Passchendaele claimed the lives of many New Zealand soldiers. Four are remembered here.
8/1532 Lieutenant George Bernard Knight
Otago Infantry Regiment
Killed in Action, 12 October 1917
Age: 24
George Knight,farm hand from Dannevirke, enlisted in December 1914 as a Private at Trentham Camp. He embarked on 14 February 1915 with the Third Reinforcements and after training in Egypt, saw action at Gallipoli. In August 1915, he was hospitalised due to illness and after discharge from the hospital in Cairo, was employed at the School of Instruction at Zeitoun Camp (Egypt). In February 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal and embarked for France in April 1916. He was promoted to Corporal and was wounded in action at Armentieres. After a period of convalescence in England and further training, he was promoted to Sergeant. He was a natural leader with ability and charm, and seemed to influence all those around him. Two months later he was nominated for officer training and on 15 June 1917, he attained the rank of Second Lieutenant.
Five days later he left for Etaples in France and joined the 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment in the field. From this point he was involved in much of the heavy fighting and on 12 October 1917, it was his turn to go ‘over the top’ up Bellevue Spur, towards the tiny village of Passchendaele. Leading his men, he encountered the impenetrable wire and was cut down by a burst of machine gun fire only feet from the enemy positions. His body was never recovered and on his Service Record. It states: “Many of these men were buried by stretcher bearers where they fell, to right and left of road beyond Waterloo Farm across Ravebeek and up towards cross roads”. The loss of George was another blow to his parents, Nellie and Herbert Knight, who had already lost their son Herbert Augustine at Gallipoli. The war was to bring further tragedy to the Knight family who lost a third son, William, on 1 September 1918 near Bancourt, France. George is commemorated on the New Zealand Apse, Tyne Cot Memorial, Passchendaele, Belgium.
9/1170 Private George William Funnell
Otago Infantry Regiment
Killed in Action, 12 October 1917
Age: unknown
George Funnell, born in the South Island, was living in Dunedin at the outbreak of World War I and enlisted with the Otago Mounted Rifles. On 14 August 1915, the Troopships ‘Willochra’ and ‘Tofua’ steamed out of Wellington Harbour bound for the Suez and after a period of training in Egypt, George Funnell was transported to Gallipoli to see out the latter part of the campaign.
He was later transported to England and then to France arriving on 16 April 1916 whereby he was attached to the Stretcher Bearers of 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment. He saw action and was wounded on the Somme and then was involved in all the major advances by the New Zealand Division including Messines in June 1917. On the morning of 12 October 1917, Private Funnell ‘jumped the bags’ at Bellevue Spur and as Private F C Jones observed in his statement, “he was first hit in the leg and straight away, he was hit in the head by a second bullet, which killed him instantly”. Private George William Funnell’s body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the New Zealand Apse, Tyne Cot Memorial, Passchendaele, Belgium.
40335 Private Lionel Gregory Kemp
Auckland Infantry Regiment
Killed in Action, 4 October 1917
Age: 23
Lionel Gregory Kemp, prior to enlistment, was working as an Engine Driver for the Talisman Gold Mine at Karangahake (near Waihi). He enlisted on 2 November 1916 and trained at Trentham Cam, serving in E Company, 23rd Reinforcements.
Lionel embarked from New Zealand on 2 April 1917 aboard the troopship “Corinthic”. He arrived in England in June and went to Sling Camp to complete further training. He left England on 6 July 1917 and arrived at Etaples (France) on 9 July. Once in the field, he joined 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment and quickly became used to the conditions that were going to impact on the New Zealand Division later in the campaign. In a letter home to his sister Gerty dated 23 September 1917, he wrote:
“It is a rather dull day, but I don’t think it will rain. I hope not anyway; there is enough mud and slush around now without anymore rain.”
He finishes the letter by writing:
“I often wish I could hop amongst you all again if only for a few minutes, it’s a big world when one gets over here. Well Kia Ora my dear …Your loving brother Lionel.
”Eleven days later, on 4 October 1917, the weather worsened. There was a steady drizzle and the westerly wind chilled the men who waited in the trenches. When Lionel, with the rest of the men of 1st Battalion went ‘over the top’ they were met with heavy machine gun fire. It is not known at exactly what time Lionel was hit as his Service Record only reads “Killed in Action”, however his body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the New Zealand Apse, Tyne Cot Memorial, Passchendaele, Belgium. As an end note, one of his obituary notices reads “One of Nature’s gentleman, who died fighting for King, country and liberty”.
12/2280 Lance Corporal William Ellis
Auckland Infantry Regiment
Died of Wounds, 9 October 1917
Age 31
William Ellis, born in Devonshire, England, was working as a farm labourer in Pukekohe when war broke out. On 15 February 1915, he decided to join up and was sent to Trentham Camp. He left New Zealand with the Fifth Reinforcements aboard the troopship ‘Maunganui’ on 13 June 1915. After training at Zeitoun Camp (Egypt) he joined the 1st Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment on Gallipoli and had his first taste of action. He remained on the Peninsula until the Main Body’s evacuation in December 1915.
It appears William was a bit of a rogue and the ‘Conduct Sheet’ of his Service Record provides a few clues to his character. He received ten days detention for being ‘absent without leave’ on Lemnos Island; 14 days ‘field punishment’ for drunkenness in Boulogne; and a further reprimand for again being ‘absent without leave’ from an evening roll call.
However, ‘rough edges’ have never stopped a good soldier and after the Gallipoli Campaign, Ellis arrived in France in April 1916 and was sent to the Railway Construction Company. In July 1917, he returned to the Auckland Infantry Regiment and was promoted to Lance Corporal. In August he had a stint with 1st Field Company, NZ Engineers and then rejoined the ‘Aucklands’ a short time later. On 23 August he was wounded in action and was admitted to the No. 3 NZ Field Ambulance. A month later he was back with the unit preparing for the October push.
On the 4th of October, the day opened to a steady drizzle, a strong westerly wind chilled the men to the bone and they waited for their orders. William Ellis was with the 1st Battalion, which from the outset were faced with heavy fighting. At some point in the day, William was hit badly in the chest and was admitted to the No. 3 Field Ambulance. Later that day he was taken to the No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station for further treatment. However the wounds were too severe and five days later he succumbed to his injuries. William is buried at the Nine Elms British Cemetery in Belgium.
Ends
Images in this section are courtesy of the Army Museum at Waiouru.