c/-H.S. ROWE, Kensington Rd, Waihi. Later this was changed to F.T. DRURY, Waiotahi. Harry was
Presbyterian and described as being 5 feet 10½ inches (178cms) tall, with a fair complexion, blue
eyes, light brown hair and with two scars over his left patella.
During training time Harry was posted firstly to A Squad and then in February 1916 he was promoted
to Shoesmith in A Squad. On 4 April 1916 he was transferred to the 13th Mounted Rifles.

Service Abroad

Harry embarked from Wellington on 27 May 1916 on the
HMNZT 54 Willochra and arrived in England on 27 July 1916.
While onboard, Harry spent two weeks in hospital. On arrival
Harry was temporarily placed as an assistant for rations at Sling
camp.
Harry embarked for Moascar, Egypt on 11 December 1916
where he was admitted to hospital for appendicitis. Harry was
initially posted to 3rd (Auckland) Squadron in April 1917 before
transferring to 4th (Waikato) Squadron in May. He attended a
school of instruction on the Hotchkiss Gun in September 1917,
becoming a 1st Class Gunner. He was appointed as a Cook from
March to April 1918 and in July he was sent to a rest camp in
Port Said. He rejoined his unit in the field in August 1918. In
September he was made a Shoesmith again, but in October
relinquished this appointment.

Malaria became a reoccurring problem in October 1918, and he was admitted a number of times to
hospital – in Cairo, Jerusalem, and Abbassia. Finally in November he was sent to the Aotea Rest
Home to convalesce. On 20 February, Harry left from Suez on the Nestor to return to New Zealand.
He was discharged on 20 March 1919 after 2 years 270 days overseas, and 165 days in New Zealand,

a total service of 3 years 70 days. Initially
Harry was to return to Waiotahi, but
instead made his way to Waiuku.

The family have the diary that Harry kept
during the war. On some pages he wrote
entries for different years. He makes
frequent mention of writing to Ida.

Pages from Harry’s diary July 1917

Post-war
In 1919 Harry was farming in Waiuku and bought a farm in Butchers Bridge Road. On 21 January
1920 he married Ida Maude ROWE, the eldest of five children of Walter Norrice ROWE (1877-1952)
and Agnes NELSON (1865-1922). Walter and Agnes brought their family to New Zealand from
Mintaro, South Australia sometime between 1904 and 1906 and settled in Opotiki.
Harry and Ida farmed all their married life at Karioitahi, Waiuku. They had three daughters.
Harry took an active part in the Karioitahi community and lobbied for improvements to local roads.
He died of cancer at the relatively young age of 57. Ida died on 18 October 1987, aged 81 and is
buried beside Harry.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 34 Plot 030.

Sources Harry and Ida Drury
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Family information & photos from
Judy Knuckley
Auckland Museum Cenotaph
Archives New Zealand, Probates
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Papers Past: Obituary, Opotiki News

23 Nov 1948

Ancestry

Researched by Barbara Raven

Elizabeth Jane EDDY

Service Number: 22/72
Regiment: NZ Army Nursing Service
Last known Rank: Sister
Died: 23 October 1972
Age: 92 years*
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Row S2 Plot 28.5

*Age at death differs from plaque.

Pre-war
Elizabeth Jane (known as Lily) EDDY was born on 4 November 1879 at Awhitu, Auckland, the eldest
of ten children born to James Henry Eddy (1852-1934) and Rebecca HOSKEN (1861-1939). James
and Rebecca married in Sancreed, Cornwall on 5 October 1878 and then immigrated to New Zealand
arriving in Auckland on 16 January 1879. A second child was born in New Zealand before the couple
moved in 1881 to farm at Inverell, New South
Wales, Australia.
In December 1910 Lily completed her training at
Thames Hospital and passed her State Nursing
exam. In 1911 Lily was living in Baillie Street,
Thames. From Thames she moved to Warkworth
and then to Foxton where her nursing registration
was announced. Her last address prior to enlisting
was Military Hospital, Berhampore, Wellington.

Enlistment and Training
At the beginning of 1915 a movement was set up to send nurses to WW1. Amidst much opposition
the first group of nurses sailed for Egypt in April 1915, followed by a second group one month later.
Lily enlisted in 1915 and named her
father, J H Eddy, Bellevue, Inverell,
New South Wales as her next of
kin. She was 5 feet 5 inches
(165cm) tall, with dark brown hair,
grey blue eyes and a dark
complexion.

Service Abroad
On 21 May 1915 Lily and thirty
other nurses sailed for Egypt on the
SS Marama. They carried with
them sums of money donated by
New Zealanders to aid in the
comfort of the wounded.

After arriving in Suez on 3 July 1915 they
travelled to Cairo to begin tending to the
wounded at New Zealand General
Hospital. Lily sailed from Alexandria in
June 1916 on the HMNZT Tofua for
London and began working at No.1 New
Zealand General Hospital at
Brockenhurst.
Lily was admitted to hospital several
times, initially with what was suspected
to be heart problems. She was given
leave to recuperate at Brighton. In 1918
she found she had noticeably less energy
and bouts of pain after exertion. This was diagnosed as mitral regurgitation. After attending a
Medical Board Hearing, Lily was discharged from active duty on 24 June 1919 having served overseas
for 3 years 336 days. She returned to New Zealand and resided with A HALL of Rototiro, Ladies Mile,
Remuera. On 19 August 1919 a communique was issued stating that the conduct of Lily and other
nurses had been brought to the notice of the Secretary of State for their valuable services rendered
in connection with the war.

Post-war
Lily never married. In 1927 she was living in Waiuku and by 1928 she was living at 9 St George’s Bay
Road, Auckland. By 1938 she had moved to 9 Mt St John Avenue, Remuera and in 1946 she was
living at Carlton Crescent, Maraetai. From 1957 to 1963 she was living at 59 Quadrant Road,
Onehunga and was retired. In 1972 she was living at 17 Upland Road, Remuera. Although Lily made
frequent visits to her family in Inverell, she continued to live in Auckland where she worked at a
private hospital. Lily died on 23 October 1972 and her ashes were buried at the Waiuku RSA
Cemetery. Her next of kin was named as Mr J L BARRIBALL, 1/12 Brightside Road, Auckland. John
Leslie Barriball was her second cousin through his mother’s Eddy line. Lily left her estate to be
shared among her nieces and nephews. The lack of very close family members in New Zealand no
doubt contributing to the mistake on Lily’s plaque regarding her age at death.*

In Memoriam
Thames Hospital Roll of Honour.

Sources
Ancestry: Walters/Eddy Family Tree
Auckland War Memorial Museum: No. 1 New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst – Ref: PH-TECH-925-286
Kai Tiaki: the journal of the nurses of New Zealand
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
New Zealand BDM
Papers Past: Nursing results, Thames Star 23 Dec 1910; At Warkworth, Rodney Times 10 Apr 1912; First contingent

leaves, NZ Herald, 24 May 1915

Researched by Barbara Raven

Henry EISENHUT DCM

Service Number: 13/48
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last known Rank: Sergeant Major (WO1)
Died: 1 December 1975
Age: 86 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Row S3 Plot 013

Pre-war
Henry EISENHUT was born on 18 November 1889 at Pukekohe to John Jacob (Johann Jakob)
EISENHUT (1865-1922) and his wife Margaret Ann Dauntless HUNTER (c.1866-1955) who had
married in 1887. John had been born in Buhler, Canton Appenzell, Switzerland, arriving in New
Zealand c.1885 and receiving his naturalisation papers in 1905.
Henry had five brothers and three sisters. He attended school in Patumahoe being admitted on
7 December 1897 as his parents lived on the Ostrich Farm in Helvetia, then schooling at Lichfield,
Auckland, before moving to Waiau Pa on 18 May 1903, leaving in October of the same year. In the
Electoral Rolls of 1911-1914 Henry was living in Aka Aka as a contractor. He was a horse breaker and
competent horseman which stood him in good stead for what was to follow when war broke out.
Henry took part in various sports and athletic events and in early 1914 competed in a hurdle race
and high jump, and in the evening of the Aka Aka Sports, with Mr Eisenhut acted as M.C., the music
being supplied by Henry and two of his friends. This same year, tenders were called by the Aka Aka
Drainage Board for cleaning and dragging of which Henry’s tender was accepted.

Enlistment and Training

Henry was 25 years old on enlistment, attested on 15 August
1914, a labourer, last address Aka Aka, Waiuku, religion:
Presbyterian, his next of kin, his mother, Mrs J.J. Eisenhut,
‘Bon Accord’, Mary Street, Mt Eden.
In August 1914 a public meeting was convened by the
Farmers Union with donations raised during the evening of
£400 to consider equipping and providing horses for all who
left for active service. Later in the month both Henry and
his elder brother John were in camp together at Epsom with
Patumahoe being well represented. Henry was in the
3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles in which his elder brother John
Jacob 13/602 also served. Henry is noted as farming when
war broke out.

Service Abroad
Henry was one of the first five men to leave Waiuku for the
Great War and sailed with the main body on 16 October
1914, on either the HMNZT08 Star of India or the HMNZT12
Waimana. They arrived at Suez, Egypt on 3 December after a stop at Alexandria. Henry was
admitted to hospital on 27 January 1915 in Zeitoun, and then posted to the Dardanelles.

In June he was wounded with a gunshot wound to his right hip and was
treated at Andrews Hospital in Malta. He was returned to base and in
August he was back at the front. He was promoted to Corporal and
then Sergeant and was made Squadron Sergeant Major, Warrant
Officer 2nd class on 10 August 1915. Henry was back in Egypt by 29
October 1916 and made a Temporary Regimental Sergeant Major on 14
November 1917 until 11 January 1918, when he reverted to Squadron
Sergeant Major. On 20 December 1918 he was appointed Sergeant
Major, Warrant Officer Class 1. Henry spent time in hospital through
the later part of 1918 and into 1919.
Henry was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 27 March 1918
for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. “He showed great
coolness and judgement under fire, has at all times had consistent good
work with great ability and keenness.”
His medal was presented to him at Army Headquarters, Auckland on 2
October 1919.
Henry came back to New Zealand from Egypt with Draft 271 on the
Ulimaroa arriving in Auckland on 8 August 1919, having served in Gallipoli, Palestine and Egypt. His
total service was 5 years 22 days, 90 days in New Zealand and 4 years 297 days overseas.

Post-war
Henry lived briefly at 23 Mary Street, Mt Eden, before returning to Aka Aka. On 24 March 1920 he
married Winifred Frances CRIGHTON (1893-1985), the daughter of Andrew (1845-1922) and Frances
CRIGHTON (1857-1936), a local farming family.
Henry and Winifred had a family of three girls and three boys and settled in Gordon Road, Waipipi,
where they raised their family and farmed for some 30 years. Henry continued to have an interest in
horses and competed in various classes at the various A&P shows of the 1930s. He was on the
Waipipi School committee in 1931. In 1937 he was among the followers of the Pakuranga Hunt Club,
riding a chestnut, the last meet of the season held at Waipipi.
There was a soldiers’ reunion held in August 1937 in Rotorua at which two photos were passed
around. One photo was of the first five enlisted men at Waiuku and the second taken exactly 23
years later, of those same men as they continued to maintain their association in civilian life.
Through WWII Henry served as an Officer in the Home Guard and in 1941 was a Temporary Captain.
Before leaving for overseas duty Henry was given a silver tobacco tin by Winifred to whom he was
unofficially engaged. It was with Henry throughout the war and was subsequently donated to the
Waiuku Museum by the family to accompany his medals. Henry was made a Life Member of the
Waiuku RSA on 12 April 1958. After retiring from the farm Henry and Winifred lived in Victoria
Street, Waiuku before moving to 10 Norfolk Village. Henry passed away in December 1975.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery RSA-S3-013.
Waiuku Roll of Honour, War Memorial Hall.
Aka Aka Hall – Roll of Honour.

