Frozen in time: see WW1 soldier's room left untouched for a century - Daily Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/11179250/Frozen-in-time-see-WW1-soldiers-room-left-untouched-for-a-century.html

Take a look inside the French World War One soldier's room which has been preserved in time for almost 100 years since his death on the battlefields of Flanders - an amazing story.

Amazing photographs from the Daily Telegraph of the poppies surrounding the Tower of London

Take a look at this amazing sight a real tribute to those who fell in WW1

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-one/11190262/Poppy-Appeal-Artwork-commemorates-the-fallen-soldiers-of-First-World-War.html

2nd Lieutenant Gordon Gerald Harper - Waiau Memorial, Canterbury

http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/6400.detail?Ordinal=1&c_serialnumber_search=7/516

Second Lieutenant Gordon Gerald Harper was born in Christchurch the sixth son of George and Agnes Harper of Christchurch.  The Harper family were a well known Canterbury family and a deeply religious one - Gordon's grandfather Right Rev Henry J.C. Harper had been the first  Anglican Bishop of Canterbury (Agnes Harper Gordon's mother was a Roman Catholic and the children were baptised Catholic).   When Gordon enlisted with his brother Robert, known as Robin, in August 1914 they had been a sheep farmers in Waiau, North Canterbury.  Gordon had recently been selected to be the Reform Party candidate for Riccarton however he withdrew his candidacy before embarking. 

 

Press, Volume L, Issue 15071, 12 September 1914

Both Gordon and Robin embarked with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles as part of the Main Body on 16 October 1914.  Another brother Philip Hamilton Harper who had served in the Boer war also embarked with the Main Body. Once at Gallipoli all three brothers saw plenty of action.  Philip took part in the Anzac day landing and Gordon was wounded at Suvla Bay on 21 August 1915 with a gun shot wound to the neck and medically evacuated to England.

Gordon and Robin were both awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.) for their actions at Suvla Bay.  Their citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry between the 21st and the 30th August, 1915, at Kaiajik Aghala (Dardanelles), when in charge of machine guns. He invariably displayed great bravery and devotion to duty. L.G. 11 March 1916, p2746.

Both brothers were also Mentioned in Despatches (M.I.D.): in connection with operations described in General I. Hamilton's dispatch dated 11 December 1915. L.G. 28 January 1916, p1210.
 
In a letter printed in Glyn Harper's book 'Letters from Gallipoli' Gordon writes to his mother of his concern at leaving his brother Robin behind in Gallipoli:

"What worries me more than the pain is having to leave Robin behind still in a very dangerous place.... Robin deserves the V.C. carrying me out of the trench to the doctor..."

Whilst in England Gordon received his commission and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in October 1915.  He also received the news that Robin too had earned a commission and that he had been invalided to Malta which came as a great relief to Gordon knowing that Robin was away from the firing line.  Philip too was invalided and a letter written by Gordon to his mother mentions that he had seen Philip in England recovering from gastritis.

By January 1916 Gordon was back in the Middle East and reunited with his brother Robin.  On 9 August 1916 Robin together with his horse would again carry his brother wounded from the battlefield.  Sadly this time Gordon's wounds were fatal and he died a few days later on 12 August 1916 in Cairo hospital. Below is an extract from the 'History of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles, 1914-1919' which recalls the event:

A great fight was put up by the machine guns. Lieut. Gordon Harper, the gallant commander of the section of machine guns attached to the Canterbury Regiment, was mortally wounded and brought out with great difficulty by his famous brother, Captain Robert Harper, O.C. Machine Gun Squadron.

