Tag Archives: New Zealand Wellington Regiment

Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, New Zealand, New Zealand Wellington Regiment, photography, Private, story, war, Wiltshire

Private John Kelland

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Private John Kelland

John Bodley Kelland was born on 4th June 1895 in Otakeho, on New Zealand’s North Island. The fifth of eight children, his parents were George and Mary Kelland. George died in 1902, and John’s mother married again: she and new husband Albert Bowers would have two further children.

There is little additional information available about John’s early life. He found work as a carrier when he left school, and by the time war broke out he was living in the town of Taumarunui. In his spare time, he seems to have volunteered for a local army brigade.

John formally enlisted on 24th July 1916. He joined up in Trentham, and was assigned to the New Zealand Wellington Regiment. His service records show that he was 5ft 9ins (1.75cm) tall and weighed 152lbs (68.9kg). A Roman Catholic, he had brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion.

Attached to B Company of the 19th Reinforcements, Private Kelland left his home country on 15th November 1916. He spent the next ten weeks on board the troop ship Tahiti, finally disembarking in Devonport, Devon, on 29th January 1917. From there his unit marched to Sling Camp near Bulford, Wiltshire, where many of the ANZAC troops were billeted.

Private Kelland’s time there was to be limited. His health had been impacted during the sea voyage, and he was admitted to the No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital in Codford, Wiltshire, on 8th February. Suffering from pneumonia, his condition worsened: he passed away on 8th February 1917, at the age of just 21 years old.

John Bodley Kelland was thousands of miles from home. He was laid to rest alongside his comrades in the newly-extended graveyard to St Mary’s Church in Codford.

Private John Kelland
(from findagrave.co.uk)
Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, New Zealand, New Zealand Wellington Regiment, photography, Private, story, war, Wiltshire

Private James McFarlane

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Private James McFarlane

James Malcolm McFarlane was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 24th April 1893. Little is known about his early life, although his parents are recorded as Peter and Helen.

When he completed his schooling, James found work on a farm. By the time war broke out, he was employed as a shepherd for Patrick Burke of Woodgrove, in the country’s Canterbury region.

James gave up his work to join the army, enlisting on 24th March 1916. He would have cut a striking figure, standing 6ft 3.5ins (1.92m) tall, and weighing 184lbs (83.5kg). He had dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. His records note that he had a small scar on his right shin, from an old pellet wound.

Assigned to the New Zealand Wellington Regiment, Private McFarlane spend three months in Trentham, on the North Island, for his training. His unit boarded the SS Maunganui and left Wellington for Europe on 26th June 1916. The troop ship arrived in Devonport, Devon, in late August, and James and his colleagues were sent to their camp in Sling, near Bulford, Wiltshire, arriving after a 4-day march.

Private McFarlane would not see any enemy action. In November 1916 he was moved to the ANZAC base near Codford, Wiltshire, and he was admitted to the No 3 New Zealand General Hospital located there. Suffering from pleurisy, he would remain there for the next two months. James passed away from pneumonia on 25th January 1917: he was just 23 years of age.

James Malcolm McFarlane was buried alongside his comrades in the newly extended graveyard attached to St Mary’s Church, Codford.

Private James McFarlane
(from findagrave.com)
Commonwealth War Graves, Devon, Great War, history, illness, New Zealand, New Zealand Wellington Regiment, photography, Private, story, war, Wiltshire

Private Gordon McDonald

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Private Gordon McDonald

Gordon McDonald was born on 28th January 1893 in Pongaroa, New Zealand. The youngest of six children, and the only son, his parents were Scottish-born farmers John and Helen – or Ellen – McDonald.

Little information is available about Gordon’s early life. When he completed his schooling, he went into agricultural work, and this was his employment when, on 27th June 1916, he answered the call to play a part in a conflict on the other side of the globe.

Gordon’s service papers show that he would have been an imposing figure of a man. He was 6ft 3ins (1.91m) tall, and weighed 160lbs (72.6kg). A Presbyterian, he had brown hair, blue eyes and a medium complexion. He was also noted as having two scars, one on the outside of his right forearm, the other on his left thumb.

Assigned to the New Zealand Wellington Regiment, Private McDonald’s unit left the country of his birth on 16th October 1916. The SS Willochra would take two-and-a-half months to reach Britain, arriving in Devonport, Devon, on 29th December. From there Gordon and his unit were sent to Codford, Wiltshire, where their ANZAC base was set up.

Private McDonald’s time in Britain was to be tragically brief. At this point in the war, disease was rife in the Codford billets, and he was not to be immune to its effects. On 13th February 1917, he was admitted to the No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital, attached to the camp, with tubercular meningitis. The condition would prove too severe, and he passed away on 5th March 1917. He was 24 years of age.

Gordon McDonald was laid to rest in the ANZAC graveyard extension to St Mary’s Church in Codford, close to the camp where he had breathed his last.

Private Gordon McDonald
(from findagrave.com)