Sources Soldiers Reunion August 1937 Lieutenant J.H. Herrold DSO,
Sergeant F. Knight, Trooper R. Hammond, Corporal A. Glass,
Archives New Zealand, Military Records Sergeant Major H. Eisenhut DCM
Family Knowledge/Memorabilia
New Zealand BDM’s
Waiuku Museum
New Zealand Electoral Rolls

Researched by Gillian Conroy

George Robert EVANS

Service Number: 34349
Regiment: New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Last known Rank: Corporal
Died: 5 August 1981
Age: 88 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 51 Plot 009

Pre-war

George was born 8 August 1892 at Omata, Taranaki, the third child of Charles EVANS, originally from
London, and Emily Evelyn OLD, born in Wanganui. He had a younger brother, Charles and three
sisters, Alice, Edith and Ruth. The family lived on their 50-acre farm on Barrett Road Omata,
New Plymouth where he attended Omata School leaving at 13 after being awarded the prize for top
pupil at the school. On a school trip up Mt Taranaki, he was reprimanded at the peak for climbing
without shoes. He was an adventurous type and, according to extended family legend, was the first
European to climb the precipitous seaward side of Paritutu Rock in New Plymouth.
George initially worked on the family farm with his father but by the time he was 21 George,
wanting more independence, left for Christchurch in 1913 where he worked two years in the
freezing works.

Enlistment and Training
After WW1 started, George returned to New Plymouth to enlist but was rejected on medical
grounds due to varicose veins. After this, with a bit of money saved, he moved to the farm in
Taurangaruru Rd, Waiuku, entering an option to buy or lease the farm. During his war service, 60%
of his army pay maintained this contract. On Aug 5, 1916, he volunteered at Waiuku, and this time
was accepted. He was described as 5 feet 11 inches tall (180cms), 175 lbs (79kgs), with blue eyes
and black hair. His religion was noted as Anglican.
On 18 August 1916 George was included in a quota of 100 infantry men for the twentieth
reinforcements who travelled by train to the Featherston Military Training Camp with George
completing his attestation into the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on August 23 and posted to E
Company.

Service Abroad
George embarked from Wellington on 2 January 1917 on HMNZ 73 Opawa, spending a week in camp
in South Africa, then transferring to the RMS ‘Walmer Castle,’ finally disembarking at Devonport,
England on 27 March 1917. The only remark on his entire service conduct sheet reveals that on
8 February 1917 he was admonished for ‘clothes being untidy on the spare bunk’. He spent his time
in England at Sling Camp and Codford becoming part of the 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade. A
recollection from here was the cooks, after dinner, sweeping the crumbs off the table into sacks to
put towards bread puddings which, when made, had bits of sacking throughout. He also
remembered being inspected in formation by King George V. He left England for France, on 28 May,
was wounded in the shoulder by shrapnel several days later and hospitalised for almost two months.

In October 1917, George fought at Passchendaele. After
this, the 4th Infantry Brigade was disbanded, and he was
transferred to the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade in
February 1918. In the following six months on the
Somme, George was promoted to Lance Corporal and
then to Corporal. In September 1918, soon after
returning from two weeks leave in the UK, he was
severely wounded by gunshot wounds to his feet.
Coming under heavy fire, soldiers were trained to
immediately drop flat to the ground but, when doing
this, George’s feet were slightly raised, and bullets went
completely through the ankle on his right foot removing
several toes and part of his left foot. He was
hospitalised in France and then transferred to London.
Doctors wanted to amputate one lower leg, but George was able to successfully argue against that.
He returned home on the hospital ship Marama, departing 12 December 1918. He then spent 11
months in hospital in New Plymouth and was discharged from active service 19 December 1919
having served a total of 3 years 120 days.

Post-war
After his discharge George returned to Waiuku to farm, initially with help from his family and
friends, then purchased the farm which needed much work scrub clearing. He married Elizabeth
Mary (Elma) BECK at St Andrews Presbyterian Church, New Plymouth on 3 Sept 1920 (Taranaki Herald
4 Sept 1920). George and Elma were dairy farmers at Taurangaruru for the remainder of their
married life raising two children, a son, Franklin, and a daughter, Darsie.
In the early days, with money tight, George would take the cream to the Waiuku Dairy Factory with a
horse and cart picking up neighbours’ cream supplies for extra money. A fastidious farmer, George,
in 1941, won the Quality Cup provided by the Waiuku Dairy Factory, for the farmer who had a
perfect record of super fine milk production. After achieving this feat two years in a row George was
given the cup to keep (still in family possession). He was part of the local hay gang of farmers who
helped each other with haymaking. His son and grandson farmed with him, with George continuing
to help, clearing thistles until a few weeks before his death.
George built a bach at Te Toro beach, which became a regular summer holiday destination for
extended family. At home, he created a huge vegetable garden and orchard. He was a life member
of the Waiuku Bowling Club. George was hardworking, smart, generous with a good sense of
humour and, although affected by his foot injuries, did not complain never missing the walk in the
annual Waiuku ANZAC parade. His grandchildren were always amused when finding George’s
unusual footprints in sand at the beach.

George died in 1981 and Elma in 1984.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 51 Plot 009.

Sources
Archives New Zealand: Military Records and Probate
Contributors: Brian Evans, Roger Evans, Jennifer Thomson (grandchildren)

Researched by Ros McNaughten and Brian Evans

Eric Edward FLAVELL

Service Number: 2/531
Regiment: New Zealand Field Artillery
Last known Rank: Gunner
Died: 27 March 1954
Age: 61 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 37 Plot 013

Pre-war

Eric Edward FLAVELL was born in Kaeo, although his enlistment papers state his birth as at Kaihu, on
15 October 1892 and he had at least ten siblings. He was a son of Robert Henry (known as Henry)
FLAVELL and Margaret SHEEHAN.
Henry was born in 1858, one of the thirteen children of Thomas FLAVELL and Retakino URUROA,
daughter of the main chief, URUROA in the Kaeo, Waitaruke areas although his influence was spread
widely through the North. Henry Flavell and Margaret Sheehan had married on 13 February 1879 at
Mangonui. Margaret was baptised on 4 September 1857 in Kerry, Ireland.
About 1896 the family moved from Kaeo and Te Moari (near Kaeo) to Waipipi.
Eric was enrolled at Waipipi School from 9 February 1898 and was schooled there until he was 14 in
December 1906. His service record says he was employed as a surveyor's linesman in Katikati.

Enlistment and Training

Eric enlisted on 14 August 1914 and after training in
Auckland and at Awapuni he was posted as a Driver in the
New Zealand Field Artillery. He was described as single,
Anglican, 5 feet 8 inches (172cms), 140 lbs (63Kgs), with
brown complexion, light hair and light grey eyes. Training
was brief as by 14 October 1914 he had travelled to
Wellington and was aboard a troop ship.

Service Abroad

The New Zealand Government had chartered ten merchant
ships and converted them for troop carrying at the start of
the war. It was in one of these that Eric arrived in Egypt on 4
December 1914. The men and horses disembarked at
Alexandria and travelled by train to Cairo. Based at nearby
Zeitoun Camp, they trained in the surrounding desert for
operations against the Ottoman Empire that were expected
to be fought in similar terrain.
On 12 April 1915 Eric embarked for the Dardanelles and for a short time served with the Military
Mounted Police.

On 11 November 1915 he was admitted to the 17th General Hospital sick with jaundice and was later
transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Mustapha before returning to camp at Moascar on
15 January 1916.
He embarked for France on 7 April 1916 with the NZ Field Artillery as a Gunner and was transferred
to the 10th Battery later that month. Eric was to endure another long stay in hospital when he was
admitted to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 6 January 1917, then transferred to
Boulogne and later to Etaples hospital before returning to camp on 27 March 1917. He was then
posted to the 2nd Battery in the field. Here he served until returning to England on
28 November 1918. Eric embarked on 18 December 1918 from Liverpool on the Oxfordshire to
return to New Zealand where he was discharged from active service on 1 February 1919, after
serving a total of 4 years and 195 days, 85 days served in New Zealand and 4 years and 110 days
overseas.

Post-war

On his return from the war, according to the Bay of Plenty
Electoral Roll for 1919, he was a labourer in the Tauranga
area.
On 16 July 1923 Eric married Margaret Mary DUNSMUIR.
She was born in Alexandra on 5 June 1903, the daughter
of Allan DUNSMUIR (1866-1933) and Elizabeth SHORT
(1875-1912).
The 1935 and 1938 Electoral Rolls show they were living
at Waiau Pa, where Eric was a labourer but in the 1946
Electoral Roll they were living in Harris Street, Pukekohe.
By 1949 they were again living in Waiau Pa.
Eric and Margaret had five children, one of whom died in
infancy.
Eric died on 27 March 1954. Margaret died on 10 October
1992 and is buried in Waiuku Cemetery next to Eric with
their son Leonard.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 37 Plot 013.
Waipipi School Roll of Honour. – pictured, NZ History Memorials
Waiuku Memorial Board – Waiuku Hall.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military record
Photos – Yelchich Family
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Papers Past
Ancestry Family Trees
Family Search

Researched by Rosemary Lewis

George Samuel Seiver FLAVELL

Service Number: 12/3638
Regiment: Auckland Regiment
Last known Rank: Lance Corporal
Died: 19 October 1972
Age: 76 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 31 Plot 042

Pre-war

George Samuel Seiver FLAVELL’s military record gives his date of birth as
17 August 1895. He first tried enlisting September 1915 but was
declared underage, so when he re-enlisted on 18 October 1915, he
changed his date of birth to make himself eligible. His birth registration
names him as George Samuel Seine Flavell, registered 1897, his family
information stated he was born 17 October 1896 and his school admission registers give his
birthdate as 17 October 1897.

NZBDM Death registration 1972 also shows a birth date 17 October 1896.

He was born in Waiuku, the son of William FLAVELL and his wife Mary DOWNES. William and Mary
had married in 1878. He was the eighth of nine children and had five sisters and three brothers.
Mary Downes, born 1859, was a daughter of George DOWNES who had come to Whangaroa and
gone into partnership with Henry Davis SNOWDEN. George inherited "The Donkey's Nest" a pub in
Whangaroa in 1864 on Snowden's death and died there on 21 January 1881. Several of George's
children married into the Snowden family.
George Samuel Seiver Flavell (known as Seiver) was enrolled at
Waipipi School in April 1903 and left school on 14 February 1908.
He became a farmhand.

Enlistment and Training
He enlisted on 18 October 1915 in Waiuku and attested in
Trentham on 20 October. He was posted to A Company of the 9th
Reinforcements of the Auckland Infantry Regiment as a Private.
Seiver was described as single, Anglican, 5 feet 8 inches (173cms),
126 lbs (57kgs), with black hair, brown eyes and a dark
complexion. He named his father, W. Flavell, as next of kin.