In a letter from Robin to his parents George and Agnes after Gordon's death recounts Gordon's last words to him:

"I am not the least afraid of death but it is only for Mother and Father and the others that I am thinking"

Robin was heartbroken at the death of his brother telling his parents in the same letter:

"he was more than a brother if that's possible... the last 2 years... we have fought side by side all the time"

In Gordon's personal effects which Robin sent home to his parents was a rosary that Gordon had apparently carried with him to the operating theatre in the Cairo hospital where he died.  Gordon was a devout Roman Catholic and I am sure his family and especially his mother were comforted by the return of the Rosary beads. In many of his letters to his mother Gordon had often mentioned his faith, telling her in a letter dated Sunday, 25 July 1915 that:

"Robin and I are safe and sound so far, thanks I am sure to the continued prayers sent up for us by you and so many at home..."

In a further letter dated 22nd August 1915 he mentions how Father Dore had heard their confessions before Gordon was medically evacuated from Gallipoli (in August 1915).  He also told his mother how  "I never forget to say the two hymns of the Vespers and Compline every night as they are so appropriate."

Gordon was 31 years old and was buried at Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.   Robin and Philip sadly missed the funeral. Although Robin did arrange his brother's headstone and hoped that one day his parents would see Gordon's resting place.

I found this wonderful tribute to Gordon in 'The Press' newspaper by one of his old school masters Mr O.T.J. Alpers, which gives us a real insight into Gordon's personality:

 

 

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 16081, 11 December 1917

Robin survived the war despite being badly wounded in November 1917. He was by then commander of the machine gunners he was wounded three times and carried to safety. In Terry Kinloch's book 'Devils on Horses' there is an account of his rescue by Sgt Sydney Emmerson:

'...worked his (Sgt Emmerson) machine gun until it was disabled, then picked up his wounded officer, ran down the hill and swam with his officer across the river to safety.'

Sgt Emmerson won a D.C.M. for his actions but tragically he died of disease on 19 October 1918 in Palestine he is buried at Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.

Robin Harper was decorated several times during WW1 receiving a Distinguished Service Medal (D.S.O.), Military Cross (M.C.) and the D.C.M. he won with his brother.  He was also M.I.D. three times.  He went on to serve in WW2 returning to Egypt for a short time which must have been a very emotional and poignant time for him.  He died at the age of 85 in 1972.  His wife Barbara edited letters sent by Gordon and Robin during WW1. A copy is held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum and have been invaluable in putting this piece together.

Philip Harper survived the war too however he died after complications from a fall aged 50 in 1933.

Following in his brothers footsteps a further brother Eric Tristram Harper embarked for the Middle East with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles on 31 May 1917.  Eric was a former member of the All Blacks from 1904-06.  He married Beatrice Randall at Westminster R.C. Cathedral, London in 1913 returning to New Zealand shortly after and at the time of enlisting they had two small children.   Eric was sadly killed in action less than a year later in Palestine on 30 April 1918 at the age of 40 years old.   Eric is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial, Jerusalem War Cemetery, Israel.

 

  

 

http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/6396.detail?Ordinal=1&c_surname_search=harper&c_firstname_search=eric 

The Harper family undoubtedly served their country well and I am certain George and Agnes Harper were proud of all their sons but it had come at an enormous cost with the death of two sons.  To add to their grief a further son Edmund died of illness in 1917 at home in New Zealand.  He had served in the Boer War with Philip and another brother Cuthbert.

War News - 28 October 1914

  Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 103, 28 October 1914

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Otago Daily Times , Issue 16216, 28 October 1914

Sapper Edgar Boucher - Remuera Memorial

 New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16848, 13 May 1918

Sapper Edgar Boucher born in Tauranga was the eldest son of Ernest and Anna Boucher and was educated at Kings College, he was also a member of the College Rifles.  At the outbreak of war in August 1914 he was employed as an assistant surveyor by Thomas McFarlane in Victoria Arcade, Auckland. He quickly volunteered his services leaving with the Samoan Advance Party on 15 August 1914 attached to the Signal Company.  Some months after arriving in Samoa he secured a position with the Goverment Survey Department as an assistant surveyor in January 1915.  Later when the call went up for volunteers for Gallipoli he returned to New Zealand and re-enlisted in October 1915 embarking with the 9th Reinforcements, New Zealand Engineers on 8 January 1916.

