Saturday, March 19, 2011

Waghorn family - Little Akaroa - update

On the Akaroa memorial one of the dead is a Sydney David Waghorn who died of his wounds in Palestine on the 19 April 1917 which by coincidence happened to be the same day his younger brother Percy Waghorn left NZ for the war.  I wonder how long it took for Percy to learn of his brothers death?

On further investigation of the Waghorn family it turned out that eight family members left Little Akaroa and enlisted for the war with seven returning safely.   I found a newspaper article which eludes to the eagerness and determination of the Waghorn's to enlist.


One of Arthur Guard Waghorn's great-grandchildren has contacted me with extra information.  They report that on the day Arthur was injured at Gallipoli his twin brother Ralph Noel Waghorn was bayoneted at Gallipoli.

Below is a list of the Waghorn's who enlisted from Little Akaroa:

Arthur Guard WAGHORN  embarked 16 October 1914, wounded seriously with a gunshot to chest on the 27 August 1915.
Clarence Raymond WAGHORN embarked 8 January 1916
Ralph Noel WAGHORN embarked 16 October 1914, wounded 7/8 August 1915?
(above three were brothers)
Arthur Oscar Dennis WAGHORN embarked 16 October 1914
Bernard WAGHORN embarked 8 January 1916
Luke Clyde WAGHORN embarked 21 February 1918
(above three were also brothers)
Sydney David WAGHORN embarked 10 July 1916, died of wounds 19 April 1917, Palestine
Percy James WAGHORN embarked 19 April 1917
(above two also brothers)

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6 comments:

  1. UnknownMarch 20, 2011 at 1:20 AM

    It is a fantastic project that you have undertaken Helen. My grandfather and five of his brothers joined up - four in Bristol, UK, two in Sydney, Aus. Of the six, only three came back. Sadly, the remaining family lost touch after WW1 and I am only now discovering my family history and tracking down "lost" cousins to share it with.

    I wish you luck with your project and will be following it with interest.

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  2. M.April 25, 2011 at 8:27 AM

    Thanks for this post Helen.

    (Arthur) Guard Waghorn was my great-grandfather. He and his twin brother both got wounded at Gallipoli. He was shot while his brother was stabbed with a bayonet.

    Thanks for putting up this extra piece of info.

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  3. Helen VailApril 25, 2011 at 12:11 PM

    Thanks for the extra information will add it to the blog if you have any photos you would like to add I would be happy to do so. Which brother was stabbed do you know.

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  4. AnonymousApril 25, 2015 at 12:32 PM

    I am a descendant of Percy's, and from his diary he learnt "Syd had copped it" while Percy was in Eygpt. Thanks for the list of the cousins, I wasn't aware we had family who were at Gallipoli and its a great start point for my own digging.

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  5. Dr PhiMay 4, 2016 at 12:53 PM

    Some of the Little Akaroa Waghorns moved over to the Coast. From this group a very young Frank George Waghorn enlisted to go to war (from Blackball). He never returned after dying on a hospital ship from wound sustained in battle.

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  6. lindsay truscottJune 12, 2017 at 9:33 AM

    frank waghorn from blackball was my great grandfathers brother from ngatimoti near motueka and 2 of them went to war one came home

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