Service Abroad
Seiver embarked for overseas on 8 January 1916 on HMNZT 37
Maunganui. On 9 February 1916 he was posted to the 2nd
Battalion Auckland Infantry Regiment at Moascar, Egypt for
further training.

On 8 April 1916 he left Alexandria on the HT Ascania for France. The ship landed at Marseilles three
days later and then the 2nd Battalion was moved north by train and by mid-May was moving into
the Front line adjacent to Armentieres. On 19 February 1917 Seiver was promoted to Temporary
Lance Corporal and then detached to the School of Instruction which he completed and was
appointed Lance Corporal on 1 May 1917. On 7 June 1917 he was wounded in action at Etaples and
by 26 June 1917 he was seriously ill in the No. 7 Canadian General Hospital in France and was
transferred to London on the hospital ship HS Princess Elizabeth, where he was hospitalised at
Walton on Thames.
He was discharged as unfit for service and embarked on the Marama for New Zealand on
14 July 1917 and arrived in New Zealand on 22 August 1917. Seiver was discharged on 11 October
1917 due to wounds received in action in France. His intended address on discharge was 159
Grafton Road – which was the annexe of Auckland Hospital. On the 1919 Electoral Roll Seiver was
living at 12 King Edward Avenue, Epsom and had no occupation - this was a private hospital for
injured returned soldiers. He served a total of 2 years 1 day, 131 days in New Zealand and 1 year
226 overseas.

Post-war
In 1921 Seiver married Yvonne Andree TALLEUX
who had been born in France in 1900. She was a
war bride who spoke very little English when she
arrived in New Zealand.
In the 1925 and 1928 Electoral Rolls, Seiver was
working as a linesman in Pukekohe where he and
Yvonne were living in Hall Street.
Electoral rolls from 1938 continuously list George
Seiver Flavell as a farmer of Kaihau Road, Waiuku.
Seiver died on 19 October 1972 aged 76 and Yvonne Andree Flavell died on 12 September 1973.
Both are buried in Waiuku Cemetery.
The couple celebrated their Golden Wedding with a large gathering of family and friends at Tahuna
Marae where Siever was a senior elder of the Ngati Te Ata tribe. A report of the occasion was in the
Franklin Advertiser in December 1971.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Row 31 Plot 042.
Waiuku Memorial Board, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.
Waipipi School Roll of Honour.

Sources
Archive New Zealand Military Records
Auckland Museum Cenotaph
Photo – Seiver & Yvonne Flavell family history reunion

booklet 1981

Photo – Seiver in uniform – Waiuku Museum
Archives New Zealand Probate records
nz.history.govt.nz

Researched by Rosemary Lewis

William FLAVELL

Service Number: 14248
Regiment: New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Last known Rank: Corporal
Died: 21 July 1979*
Age: 83 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Row S2 Plot 026

*Date of death differs from plaque.

Pre-war

William FLAVELL (known as Bill) was born on 26 January 1896 in Waiuku. He was the thirteenth child
of Henry FLAVELL (c1858-1922) and Margaret SHEEHAN (1857-1941) who had married on
13 February 1879 in Mangonui. William was the grandson of Reta Kino URUROA and Thomas
FLAVELL. Reta was one of the daughters of the Chief URUROA who was one of the Chiefs in the
Kaeo, Waitaruke, Totara North areas although his influence spread throughout the Far North.
Margaret Sheehan was born in 1857 in Londonderry, Ireland.
William attended Waipipi School from 1 April 1901 until December 1906 when he went to work as a
farm hand.
Two of his brothers, Eric and Francis Leopold (Leo) served overseas. Leo was killed in action in 1917.

Enlistment and Training

He attested on 8 March 1916 at Trentham and was posted to
E Company, 14th Reinforcements and trained in
New Zealand until 25 June 1916. William was described as
single, Anglican, 5 feet 10 inches (178cms), 162 lbs (73kgs),
with a dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

Service Abroad

On 26 June 1916 William embarked on the HMNZT 56
Maunganui from Wellington and disembarked at the naval
port of Devonport near Plymouth on 22 August 1916. From
there he was marched to Sling and was then allocated to a
Reserve group and sent to France on 14 September 1916.
At Etaples on 17 September 1916 he was attached to
strength and joined the 1st Battalion Auckland Regiment. By
November 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal and on
1 April 1917 he was appointed Corporal.
William was reported Missing in Action in the field in
Belgium on 23 June 1917. A Court of Inquiry was held which
showed no evidence that he had been killed or taken
prisoner, however the Central Prisoner of War Committee
later reported on 25 August that William had been captured
at Messines and was a Prisoner of War and he was wounded
in the thigh.

He was imprisoned at Hammelburg, Bavaria and
later moved to Mannheim, Germany which was
a clearing camp for prisoners being repatriated.
When released from captivity, William had
spent seven weeks in hospital with gunshot
wounds to the back of his head and the right upper arm.
He was 20% disabled when he appeared before the Medical Board and was repatriated to Dover on
20 December 1918. He was given leave and then returned to Codford Camp prior to sailing on 20
March 1919 on the Bhama for New Zealand and was finally discharged on 7 May 1919. William had
served a total of 3 years 77 days, 138 days served in New Zealand and 2 years 304 days overseas.

Post-war
After his return to New Zealand,
William went back to farm work. He
married Doris Alice Kathleen
TOMPKINS in 1926 and had three
children, Leo, Beverley and Max. In
1942 William again tried to enlist in
the New Zealand Army but instead
received a commission in the Home
Guard.

On the Electoral Rolls of 1928 and
1935 the family were farming in
Tahuna, Waiuku and in 1946 and
1949 they were farming at Te Toro.
After retiring from the farm, they built a new house at Buckland Beach then by 1954 William and
Doris were living at 34 Great South Road, Papakura. In the later Electoral Rolls of 1969 and 1972
they were at their two-storied house in Maraetai Drive, Maraetai, which is where they spent their
final years.
William died on 21 July 1979 and Doris died on 14 July 1987, aged 85 years.

In Memoriam
Waiuku RSA Cemetery Row S2 Plot 026.1.
Waiuku Roll of Honour, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.
Waipipi School Roll of Honour.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Archives New Zealand Probates
New Zealand BDM
Papers Past; Prisoner of War, Pukekohe & Waiuku Times 31 Aug 1917

Photograph of William supplied by George Flavell

Researched by Rosemary Lewis

John FORBES

Service Number: 42072
Regiment: Wellington Regiment
Last known Rank: Private
Died: 24 June 1962
Age: 83 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 37 Plot 037

Pre-war

John FORBES was born in Teanassie,
Kilmorack, Inverness-shire, Scotland
on 15 February 1879, the fifth child of
seven, having two sisters and four
brothers. His father John (1844-1896)
was a teacher at the Teanassie Public
school where John received his
schooling. The school, pictured at right,
was built the year he was born. His
mother was Christine DOUGLAS
(1842-1925).
John was an accountant in a land agent office in Cambourne, Cornwall in the 1901 census. He came
to New Zealand about 1908 and it appears that he was the only one of his family to settle here.
John was the Bank of New Zealand Manager in Tokomaru Bay when he enlisted but had worked in
Timaru where he met and married Gwendolyn Mary WOOD on 16 November 1916.
(A part of the lengthy wedding report below)

Enlistment and Training

John enlisted in Gisborne on 7 December 1916 and entered
camp at Trentham on 3 January 1917. He was described as
Presbyterian, 5 feet 9¼ inches (176cms), 173 lbs (78kgs), with
medium complexion, black hair and blue eyes.
He named his wife as next of kin and her address as Wai-Iti
Road, Timaru and it was reported in the paper that she had
gone to stay with her parents while John was overseas.
As it happened Gwendolyn was pregnant and their daughter
was born in September, five months after John left for overseas.
John was posted to the E Company of the 24th Reinforcements
and was promoted to Sergeant before embarking.

Service Abroad

John embarked on the TS Devon in Wellington on
5 April 1917 and disembarked in Devonport on
11 June. He marched into Sling Camp as part of
the Wellington Regiment and reverted to ranks
at his own request. He left for France on 19 July
1917 and was posted to the 17th Company. On
27 October 1917 John was admitted to the No. 4
Field Ambulance with myalgia. He was
transferred to the New Zealand Stationary
Hospital at Wisques, then to the No. 2 Canadian
Hospital in Etaples and finally to the No. 3
Convalescent Depot before re-joining his unit in
January 1918. In March he was posted to the 2nd
Battalion Wellington Regiment where he served
until given some leave to England on 22 August
1918.
In November he was sent to Torquay to await
transport home and embarked at Liverpool on
the SS Oxfordshire on 19 December 1918. John
was discharged on medical grounds on 4 March 1919 after serving 121 days in New Zealand, 1 year
305 days overseas, a total service of 2 years and 61 days in total.

Post-war

John returned to his wife and daughter in Timaru for a short time before taking up his former role as
Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Tokomaru Bay.
Newspapers of the day mentioned the Forbes family holidaying often in the Timaru district, in
January 1922, camping at the Opihi River with their two children and Gwendoline’s parents.
In May 1922 John moved his family to Waiuku to become the Manager of the Bank of New Zealand,
a position he was to hold until he retired.
John and Gwendolyn were fully involved in the community at Waiuku. John was vice president at
the Waiuku Tennis Club, an active member of the RSA and Auditor for many years, active in the
Waiuku Chamber of Commerce and Auditor for the Waiuku Sports Club. It seemed that golf was a
family passion. He and Gwendolyn were frequently in the paper for their successes on the golf
course and their administration positions. Both were either Club Captains or Presidents over their
long association with the club and before long their son was also a junior champion.
Gwendolyn (also spelt Gwendoline on some documents) died on 2 January 1957 and she and John
are buried together in Waiuku.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 37 Plot 037.
Timaru Museum Remembrance.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military record
Timaru Museum
Photo and information – Family, Sandra Ewing
Papers Past: Wedding report, Timaru Herald 18 Nov 1916; His wife to stay in Timaru, Sun 23 April 1917; Holiday at Opihi,

Timaru Herald 21 Jan 1922; Notice of promotion to Waiuku, Timaru Herald 27 May 1922

Researched by Heather Maloney

Alfred George FURNISS

Service Number: 70466

Regiment: Auckland Regiment

Last known Rank: Private

Died: 20 June 1940

Age: 43 years*

Cemetery: Waipipi Plot 115

*Age at death differs from headstone.

Pre-war
Alfred George FURNISS (known as Jim) was the ninth of ten children born to Henry FURNISS (1861-
1943) and Sarah Ann JONES (1863-1934) and born in Stratford on 9 September 1896. Both parents
were of English descent, of large families and had been brought up at Waipipi on the Awhitu
Peninsula. Henry’s parents Alfred and Amelia had come to New Zealand on the Alfred as part of the
Waipipi Settlement Scheme and made a home in Parakau Road.
Sarah’s parents, John and Susan, arrived on
the Steinwarder and were allotted land in
Craig Road.
Henry and Sarah spent years of development
farming in Taranaki and on 9 September 1896
Jim was born. He attended Bird Road School.
Henry bought land at Waipipi on the corner
of the Main Road and Wharf Road. As Jim
was admitted to Waipipi School on 3 August
1903 it is presumed the family moved and a
residence was built before then. The harbour
was at the end of the road and the inlet
(Waipipi Creek) came up to the farm. After
his schooling Jim helped on the farm. Sadly,
on 15 September 1916 Harry, Jim’s older
brother, was killed at Somme, France.