After Gallipoli in France, Edgar was wounded in the left leg on 25 July 1916 returning to his unit on 29 September 1916 once recovered.

On 12 October 1917 Edgar was laying cable under heavy shellfire at Passchendaele.  Like many other New Zealand men at the end of the battle he was missing.  A court of enquiry was held to determine his status in May 1918 which concluded he was killed in action.  One of the soldiers to give evidence at his enquiry was Sapper Norman H. McKenzie below is part of his statement taken from Boucher's military record:

"The last time I saw Sapper Boucher was when he was taking shelter from the shelling near Fleet cottage...I saw him crawl out of sight and if he remained he was certainly killed as the shelling was intense"

http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/38834.detail?Ordinal=2&c_surname_search=boucher&c_warconflict_search=%22world+war+i,+1914-1918%22

Edgar was 24 years old and is remember on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium with the many other New Zealander's who went missing on that fateful day.  

Lieutenant William Archibald Buchanan - Remuera memorial, Auckland

 

http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/33956.detail?Ordinal=2&c_surname_search=buchanan&c_firstname_search=w+a 

William Buchanan was the only son of Archibald and Edith Buchanan of 27 Victoria Avenue, Remuera.  He was educated briefly at Clifton College, Bristol and then at Kings College, Auckland.  After school he headed to Sandhurst intent on a career in the Indian Army.  While there war broke out and William enlisted with the Connaught Rangers keen to do his bit and embarked for the war in France where he was badly wounded on 25 April 1915. He was then declared medically unfit for service however after recovering he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps and obtained his pilot's licence on a Maurice Farman Biplane on 14 April 1916 he was only 21 years old. 

A few weeks before his 22nd birthday he was killed on active service as a result of a flying accident,  He is buried in Tidworth Military Cemetery, Wiltshire. 

Main Body sails 16 October 1914 - 100 years ago today.

One hundred years ago today the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary force embarked on its journey to the battlefields of WW1.

Aboard 10 troopships were Major-General Sir Alexander Godley the commander of the force, 8,454 soldiers, 3,815 horses and one woman Louisa Godley (wife of Major- General Sir Godley).  The force departed Kings Wharf, Wellington the largest body of men ever to leave the shores of New Zealand at any one time.

Most on board were expecting to go to England and then onto the war in France, however after the Ottoman Empire entered the war in October 1914 and the New Zealander's together with 27 Australian troopships with whom they had joined were diverted to Egypt arriving on 3 December 1914.

For many on board it was the first time they had left the shores of New Zealand in their minds they had likely conjured up the image of a great adventure, fighting for King and country in foreign lands.  None could have foreseen the horrors that they would experience over the next four years.  Some would never return and those that did were often never the same again.

Of the 40 men remembered on the Hunterville, Whanganui memorial 14 of them sailed with the Main Body on 16 October 1914.  Little did they know as they left New Zealand it would be for the last time.  Below is a small tribute to those 14 men:

Edward Rippon Armstrong - 11/1

 

Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles

Killed in Action at Gallipoli on 9 August, aged 23.

Remembered on the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Chunuk Bair Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey.

Thomas George Ball - 11/137 / 11/187

 Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles

Killed in Action at Gallipoli on 9 August, aged 25.

Buried at Baby 700 Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey.

Melville James Bull - 11/14

 

Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles

Killed in Action at Gallipoli on 9 August, aged 21.

Remembered on the Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Chunuk Bair Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey. 

Charles John Canton - 2/299

 

Embarked 16 October 1914, Field Artillery

Killed in Action, 19 May 1915 at Gallipoli

Buried at Walker's Ridge Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey.

Robert Guy Chamberlin - 11/23

 

Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles

Killed in Action at Gallipoli on 6 August, aged 21.