Enlistment and Training

Jim attested in Auckland on 12 September 1917. He was single, aged 21, was 5 feet 11 inches

(180cms) and weighed 154 lbs (69kgs). His complexion was fair as was his hair and his eyes were

blue. He was Anglican and his father was his next of kin. He had been in Senior Cadets then
transferred to the 16th (Waikato) Regiment.
He was posted as Private to A Company 35th Reinforcements at Trentham then transferred on
5 February 1918 to 36th Reinforcements.

Service Abroad
On 23 April 1918 Jim embarked on HMNZT 102 Willochra at Wellington then transhipped aboard the
liner RMS Ormonde. He disembarked at Suez on 31 May and time was spent at an Australian camp
but on 3 July Jim had diarrhoea and was admitted to hospital. He was discharged to duty on the 21st
to Chevelier Island, Ismailia.
Jim arrived in Southampton, England on 13 August and he marched in with the Reserve Auckland
Infantry Regiment to Sling Camp.

On 20 August he was admitted to the Military hospital at Tidworth with dysentery (diagnosed as
colitis) and was there until 9 October when he transferred to Hornchurch Convalescent Hospital. Jim
was given leave on 26 November and was to report at Codford on 11 December.
On 25 January Jim embarked on the Port Melbourne for New Zealand. There were 1,251 soldiers
onboard. On his return to Auckland, he was declared to be suffering from debility as a result of
infection.
Jim was finally discharged on 23 April 1919 “in consequence of being no longer physically fit for war
service on account of illness contracted on active service”.
He had served 1 year and 188 days, 234 days in New Zealand and 319 days overseas and received
the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Post-war
On his return, Jim went back to the farm at Waipipi.
In November Jim and five other returned soldiers arranged and carried out a ‘hard up’ social held in
the school. There was a large attendance and Jim had the duty of M.C.
In 1920 he went farming on a property opposite his parents’ farm on what is now Furniss Road.
On 27 October 1920 Jim married Janet Amy Jessie CRIGHTON (1891-1964), the tenth of twelve
children born to Andrew CRIGHTON (1845-1922) and Frances GILLBEE (1857-1936). She was known
as Jessie. They were to have four children: a daughter and three sons.
Jim went on the Hall committee and on the Waipipi School committee for many years. He was the
chairman when the school had its 60th anniversary in February 1934.
Tennis was a loved sport for both Jim and Jessie – singles, doubles and combined doubles. They
were good players and there were many wins including inter-club. The court was adjacent to the
farm so was very handy.
Jim was known as a quietly spoken, mild mannered man, a hard worker and a gentle man who never
raised his voice.

Jim passed away on 20 June 1940 aged 43,
although both the death notice and
headstone say 44 years. He was buried at
Waipipi cemetery next to his parents and
son. Jessie passed away on 11 May 1964 at
Tauranga.

In Memoriam
Waipipi Cemetery Plot 115.
Waipipi School Roll of Honour.
Waiuku War Memorial Hall Roll of Honour.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Flotilla Australia
School records
Of Pigeons and Pipis Waipipi School and Districts 125 Years’
Paperspast: Jubilee of School, NZ Herald 24 Feb 1934; Death NZ Herald, 21

June 1940; Tennis, Franklin Times 25 Nov 1925

Researched by Penny Prescott (of the farm on the corner of the
Main Road and Wharf Road)

Herbert Walter GEORGE

Service Number: 2/1346
Regiment: New Zealand Field Artillery
Last known Rank: Gunner
Died: 8 November 1942
Age: 47 years*
Cemetery: Waipipi Plot 153

*Age at death differs from headstone.

Pre-war
Herbert Walter GEORGE was born on 8 May 1895 in Dunedin, the fourth of
ten children of Frederick William Ben GEORGE (1858-1939) and Mary Jane
McCORMACK (1871-1939). Frederick and Mary were married in Dunedin
on 14 August 1889, and both died and were buried in Westport in 1939.
Herbert had been working for the Defence Department in Westport as a labourer prior to his call up
and was living in the drill shed c/- PO Westport.

Enlistment and Training
Herbert enlisted for the first time on 11 February 1915 and named his father, Mr GEORGE, c/- PO
Westport, as his next of kin. He was single. Herbert was an Anglican and was described as 5 feet 7
inches tall (170cms), 128 lbs (58kgs) with a dark complexion, blue eyes, and black hair.
Herbert was posted to the 4th reinforcements of H company in the Canterbury Regiment,
Field Artillery.

Service Abroad
Herbert embarked from Wellington on 17 April 1915. In August 1915 he sailed for the Dardanelles,
but on 18 September 1915 he was admitted to the H S Aquitania and was transferred to England,
where he was admitted to Manchester 2nd Western General Hospital. He was finally discharged to
furlough on 4 February 1916 and returned to duty on 21 February 1916. On 25 April 1916 Herbert
was re-admitted to hospital and sent to Hornchurch to convalesce, from where he was invalided back

to NZ suffering from tubercular
phthisis (TB).
Herbert returned to NZ on the
Athenic and was discharged on 3
July 1916 and declared physically
unfit for service after serving
overseas for 1 year and 51 days.
Herbert returned to the West
Coast and worked as a labourer
for McFADDEN on the Buller
Bridge, before re-enlisting for the
second time in the 23rd
reinforcements on 16 November
1916. He sailed from Wellington
on the HMNZT 78 Navua on 16 February 1917 and arrived at Devonport on 26 April 1917 where he
joined the NZ Rifle Brigade, H company, as a Lance Corporal.

On 26 May 1917, Herbert
proceeded to France, but by early
June had been admitted to a
General Hospital, dangerously ill
with pneumonia. It wasn’t until the
end of June before he was removed
from the dangerously ill list. In early
July he was sent to convalesce in
England at Brockenhurst. In mid-
July he still had severe pneumonia
and was classified by the Medical
Board as unfit.
Herbert returned to NZ on the
Maheno from Avonmouth and was
discharged on 30 October 1917 as
being no longer physically fit for war
service on account of illness
contracted on active service.
For his second service Herbert had served a total of 1 year and 5 days.

Post-war
Herbert settled at the Britannia Private Hotel, 516 Colombo St, Christchurch and worked as a factory
hand in Hornby, in 1919.
By 5 July 1921 he was living at 8 Commercial Rd, Grey Lynn, Auckland and was working as a carpenter.
In 1933 Herbert married Edith Sophia PETERSON the third child of Albert Leonard PETERSON (1858-
1927) and Ellen Maria EVANS (1869-1966). Edith was born in 1904 in Auckland and her brother, Albert
Clarence also served in WW1 (service no 51769).
From 1935 Edith and Herbert lived at Graham’s Beach, Awhitu and Herbert worked as a carpenter.
Edith’s great grandparents, William GRAHAM (1816-1889) and Marion (1816-1887) were the first
white settlers here in 1854 when it was still called Te Kauri.
Herbert also worked on the barges in Manukau Harbour when extra labour was required. In the book
“Early Manukau”, author George Higham recalls that he employed him and his two brothers in law on
many occasions and for some unknown reason they never spoke a word to each other. It was
absolutely useless to ask one to deliver a message to the others, although he did add that when they
worked, they worked, and no time was lost in talking.
Herbert died suddenly at his home on 8 November 1942 and was buried in Waipipi cemetery.
Edith died on 4 July 1950, age 46 and was buried with Herbert. They had no children.

In Memoriam
Waipipi Cemetery Plot 153.

Sources

Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Auckland Museum Cenotaph
Archives New Zealand, Probates
New Zealand Electoral Rolls
Early Manukau Secrets of Yesterday by George Higham P44
Ancestry
Papers Past

Researched by Barbara Raven

Geoffrey GILCHRIST

Service Number: 2/2133
Regiment: New Zealand Field Artillery
Last known Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Died: 22 May 1979
Age: 82 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 50 Row 003

Pre-war
Geoffrey (known as Geoff) GILCHRIST, son of a Scottish father Peter GILCHRIST (1865-1948) and
English mother Annie Elizabeth Ethel (known as Ethel) HILL (1868-1935). He was born on
5 August 1896 at Ponsonby, Auckland and had five sisters and two brothers. The family moved to
Te Aroha, to a property called ‘Sidlaw’ and Peter established a law firm. Geoff’s brothers joined
their father in the firm, but Geoff wanted to go farming and obtained a job working for J. McCAW at
Matamata.

Enlistment and Training
Geoff attested on 23 August 1915 at Trentham and stated
he belonged to the 6th (Hauraki) Regiment. He was single,
aged 20 years and 11 months, was 6 feet 1 inch (185cm)
and weighed 160 lbs (72.5kgs). He had a fresh complexion,
pale blue eyes, and fair hair. His father was his next of kin
and his religion was Church of England.

Service Abroad
Geoff left Wellington on either HMNZT 35 Willochra or
HMNZT 36 Tofua as a Gunner with New Zealand Field
Artillery and the 8th Reinforcements on 12 November 1915.
They disembarked at Suez on 20 December and left
Alexandria for France on 5 April 1916. In November Geoff
had a problem with his legs but was treated and re-joined
his unit on 28 November. On 24 July 1917 he left for
England via Boulogne as he had been given an Artillery
Commission and he began training at the Officer Cadet Unit
then joined the No. 1 Officer Cadet School on 6 August.
Geoff was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 11 January 1918.
On 28 January he was sent to the New Zealand Field Artillery Depot at Aldershot and then on
22 February left for France. where he was attached to strength at Etaples. On 21 March Geoff was
severely gassed from a mustard gas shell. He received treatment then was admitted to No.14
General hospital at Wimereux. Geoff’s friend next to him in the trench did not survive his burns
wounds. Days later he left for England from Boulogne on the Pieter de Commick and was admitted
to the London General hospital at Chelsea. On 8 May Geoff was transferred to Brockenhurst and
later that month he was discharged to Headquarters in London. On 8 July he left Ewshot for France
and from Etaples he marched out to his division and joined the 6th Battery.

He embarked on Tofua on 18 April 1919 arriving home on 29 May. His total service was 3 years 309
days, and his final discharge was 27 June 1919. Geoff received the 1914-15 Star, the British Medal,
and the Victory Medal.

Post-war
Geoff soon had a position as a cadet at Makarika Station, Tokomaru Bay in the Bay of Plenty but in
1921 looked at land at Crouch Road, Otaua, near Waiuku. A decision to buy was based on the
established farm next door. Geoff made the purchase and soon began to make improvements. A
downturn in butterfat prices meant a lean time for quite a while.
At Te Aroha, at one of the dances, Geoff had met Dorothy Isabel JAMIESON (born 3 March 1907) a
teacher and the middle child of seven of Robert JAMIESON (1872-1946) and Eliza McKAY (1877-
1948) of Coromandel. Robert was the Headmaster of the high school in the small mining town.
Geoff and Dorothy were married on 25 August 1926 at
Coromandel and were to have two daughters.
Geoff had a great sense of humour and liked to play jokes.
When young Geoff had a pony, he was taught how to
manage horses by an Olympic rider. He had a horse on the
farm and as there was no car had a bay horse that pulled a
gig. Travel to Pukekohe to get provisions took an hour and
twenty minutes.
Geoff was an Officer in the Territorial Force and was
transferred to the Waikato Mounted Rifles in World War 2.
He trained the recruits at camp and had various positions
including being promoted to Captain. Dorothy kept the
farm going in his absence. Geoff was very involved in the
Waiuku RSA becoming a Life Member. Geoff kept in touch
with mates from the war going to Auckland and catching
up over lunch or an evening, spending time at the Officers’
Club. Whenever there was time, a visit to family at
Te Aroha was made. Family still own part of the property
today.
Geoff passed away in 1979 and Dorothy on 23 June 1995.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 50 Plot 003.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Family information and photos: 1959 Government House

Garden Party and ‘on the farm’
N Z History
Auckland museum cenotaph: Portrait of Lieutenant Geoffrey
Gilchrist. Image sourced from Imperial War Museums' 'Bond of
Sacrifice' collection. ©IWM HU 115032

Researched by Penny Prescott

Arthur GILLATT

Service Number: 26/796
Regiment: New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Last known Rank: Rifleman
Died: 10 May 1952
Age: 64 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 35 Plot 031

Pre-war
Arthur GILLATT was born 7 April 1888 at Todwick, the second child of Walter Gillatt (1864-1924) and
Agnes MOSELEY (1863-1946). He had 3 siblings – Lily, Ivy and Joseph Walter. Joseph Walter served
in WW1. He grew up at Todwick, 9 miles from Sheffield in Yorkshire, England. His father was a
labourer working at the nearby coal mine and on Red Lion Farm. Arthur also worked as a labourer on
Red Lion Farm on the outskirts of Todwick (the 3rd generation to do so). This farm supplied vegetables
and food for the Sheffield markets. Church played a big part in his family’s life. He was also a member
of the Territorial Forces, distinguishing himself in shooting and horse riding.
Arthur Gillatt came to New Zealand in 1912, aged 24 years. His uncle, Alfred Moseley, had immigrated
to Otaua, Waiuku, and he came out to work for him. He worked as a labourer helping develop the
swamp for the various farmers around. Arthur had been given a reference from the Rector of Todwick;
a part of it being:
“Jan 29th 1912

I have much pleasure in testifying that I have known Arthur Gillatt for the last ten years and have had ample
opportunity of observing his conduct. To my personal regret he is leaving the parish and the country for New
Zealand. He leaves his native place with the goodwill and friendship of all who have known him.
He has been highly esteemed, respected, and trustworthy by those who knew him best, and has been found
faithful and trustworthy in all respects.
As a member of the Territorial Force, he has won the regard and confidence of his officers and has
distinguished himself in shooting and riding.”

Enlistment and Training
Arthur attested 13 October 1915 at Trentham. He was single, aged
27 ½, his height was 5 feet 7 inches (170cms), his weight was
149 lbs (67kgs), he had blue eyes, brown hair, and a fair
complexion. He was Anglican and his father was his next of kin.
Arthur had served in the Yeomanry (Cavalry) in England.

Service Abroad
On 5 February 1916 vessels HMNZT 42 Ulimaroa, HMNZT 43
Mokoia, HMNZT 44 Navua left Wellington with Arthur part of 4th
Battalion, A Company, New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He disembarked
at Suez, Egypt, then on 7 April left from Alexandria for France.
Arthur was in the field and there were a series of incidents over
time. On 1 October he was admitted to a Dressing Station but re-
joined his unit 5 days later. On 4 February 1917 he had field
ambulance help followed by time at a resting station then re-joined
his unit 8 March.

On 17 March he was admitted ill but was back in the field 1 April. Subsequently on 7 June 1917 Arthur
was gassed and received a gunshot wound to his right hand during the Battle of Messines. He was
attended to at the field ambulance then casualty clearing station and then admitted to No. 7 General
Hospital at St Omers. After 2 weeks he was sent to No. 10 Convalescing Hospital at Ecault then 14 July
attached to the New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot at Etaples where he was assessed by
the Medical Board. On 10 November Arthur was detached to England to Torquay. He had leave and
visited family, then married long-time sweetheart Jennie UNWIN at All Hallows Church, Harthill on 28
November 1917.
Jennie was born at Harthill on 8 Feb 1890, daughter of John Unwin, miner at Harthill and Alice
LUDLAM. They lived at the Rectory, Harthill which is 4 miles from Todwick. Jennie had 2 siblings Nell
and Jack and all went to school in Harthill. Jennie cared for her parents until their deaths, Alice in April
then John in December 1916.
It was 14 March 1918 that Arthur and Jennie left England on HMNZT 156 Remuera and arrived in New
Zealand on 11 May. His final discharge 9 August stated he was “no longer physically fit for war service
due to wounds received in action”.
He had been away 2 years and 96 days and received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Post-war
Arthur returned to Waiuku with his war bride and bought a dairy farm from an old Irish bachelor on
Whiriwhiri Road, settling there until his retirement to View Road, Waiuku in 1945. They built a new
house on its current site, the original being derelict and closer to the road. Arthur and Jennie had
three children: Nancy (HOLMES), Walter, and Agnes (SMITH). Walter (Wally) went to WW2, married
Gladys SHUKER on his return and took over the farm from his father.
On 31 March 1919 Arthur attended the 1st AGM of the RSA held at the Temperance Hall, Waiuku.

Arthur enjoyed playing bowls and was very
hospitable. He had many friends and was a
very gentle person. He was rather excitable,
with much waving of arms. He was devoted to
his grandchildren and church was an
important part of his life.
Arthur died 10 May 1952 and is buried at
Waiuku.
Jennie then shifted to Constable Road to live
in the cottage next to daughter Agnes and
Fred Smith. She died 20 July 1954 and is also
buried at Waiuku.

Jennie and Arthur are on the left with Agnes next to Arthur, Walter in the front,
and Nancy on the right next to a visitor Mrs Harvey. c1930

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 35 Plot 031.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Auckland Museum Cenotaph Ancestry
Family Information and photos – Barbara and Roger Gillatt

Researched by Penny Prescott

Charles Henry HAGGIE

Service Number: 81779
Regiment: Auckland Regiment
Last known Rank: Private
Died: 15 May 1982
Age: 84 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Row S3 Plot 022

Pre-war

Charles Henry HAGGIE was born on 19 October 1897 to Ellenora

COOKSON and George Jersey HAGGIE. Charles’s father, George

was born in Oamaru and his mother Ellenora in Rotorua. They

were married in Rotorua in 1897. Charles was the eldest in a big

family. In 1904 the family were in Tatu, a small village in

Taranaki, and in 1905 a Post Office was established however a

school, telephone and good roading were not available.

The family next moved to Whangamomona, a forestry area

where George gained work as a labourer. Conditions for the

family were primitive. By 1914 George and his family had moved

to Frankton, Hamilton. George was working on the railway and

life was improving. Charles was working too but still living with

his parents.

On 10 December 1917 he married Mihi PINGA and moved to

Panmure Road, Otahuhu, Auckland. Her full name was Charles and his mother

Te Aumihi Aroha PINGAREKA.

Charles was also the first Secretary of the Mercer Rowing Club in 1917 and 100 years later his

grandson was the Head Coach for the club.

Enlistment and Training
Charles was working at Westfield Freezing Works when he signed up on 3 May 1918, in Auckland
and headed for Trentham Camp. He was a member of the 16th Waikato Mounted Rifles prior to
enlistment. Charles was 20 years 7 months of age, 5 feet 6¼ inches tall (168cms) and weighed
149 lbs (67kgs), with brown hair, a dark complexion and hazel eyes. He was part of the 41st
Reinforcements which was the first quota of Class A, Second Division Reservists (married men
without children) drawn in the ballot.

Service Abroad
Charles embarked from Wellington on 27 July 1918 aboard the HMNZT 108 Ulimaroa as part of the
41st Reinforcements in G Company. They arrived in England on 4 October 1918 and marched
through to Sling Camp where Charles was transferred to the Otago Infantry Regiment. On 10
October he was transferred to a military hospital at Tidworth with influenza and discharged back to
Sling 19 days later. On 11 January 1919 his group were marched to Torquay where Charles received
agriculture instruction. Charles embarked on 17 June 1919 to return home to New Zealand on the
steamer Briton as part of Draft 268 of approximately 1,180 troops and 73 wives. The vessel arrived
in Wellington on 23 July but was held in stream for disinfection as there were three cases of
influenza on board.

The troops were disembarked by ferry steamer and proceeded to their destinations, Auckland
troops by train. Charles had served 93 days in New Zealand, and 1 year 90 days overseas, but he
never crossed the English Channel. He was discharged on 20 August 1919 and received the British
War Medal.

Post-war
Charles returned to Otahuhu and to Mihi. Sadly, they lost their first
child Lillian Mihi on 5 February 1921 at nine months of age. They
were however to have a big happy family with another three
daughters and five sons. Charles and Mihi moved from Otahuhu to
River Road, Ngaruawahia where Charles was a carpenter. He was
involved in boxing becoming a very successful amateur with many
successes including the Auckland Provincial Championship in 1922.
During the depression years when funds were tight, Charles travelled
around the country on a motor bike to boxing bouts to earn money.
Although he boxed for many years, he also retained an interest in
later years by being a referee.
The family had a good life that included full involvement with the
Turangawaeawae Marae, supporting the development of the
buildings on the marae and then Charles building a family home on
the site. In 1943 there was a Maori War Effort Regatta at the
“Ngaruawahia Pa” where Prime Minister Rt Hon. P. FRASER and
some 500 USA officers and soldiers were guests. Charles was an official for the day.
He also participated in clay bird shooting contests and was successful. Charles finished third in the
Auckland Provincial Clay Bird Championship held at Cambridge in 1948. In February 1953 Charles
and Mihi were in a plane crash when Charles was the pilot. Charles escaped injury, Mihi received
fractured ribs and the plane was extensively damaged.
Charles enjoyed duck and pheasant shooting and his wife made Korowai cloaks from the feathers for
visiting dignitaries.
In later life Charles gave away carpentry and became a carrier, transporting meat and coal in the
Waikato area and his sons assisted in the business. Mihi passed away on 12 October 1972 and by
1978 Charles had retired to Havelock Road in Ngaruawahia and later moved to Waiuku to live with
his daughter Marion and her husband Thomas at Aka Aka.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery RSA Section, Plot S3-022.
Mercer First World War Memorial, Roose Road and
Riverbank Road.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records,
Information – grandson Charles Haggie
Ancestry Websites mainly “Jasmine George Family” – Photos
Papers Past: Tatu Land, Taranaki Daily News 23 Jan 1904; Soldiers

Coming Home, Stratford Evening Post 23 July 1919; Boxing, NZ Truth 17
June 1922; Plane Crash, Press 9 Feb 1953

New Zealand BDM
New Zealand Electoral rolls

Researched by Lois Hopping

Henry Alexander HAMILTON

Service Number: 58480
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last known Rank: Trooper
Died: 6 March 1957
Age: 60 years
Cemetery: Awhitu Central Row A Plot 004

Pre-war
Henry Alexander HAMILTON was born 10 June 1896, a twin to William Glover Jnr. Their parents were
William Glover Hamilton Snr (1868-1940) and Mary Horatia ALEXANDER (1869-1933). They were
married at the home of Mary’s parents in Waipipi but William was from Awhitu. There were six
children in the family, five boys and a girl and they grew up on a property called ‘Greenfields’ on what
became Hamilton Road. Henry attended Awhitu Central School from 25 November 1901 to
18 December 1903 and then attended Kohekohe School from 1 February 1904 until
11 November 1904. He returned to Awhitu Central School on 15 November but no record was found
for his final day. As Henry and his brothers grew up they were included more and more into the
workings of the farm. The boys all learned to ride horses and used those skills later in life. Henry was
a serving member of the 3rd Auckland Mounted Regiment at the time of his enlistment.