Remembered at No. 2 Outpost Cemetery, Turkey.

William Dawbin - 11/41

Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles

Died of Wounds received at Gallipoli, 22 August 1915

Buried Compton Dundon (St. Andrew) Churchyard Extension, Somerset, England.


Claude Victor Adrian Meads - 11/105
Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles
Killed in Action at Gallipoli, 6 September 1915
He is remember at Embarkation Pier Cemetery, Turkey

Glen Urquhart Mclean - 11/103
Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles 
Died of wounds received at Gallipoli, 13 August 1915 at sea.
Aged 22 
Buried at East Mudros Military Cemetery, Lemnos, Greece 

Hugh Graham Pringle - 11/116
Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles
Killed in Action at Gallipoli, 9 August 1915, aged 26
Remembered on Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Chunuk Bair Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey


Frank Jennings Rule - 10/502
Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Infantry Battalion
Died of wounds received at Gallipoli, 26 May 1915
Buried at Alexandria (Chatby) Military and War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt

Charles Bruce Stuart-Menteath -10/1082  Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Infantry Battalion
Killed in action between 6 May 1915 - 10 May 1915, Gallipoli
Aged 23
Remembered on Twelve Tree Copse (New Zealand) Memorial, Twelve Tree Copse Cemetery, Helles, Turkey

Augustus Alfred Tegner - 11/154
Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles 
Died on service, suicide, 6 March 1918, Mesopotamia
Buried at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Waziriah Area of the Al-Russafa district, Baghdad, Iraq


Francis Darbyshire Twistleton - 11/158
Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles 
Killed in Action 9 August 1915, Wellington Mounted Rifles, aged 26
Remembered on Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Chunuk Bair Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey





Charles Watt - 11/165 
 Embarked 16 October 1914, Wellington Mounted Rifles 
Killed in Action 30 May 1915, Gallipoli, aged 34
Remembered on Lone Pine Memorial, Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey


Photos sourced from Auckland Museum Cenotaph database
http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/locations.aspx?  

2nd Lieutenant Andrew Stevenson Thompson - Howick Memorial

 

http://muse.aucklandmuseum.com/databases/Cenotaph/15683.detail?Ordinal=1&c_serialnumber_search=12/886 

Andrew Thompson was born in Auckland the son of Andrew Stevenson Thompson and Mary Jane Thompson farmers of Pakuranga.  He was educated at Glenmore School in Pakuranga and at the time of enlisting was working on the family farm. 

He embarked as a sergeant with the Main Body on 16 October 1914 attached to the Auckland Infantry Battalion.  He served through the Gallipoli Campaign being wounded there in July 1915.  He earned himself a commission and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 24 May 1917.  Serving in France he was awarded twice for his actions, firstly with a M.S.M. (Meritorious Service Medal) during the First Somme in 1916 and secondly, he was M.I.D. (Mentioned in Dispatches) for actions he took on 13 June 1917.  His citations are below:

 

Meritorious Service Medal - London Gazette, 1 January 1917, p55, Rec No 494: "For gallantry and devotion to duty. He was wounded near Flers on September 27th 1916, while endeavouring to obtain some information on the situation at a certain place, that was urgently wanted. During the whole time he has been with the Battalion he has done consistently good work."

Mentioned in Despatches - London Gazette, 28 December 1917, p13575, Rec No 1119: "On the 13th June 1917, when the situation was very obscure he boldly led his patrol into the enemy's sector under heavy fire of all calibers, obtained and sent back very useful information, established and held an important position against strong bombing attacks until reinforced, thereby ensuring the success of subsequent operations that day. He has at all times done excellent work and shown a splendid example of devotion to duty."

Six weeks later Lieutenant Thompson was with the Auckland Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion when he was killed in action on 4 August 1917.  After being wounded twice his luck had sadly run out.

 

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14534, 11 October 1917