Enlistment and Training
Henry’s attestation paper was signed 28 September
1917 in Auckland stating a preference for the Mounted
Rifles. He was 21 years 3 months old, 5 feet 6 inches tall
(168cms) and weighed 154 lbs (70kgs). Henry had a
fresh complexion, brown eyes and hair and flat feet. His
service began on 17 October 1917 and he posted to the
36th Reinforcements New Zealand Mounted Rifles.
Henry was promoted to the temporary rank of Lance
Corporal on 30 November and on 6 February 1918 he
was transferred to 36th Special Company but transferred
back to the Mounted Rifles on 15 February. Six days
later Henry embarked on the HMNZT Moeraki and
headed overseas.

Service Abroad
The Moeraki carried the 35th and 36th Reinforcements
for the Mounted Rifles as far as Sydney where they
embarked aboard the RMS Ormonde. Henry was
admitted to hospital aboard RMS Ormonde with measles
on 25 March 1918. On 4 April 1918 he relinquished the Lance Corporal rank and was admitted to the
Government Hospital at Suez. Henry was discharged and returned to duty on 15 April. By the end of
June Henry had been transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade Training Regiment for a
short period and then returned to the Auckland Mounted Rifles. Henry reported sick to hospital at
Talkha, Egypt on 18 June 1919 with acute rheumatism.

He remained at the hospital until 23 July when he embarked aboard HMNZT 279 Ellenga at Suez. He
was immediately admitted to the hospital on board. The Ellenga carried approximately 1,120 troops,
wives and children made up mainly of New Zealand Mounted Rifles that had been in Egypt and
Palestine. The vessel was delayed in Newcastle, Australia for about a week but arrived in Auckland on
10 September. The Auckland based troops disembarked the following day by ferry. Henry was
granted a 28 day leave pass on arrival back in New Zealand. He was discharged on 9 October 1919
after serving 1 year 358 days of which 1 year 203 days was overseas. He received the British War
Medal and Victory Medal.

Post-war
Henry had always intended to return to Awhitu after the war. He obtained land back along Hamilton
Road, eventually building a home for his young bride and this was where they spent their lives
together. However, a fire made it a difficult start, the home of his bride-to-be’s parents burned down
and everything was lost. The couple decided to continue with their wedding and on
19 September 1928 Henry married Georgina Bertha CARRUTHERS. The wedding took place in the local
Pollok Church, its first. Bertha was born 19 April 1905 in Pukekohe to Joseph Carruthers (1853-1937)
and Alice Jane CUTHBERT (1871-1945). She was the eighth child in a family of nine girls and three
boys.
Soon after their marriage Henry’s parents retired to a property in Racecourse Road, Waiuku. Henry
and Bertha had a son, Geoffrey (Geoff) Rex Hamilton. Together the family gradually built up the farm,
through hardship and financial strains until they were able to gain a tractor, cowshed, fencing and
shelter for both the animals and Bertha’s precious garden. Henry rode a horse over the farm and used
working horses but he purchased one of the first tractors in the area. His wartime health issue of
rheumatic fever continued to dog him throughout his life but he did not allow it to stop him. Bertha
enjoyed visiting new places and they would try to take a holiday somewhere in New Zealand usually
when the cows were dry. During the 1940s/World War II Henry was a member of the Emergency
Protection Scheme that was set up to coordinate natural disasters or enemy attacks and he was also
on the Awhitu Patriotic Committee. The Committee would, among other duties, organise fundraisers,
farewell and welcome home events for the soldiers.
Life slowed for Bertha and Henry when Henry suffered a bad relapse of his wartime illness and a
stroke. Bertha nursed him for a large part of the time until his death in 1957. Bertha continued on
the farm for many years often acting as the resident farm hand until age made life difficult. She started
to take trips again but now with son Geoff. Bertha passed away 7 August 2004, aged 99, at the
Takanini Lodge Rest Home. She is buried beside Henry in Awhitu Central Cemetery.

In Memoriam
Awhitu Central Cemetery Row A Plot 004.
Awhitu War Memorial.
Matakawau Memorial Hall Roll of Honour.
Waiuku Roll of Honour, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Family information – photo taken 1920
Auckland Museum Cenotaph Online
New Zealand BDM

Researched by Lois Hopping and Penny Prescott

Awhitu War Memorial

James Templeton HAMILTON

Service Number: 70279
Regiment: Wellington Infantry
Last known Rank: Lance Corporal
Died: 27 February 1971
Age: 80 years
Cemetery: Waipipi Plot 248C

Pre-war
James Templeton, born 21 February 1891, was the 2nd child in the family and was known as Jim. The
families of both his parents were early settlers.
Jim’s father, James HAMILTON (1863–1924) was born in Auckland to Scottish migrants who in 1864
took up land on the south side of Hamilton’s Gap (now West Coast Road, Pollok).
Jim’s mother Elizabeth Agnes IRWIN (1870–1944) was of Irish descent and born in the Awhitu Gully
(Irwin’s Gap) then her family moved to their land on Manukau Heads Road they named ‘Nga Puriri’.
James and Elizabeth bought land of almost 300 acres (on Tindall Road) and named the property
‘Waimatuka’. Access to the homestead was a zig zag track down a steep ridge and it was there that
Jim grew up with his 3 sisters and 2 brothers. Jim’s father was the first cheesemaker when the
cheese factory was established in1899. It became a co-operative of James and his 5 brothers. Jim
ran the farm when his parents and siblings moved to Auckland. They returned when he enlisted.
Jim married 12 July 1916. Eleanor Margaret Morrison (born 24 September 1895) was from ’Pleasant
Valley’, Awhitu Gully and her parents were Alexander MORRISON (1858-1937) and Janet Walker
MCNEIL (1858-1939).

Enlistment and Training
Jim enlisted on 21 June 1917 and he stated he was 27
years old, 5 feet 11 inches (180cms), and weighed 161
pounds (73kgs). He had a fair complexion, blue eyes,
brown hair, was Presbyterian and his wife was his next of
kin. Jim had been in the Auckland Mounted Rifles but had
been discharged as he was medically unfit at the time.
Private Hamilton trained for 16 weeks at Trentham,
Tauherenikau and Featherston. His day of departure was
postponed due to an outbreak of measles.

Service Abroad Photo-taken Immigrath, Germany 8 Feb 1919
On 8 February 1918 Jim embarked on HMNZT 100
Ulimaroa with the 34th Reinforcements and the
Wellington Infantry Regiment B Company. He had a job as
a Mess Orderly for about eight hours a day during the
voyage.

They reached Liverpool on 29 March and travelled to Brocton Camp, Staffordshire, the training camp
of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. On 20 April Jim moved to Sling camp and he was drafted into the
Auckland Battalion. On 3 June they embarked on the Princess Victoria at Kent and reached Etaples,
France at 7 pm. Training there included how to use Lewis guns. On 3 July the New Zealand Prime
Minister William Massey and Sir Joseph Ward visited and “delivered a speech and plenty of butter”.
On 20 July Jim arrived at Coigneux and the next day was at the Somme front. His time was spent
carrying water, taking rations up to the front line about two miles up a trench or on fatigue duty.
By 14 August Jim was at the support lines followed by time on guard duty, at the front and rest time.
Then from his diary:
“1 October - took our objective and about 700
prisoners. 9th - put me in charge of a machine gun
section. 16 Oct - instructing on the Lewis gun. Nov
4 - Outflanked Le Quesnoy with the aid of a smoke
barrage. Had very few casualties and reached our
objective at 8.30. W. Heffron wounded in thigh.
On 29 November they began a three-week march
through northern France and Belgium. His diary records: “1 and 3 December - King George passed
us on the road in a motor.”
On 21 December they took the train to Ehrenfeld, Germany and stayed at Richrath then Immigrath
for two months. On 31 December Jim was promoted to Orderly Corporal. On 9 March 1919 he
boarded SS Devonshire for Weymouth and on 17 June departed Tilbury Docks on Briton. He arrived
on 23 July 1919 at Wellington. He served 141 days in New Zealand, 1 year 166 days overseas, a total
service of 1 year 209 days.

Post-war
Jim and Eleanor purchased a block of land adjoining “Waimatuku” and had two daughters and a son.
Jim’s lambs went by boat Te Toa to Onehunga, and he told of the difficulty herding sheep and pigs
onto the boat and how some would jump into the tide, followed by the owner to retrieve them.
When Eleanor died on 31 August 1933, it was a difficult time. Jim sold the cows and kept the sheep
and cattle. He later met again Dorothea JOHANNSON, born on 5 October 1900 to Johan JOHANSSON
and Charlotte WHITE of Orua Bay. She had been nursing at Christchurch. They married on 4 March
1935 and had one son who was to be a “first pupil” of Awhitu District School. Jim was involved in
the community and on committees.
In 1957 land was bought on Kemp Road. The elder son took over the Tindall Road farm and the
younger, the Kemp Road farm. A farewell was held in February 1961 in the Matakawau Hall when
Jim and Dorothea moved to Queen Street, Waiuku.
Both passed away at home; Dorothea on 10 March 1967 and Jim 27 February 1971.

In Memoriam
Waipipi Cemetery Plot 248C.
Waiuku War Memorial Hall.
Awhitu First World War Memorial.
Matakawau War Memorial Hall.

Sources

Archives New Zealand, Military Records
J T’s war records from his soldier’s diary
‘Women of Franklin 1893’
‘Heads, Harbour Hills’
‘Hamiltons of Kilmarnock’
Paperspast: Roll of honour, NZ Herald 4 Nov1919
Researched by Penny Prescott

John Wilson HAMILTON

Service Number: 12600
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last Known Rank Trooper
Died: 29 December 1929
Age: 39 Years
Cemetery: Pollok Plot 035C

Pre-war
John Wilson HAMILTON, known as Jack, was the second son of nine children born to John Glover
HAMILTON (1859-1936) and Eliza RILEY (1865-1915) at the Pollok Settlement on 4 September 1890.
Sadly, two siblings died young.

Jack’s mother (left) had been born in Auckland. Her father
was Irish, and Eliza was the middle born of three girls. Jack’s
father (right) had been born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire,
Scotland and aged four when he arrived in New Zealand in
1863 on Queen of Beauty. His parents purchased land at the
end of what is now West Coast Road/Hamilton’s Gap. In
1899 John and five of his brothers established a cheese
factory in Tindall Road, a successful venture with cheese
being produced under the “Awitu” brand.
Jack entered Pollok School on 24 February 1896 and left to return home to assist on the farm on 26
August 1904. The family were very involved in the Presbyterian Church, John becoming an Elder and
a Lay Preacher.
Jack’s mother passed away on 6 June 1915. In 1923 John married Catherine Lyndsay McDONALD
(1884-1960) the daughter of Daniel McDONALD (“Cheesy Mac”, the manager of the cheese factory)
and Catherine MUNRO.
Jack was employed as a Farmer by J. MUIR of Aka Aka and was a member of the C Squad of the 3rd
Auckland Mounted Rifles. Jack is noted in the Pukekohe & Waiuku Times of 4 September 1914 as
being in the local squadron and had been accepted for active service and had left for camp at
Auckland. Later in the month Jack was part of an early group of volunteers of 15 mounted men from
Waiuku, joining the Auckland contingent of the expeditionary force, each man having been provided
with a horse and full equipment.

Enlistment and Training
Jack (along with brother Thomas) officially enlisted on 14 December 1915 at Trentham. He was 24
years and 2 months of age, 5 feet 8 inches (173cms) tall and weighed 150 lbs (68kgs). He had a fair
complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair and was recorded as being of Presbyterian faith. Jack
was posted to “A” Squadron of the 11th Mounted Rifles. On 1 February 1916 he was admitted to
hospital at Featherston and was discharged on the 10th. During March Jack spent some time in a
general squad before being transferred to the 12th Mounted Rifles on 5 April. On 6 May Jack
embarked aboard HMNZT 52 Mokoia and headed to Egypt. His brother Thomas, No. 12601, shipped
out with him and another brother, Alan Glover 58207, also served.

Service Abroad
The Mokoia arrived at Suez on 21 June 1916 and Jack was posted to Auckland Mounted Rifles Squad
on 22 June. From there he was transferred to the Training Regiment and then back to the Auckland
Mounted Rifles Brigade and he remained in the desert for his full term of engagement. On 19 April
1917 Jack was wounded in action during the 2nd Battle of Gaza. He received gunshot wounds to his
left arm and thigh and was admitted to the 44th Stationary Hospital in Kantara before being
admitted to the General Hospital at Abbassia. He was sent to the Aotea Convalescent Hospital,
Heliopolis, on 30 April. Jack was discharged on 8 June to the NZ Base and the Mounted Training Unit
at Moascar but on 31 October he was again wounded in action with the ANZAC Mounted Division
(3rd Battle of Gaza). He received gunshot wounds to both legs in Palestine and was again admitted
to hospital in Abbassia. On 15 December 1917 he went to convalesce at Aotea and spent Christmas
there.
Jack re-joined the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Training Unit in Heliopolis. However, he was
admitted to hospital again, twice during the next few months, with measles in July. He re-joined the
Training Unit at Ismailia on 28 July and shortly after was detached to the DCM Rest Camp at Port
Said for 10 days. On 7 October he reported to hospital with malaria and was sent to the
Convalescent Depot in Abbassia and discharged to the New Zealand Base at Ismailia on
17 November.
On 30 June Jack embarked for New Zealand aboard HT Ulimaroa at Suez as part of Draft 271, which
returned to Auckland with 75 officers, 2 nurses and 1,018 soldiers aboard on 8 August 1919. The
vessel anchored in stream to discharge the Auckland portion before heading to Wellington.
Jack had served a total of 3 years 266 days, 171 days in New Zealand. He was discharged on
5 September 1919 and received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Post-war
After his return Jack took over the home farm with his
father John purchasing property near the Pollok Church
from John PYE. Jack’s brothers farmed nearby. Jack
died on 29 December 1929, and he was laid to rest with
his mother in the family plot.

In Memoriam
Pollok Cemetery Plot 035C – no headstone.
Waiuku Roll of Honour, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.
Awhitu First World War Memorial.
Matakawau War Memorial Hall (pictured).

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Family knowledge and book ‘Hamiltons of Kilmarnock -
The New Zealand Connection’ LLoyd Walker
Book ‘Heads Harbour and Hills’
Papers Past
Ancestry

Researched by Lois Hopping, Gillian Conroy,
and Penny Prescott

Robert Chadwick HAMILTON

Service Number: 74180
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last known Rank: Trooper
Died: 4 August 1960
Age: 62 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 38 Plot 020

Pre-war
On 3 September 1897 Robert Chadwick, known as Robbie, was born to Robert HAMILTON (1866-
1933) and Agnes Wallace McCRAE (1870-1946) who were of Scottish descent and from the Pollock
Settlement. He was second oldest in the family and had two brothers and four sisters.
Robbie worked on the farm on West Coast Road.

Enlistment and Training
Robbie was 20 when he enlisted on 15 October 1917 and
he was single, 5 feet 8 inches (173cms) and weighed 140
lbs (63kgs). He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes, and
brown hair, was Presbyterian and his father was his next of
kin. He was serving with the Auckland Mounted Rifles.
From February 1918 Robbie spent time at Trentham camp
as a Private then served as a Trooper of the 39th Mounted
Rifles Brigade at Featherston.

Service Abroad
Robbie embarked on SS Moeraki at Wellington on 9 August
1918 then was transhipped to Port Sydney at Sydney. On
3 September they crossed the Equator and it being Robbie’s
21st birthday, he was dunked. He reached Suez on
19 September and was posted to the Training Regiment at
Ismailia then to the 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles Squadron
on 15 October, joining his unit in the field on 20 October.
The Ottoman surrender came just ten days later.
Robbie was attached to the ANZAC Field Squadron
(Engineers) for much of the first half of 1919.
On 26 June 1919 he marched out to the Training Regiment at Ismailia and on 23 July he embarked
on Ellenga and reached Auckland on 10 September. His final discharge was 9 October after serving
212 days in New Zealand, 1 year 34 days overseas, a total of 1 year 246 days.

Post-war
When Robbie returned, the family bought a property at Awhitu Central and gave him the challenge
of clearing the scrub, turning it into pasture and introducing stock. The land had access to the coast
so cattle could be transferred along the beach between the family properties. He “bached” alone on
the section but at weekends his sisters would ride up with scones and other supplies.

On 4 November 1930 at the Waiuku Methodist church Robbie married Annie BUTTIMORE, elder

daughter of Charles BUTTIMORE (1869–1965) and Alice Maud LINDSAY (1882–1965) of Pacific

Street, Waiuku. They had two daughters and a son. Robbie took over the farm and had cows and

sheep.

The children went to

Pollok School and

Robbie spent time

on the committee.

Janice then became

a ‘first pupil’ of the

Awhitu District

School.

Robbie’s Christian

faith was always

important to him,

and they attended

the Pollok Church.

c1950 Robbie top, far left

They had a bach at Big Bay, not far away and Robbie was pleased when his son would do the milking,
especially over the summer. Annie’s sister and brothers bought property at the beach so there was
lots of family time.
The children were puzzled by men appearing at the farm in the late 1930s to measure all their
horses. It is now assumed it was to identify suitable mounts for mounted rifle regiments for use
during WW2.
Lois has special memories of Sunday afternoon horseback rides with her father along the coast and
over coastal parts of the farm. Usually after church and the traditional Sunday roast dinner, families
retired to bed for a siesta. But Robbie and Lois would ride down to the coast and canter along the
sand, after a strict reminder to keep the horse’s head forward and slightly down in case it was
tempted to have a little roll in the surf! Then it would be up onto the hills, gullies, patches of bush
and sand dunes, checking that no sheep had got stuck part way down cliffs and locating stock Robbie
hadn't seen in a while. He'd be talking the whole time and pointing out family history sites - such as
where the ancestors had built the first whare, the site of a precious spring that had provided their
safe drinking water and lookout points they'd used to check for possible intruders.
Robbie and Annie moved into town to Queen Street, Waiuku when his son Trevor married and took
over the farm.
Robbie passed away suddenly at home on 4 August 1960 and Annie died on 20 Nov 1990.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 38 Plot 020.
Waiuku War Memorial Hall.
Roll of Honour-Matakawau War Memorial Hall- pictured.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Family information and family photo
Waiuku Museum – military photo

Researched by Penny Prescott

William Glover HAMILTON

Service Number: 78032
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last known Rank: Trooper
Died: 5 May 1967
Age: 70 years
Cemetery: Waipipi Plot 216A

Pre-war
William Glover HAMILTON, known as Bill, was born on 10 June 1896, just after his twin Henry
Alexander. His parents were both of Scottish descent. His father was also William Glover
HAMILTON (1868-1940) whose family had settled at Pollok then bought land at Awhitu.
His mother was Mary Horatia ALEXANDER (1869-1933) whose family farmed on the Top Road (what
is now Kohekohe-Karioitahi Road) at Waipipi.
Bill had four brothers and one sister and grew up on the coastal lands of Greenfields, now on
Hamilton Road, Awhitu.
He attended Awhitu Central School then Kohekohe School swapping schools with his twin. Bill
helped on the farm then on the Alexander farm which his father had purchased from Robert
ALEXANDER.

Enlistment and Training
Bill enlisted on 4 April 1918 and named his mother,
Mrs Mary Hamilton, Awhitu, as his next of kin. He
stated that he had been working as a farmhand for Mr
W. G. Hamilton, prior to his enlistment and that he had
been in the 3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles and the 72nd
Senior Cadets, Territorials.
Bill was a Presbyterian, single and was described as
5 feet 7 inches tall (170cms), 153 lbs (69kgs) with a
dark complexion, light brown eyes, and dark hair. He
also had a scar on the big toe of his left foot.
He was posted to the 40th reinforcements and then a
few days later transferred to the 42nd Reinforcements
of the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade.

Service Abroad
Bill embarked from Wellington on the Moeraki on
11 October 1918 and sailed to Sydney where he
changed ships to the SS Malta. His brother James died in Cairo, Egypt of malaria on 19 October just
a few days after Bill embarked. He arrived in Suez on 22 November 1918 and went straight into
isolation with measles until 28 December 1918. He was posted to the Auckland Mounted Rifles on
7 January 1919. His service in 1919 consisted of training and education for life back home, garrison
duty and showing a presence amidst the rioting in Egypt.

On 23 July 1919 Bill sailed from Suez on the Ellenga for New Zealand and was discharged on
9 October 1919 after serving 217 days in New Zealand, 337 days overseas, a total of 1 year 189 days
service.
Post-war
Bill went back to the farm at Waipipi which he ran until
his marriage when he bought the farm from his father.
The house had been dismantled and a second built, a
bay window villa.
Bill had met Jessie Amelia IRWIN (born 10 April 1897)
the daughter of Charles Henry IRWIN (1867-1945) and
Louise HARRIS (1871-1937). Henry was from Awhitu
and Jessie often stayed with her cousins at Kohekohe
and Awhitu. Henry had been a blacksmith engineer
then later went farming on the corner of the Elbow
Road at Puni and became known as a designer of a very
effective flood pump which was used for draining “The
Swamp”.
Bill and Jessie married on 14 July 1920 at St Andrews
Presbyterian Church, Waiuku. The bride was late
because the taxi got stuck in the muddy roads of the
time.
Their first child died aged one day old, and a second
boy, Clyde, was to be their only child. Fortunately, he
had many cousins living near, and family picnics were
held frequently usually at Cochrane’s Gap. There was a
walk to the beach and lots to carry and only a dip in the
water - no higher than the knees - as swimming at the
coast was too dangerous.
There was a garden to maintain which Jessie’s father
helped with and church every couple of weeks.
Tennis was an interest and Bill played at Ron McDonald’s
down Creamery Road. The weekly tea and tennis were
looked forward to and his ability at athletics in his earlier life
helped his game.
Bill passed away on 5 May 1967 and Jessie on 10 November
1976. They are buried on the old hill section in the Waipipi
Cemetery.
Their son, his wife and their son live on the property today
(2021) - the 4th and 5th generations of the Alexander family.

In Memoriam
Waipipi Cemetery Plot 216A.
Roll of Honour, Matakawau War Memorial Hall.
Roll of Honour, Awhitu section, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.
Awhitu First World War Memorial.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Family information and photos – son - Clyde Hamilton
Auckland Museum Cenotaph
Researched by Penny Prescott and Barbara Raven

Louis Walter HAMMOND

Service Number: 58481
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last known Rank: Trooper
Died: 4 February 1953
Age: 57 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 17 Plot 040

Pre-war
Louis Walter was born on 8 May 1895 to Alexander HAMMOND (1846-1938) and Margaret KING
(1859-1932). He was the second youngest in a family of ten. Alexander, who was born in Ireland,
lived in South Africa prior to arriving in New Zealand aboard the Steinwarder in 1864. Margaret was
born in South Africa and came to New Zealand with her parents on the Maori at the age of three.
Alexander and Margaret were living at Whiriwhiri in 1890 with Alexander stating his main
employment was as a carpenter and he owned Lot 3 Whiriwhiri. They moved to Otaua in the late
1890s taking up some virgin land there and he worked hard to clear it and make a workable farm.
Alexander was also responsible for building the Otaua Hall and assisting in the shift of the Wesleyan
Church Chapel to Karioitahi to be a school. He had studied architecture, building and engineering at
night school in South Africa which would have enhanced his skills for these projects. Louis, or Lou as
he was known, attended Otaua School from 7 February 1901 to 6 December 1906 and returned
home to the farm after finishing his schooling. His occupation on enlisting was a farmhand on his
parents’ farm.

Enlistment and Training
Louis signed his attestation papers on 12
September 1917 at Auckland. He was 22
years and four months of age, 5 feet 8¾
inches (174cms) tall and weighed 139 lbs
(63kgs). He had brown hair, steel grey eyes
and a fresh complexion. He had been a
member of the 3rd Auckland Regiment prior
to enlisting. Although Louis signed up in
September he does not appear to have gone
to camp until 17 October when he was
posted to the 36th New Zealand Mounted
Rifles Reinforcements. By 20 October he
was at Featherston Camp. Louis was
transferred to the 36th Special Company on
6 February 1918 before returning to the
Mounted Rifles on the 15th.

Service Abroad
On 21 February 1918 Louis embarked for active service on the Moeraki but transhipped to Ormande
at Sydney and disembarked at Suez on 4 April 1918. He was posted to the New Zealand Mounted
Rifles Training Regiment at Moascar. On 20 May Louis was with the Auckland Mounted Rifles in the
field. On 11 October 1918 Louis was hospitalised with malaria and was moved through several
hospitals from Gaza to Abbassia. He was discharged from hospital on 17 November to the New
Zealand Base Depot at Ismailia and posted back to the Mounted Rifles Training Regiment/Auckland
Mounted Rifles two days later. On 29 December the Medical Board declared Louis no longer
physically fit for war service on account of illness (malaria). On 6 March 1919 Louis embarked at
Port Said on the Kaikoura to return to New Zealand. His brother, Robert William (Bob), who also
served with the Auckland Mounted Rifles, was returning on the same vessel. The Kaikoura was
carrying over 1,100 troops from Egypt and arrived in Wellington on 18 April. The vessel was held in
the stream to allow the Port Health Officer to check it and with the all clear it berthed the next
morning. The north-bound troops left by train and the south-bound troops by steamer.
Louis was discharged on 17 May and received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He had
served 1 year 58 days overseas and 155 days in New Zealand, a total service of 1 year 213 days.

Post-war
Louis returned to the family farm at the end of the war and again worked with his parents and
brother. Louis, like his brother Robert, never married. He was however able to buy a farm of his
own. Louis became involved in the Otaua community activities and the 3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles
sports tournaments that were held at the racecourse reserve near the Franklin Memorial Hospital
grounds at Waiuku (pictured below in 1927). He was also involved in wood chopping, rugby and polo

participating with, and organising for, all the
organisations.
Louis appeared on the 1940 World War II ballot
list as: 308682 HAMMOND, Louis Walter, dairy
farmer, Otaua, Waiuku. He continued to farm
but later in life also owned a house in Victoria
Avenue, Waiuku which on his death was bought
by Mr and Mrs DEED. Louis passed away on 4
February 1953 and was buried in Waiuku
Cemetery.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 17 Plot 040.
Waiuku Roll of Honour, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.

Sources
Archives New Zealand, Military Records
Auckland Mounted Rifles Timeline
Women of Franklin
Photos – Louis. Sandra Person; Mounted Rifles, Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection AWNS-19270421-37-3
Papers Past: Tournaments, Franklin Times 28 April 1924 & 12 April 1926; Athletics, Franklin Times 12 Jan 1925 & 13 Jan

1926; Polo Franklin Times 5 Oct 1932; Obituary A Hammond NZ Herald 3 Aug 1938

New Zealand Electoral Rolls

Researched by Lois Hopping

Robert William HAMMOND

Service Number: 13/272
Regiment: Auckland Mounted Rifles
Last Known Rank: Trooper
Died: 13 September 1954
Age: 66 years
Cemetery: Waiuku Row 36 Plot 019

Pre-war
Born on 24 April 1888, Robert William HAMMOND was the sixth child in a family of four boys and six
girls to Alexander Hammond (1846-1938) and Margaret KING (1859-1932). Another Robert, born in
1883, passed away at two days old. Robert’s parents were married in Pukekohe but settled in
WhiriWhiri before moving to Otaua about 1896. Bob was the tenth pupil enrolled at Otaua School
on 8 April 1895 and he left on 14 November 1902. He headed home to help on the farm and listed
his occupation as farmer on enlisting.

Enlistment and Training
Bob attested on 3 September 1914 at Epsom in
Auckland. A notation indicates a previous
attestation on 17 August, and this became his
official date of enlisting. He was 26 years 5 months
old and was 6 feet 2 inches (183cm) tall and
weighed 190 lbs (86kgs), with brown eyes, dark
hair, and a dark complexion. Bob had been an
active member of the 3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles
prior to his enlistment. He was one of the first five
men to leave Waiuku for the Great War.

Service Abroad
Bob embarked from Wellington on 16 October
1914 aboard the HMNZT 08 Star of India, which
was one of ten troop ships of the First New
Zealand Transport Convoy to Egypt. They made
several stops around Australia before departing as
part of the first detachment of Australian and New
Zealand Imperial Expeditionary Forces. The convoy
finally arrived at the Suez Canal on 1 December
1914.
On 5 December the Auckland Mounted Rifles
disembarked at Alexandria and travelled by train
to Zeitoun Camp, near Cairo. On 5 May 1915 a
postcard home read: “All the Mounted Rifles are still in Cairo. All the infantry are away fighting at
the Dardanelles. There were over 300 brought back last night to the Heliopolis hospital wounded. I
am still in the police.” On 9 May 1915 Bob embarked for the Dardanelles/Gallipoli heading for
ANZAC Cove.

August was the Battle of Chunuk Bair and on 13 August he was debilitated and on the 21st was
admitted via hospital ships to St George’s Hospital, Malta with concussion, shock and injury. By 15
September he was at Walton-on-Thames Hospital with a notation “slightly sick” and then to Cardiff
Hospital.
After leave in November, Bob returned to active service on 11 January 1916 disembarking at
Alexandria for the New Zealand Base at Zeitoun. On 11 March he re-joined the Auckland Mounted
Rifles at Moascar and on 4 June 1916 Bob was transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles
Brigade Mounted Police. This was the first mention of “Police” on his record. At the end of July, he
was returned to the ANZAC Mounted Division at Kantara before becoming a member of the
Mounted Police with the temporary rank of Corporal.
At the start of September 1916 Bob returned to his unit with the Auckland Mounted Rifles and
relinquished his Corporal appointment. 1917 was spent in three battles for Gaza and then headed
towards Jerusalem. Bob had ten days at a rest camp mid-October then back to his unit. 1918
brought a move across Palestine into Jordan Valley. Late May, Bob was released to a rest camp at
Ismailia but re-joined the Mounted Rifles Training Regiment at the end of June.
On 22 February 1919 Bob was transferred to the Training Regiment at Suez to await a vessel to
return to New Zealand. He embarked on Kaikoura on 6 March from Suez as part of Draft 230.
Another member of the Draft was Bob’s younger brother, Louis/Lou, who enlisted on 12 September
1917. Lou had been discharged suffering from malaria. Bob served 4 years 185 days overseas, 90
days in New Zealand, a total service of 4 years 274 days and was discharged on 19 April 1919. Bob
received the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.

Post-war
Bob and Lou returned to Otaua at the completion of the war and went back to helping on the family
farm. Bob never married. He was involved in the community, tennis, rugby, wood chopping and for
a period after the war, the military tournaments.
Music was a favourite pastime and Bob enjoyed being
part of groups providing the music for dances, 21sts,
weddings, almost any local community event. He
continued to farm in his own right. Bob passed away
on 13 September 1954.

The first four troopers (pictured right) to leave Waiuku
in 1914 met each year following their return. Their
first “4 troopers” photo was taken in Heliopolis on 24
April 1914. They were all members of the Auckland
Mounted Rifles.

In Memoriam
Waiuku Cemetery Row 36 Plot 019.
Waiuku Roll of Honour, Waiuku War Memorial Hall.

Sources Standing: Alec Glass, Bob Hammond.
Archives New Zealand, Military Records Seated: Frank Knight, Henry Eisenhut. 1947.

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection 31-H540 (Bob Hammond)

Waiuku Museum (Auckland Libraries Heritage Collection) 4 Troopers

New Zealand BDM

Researched by Lois Hopping

James HARTNER

Service Number: 56297
Regiment: Auckland Regiment
Last known Rank: Private
Died: 25 April 1977
Age: 80 years
Cemetery: Waiuku RSA Row S3 Plot 009

Pre-war
James was born on 8 February 1897, the second son of Paul HARTNER (1865-1959) and his wife
Florence Jane CHAPMAN (1878-1960). Paul was born in Germany and had immigrated to New Zealand
as a young man having signed the Oath of Allegiance, sworn at Manukau Heads on 3 January 1895,
before Charles White JP (Telegraphic Operator at the Signal Station). Paul was 28 years old and had resided

in New Zealand for 8 years as a settler in Awhitu. His naturalisation papers
were official on 27 February 1895. James’s parents were married on
12 December 1893 at the home of W.E. LOUDEN, Greenlane, Auckland. The
family had five boys and four girls, with two of the boys named Charles
passing away at a few days in 1899 and 1913. The Hartners lived and dairy
farmed at Awhitu for many years, originally in Awhitu Gully and later moving
up to land at Manukau Heads, Lot No.118 consisting of 103 acres, (original
Purchasers of land in the Awhitu Parish 1873), across the road and near the
Signal Station. The children would have attended Awhitu Central School.
The family are remembered in the district with the naming of Hartner Road.

Enlistment and Training
James is noted in the New Zealand Gazette of 1917
in the military call up, living at Mangere/Otahuhu,
farmer.
James had previously registered for compulsory
military training in Auckland. On enlistment James
was 20 years old and volunteered for the
30th Reinforcements. He gave his occupation as
farmer and his last employer A. Taylor of Mangere
Bridge. Religion, Anglican with next of kin Mr Paul
HARTNER (Father) of Manukau Heads. His
attestation papers were dated 14 May 1917 and he
was posted as a Private to A Company
29th Reinforcements, Auckland Infantry Regiment,
on 30 May 1917.

Service Abroad
James departed Wellington on HMNZT 91 Mokoia
on 13 August 1917, disembarking at Glasgow,
Scotland on 2 October and marching into Sling Camp
the next day.