THE SOUTH AFRICAN (BOER) WAR MEMORIAL, THAMES

1899 - 1902

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IN
MEMORY
OF
THOSE WHO FELL
AND IN HONOUR OF
THOSE WHO SERVED
IN
S. AFRICA
1899 - 1902
'THE EMPIRE'S HOUR OF NEED.'

ERECTED BY THE RESIDENTS OF
THAMES GOLDFIELDS
DEC 1902

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Gunner Fred William Duncan FORBES 2365 5th Contingent. Died 12 July 1901. Miner, Pollen Street, Thames. Native of Scotland. Newspaper clipping

Trooper Robert FARQUHAR H Squadron, Brabant's Horse. Thames. Died of an accident 2 May 1901, Wellington. N.O.K. Captain Alex Farquhar of the SS Wakatere. Newspaper clipping

Trooper William DONKIN 4281 7th Contingent. Died 1 June 1901 Klipfontein. N.O.K.: Henry & Alice Donkin, Tararu, Thames. Newspaper clipping

Trooper Benjamin BENNETT 8523 Waihou, 10th contingent. Died 19 December 1902 of cerebro-spinal disease. N.O.K. George Bennett, Waiuku.

Trooper George Roland BRADFORD 44 Paeroa, 1st contingent. Died 28 December 1899, meningitis following wounds, Boer Field Hospital, Rensberg Siding (first NZ serviceman to die on overseas service).

Trooper Albert Evans BROWN 5457 Puriri Thames, 8th contingent. Died 13 August 1902 of disease, Wellington NZ. N.O.K. W.T. Brown, Puriri, Thames.

Sergeant Leonard Mathews TARRANT 71 Miner of Coromandel, 1st contingent. Died of typhoid fever 15 April 1900, Pretoria

Trooper Thomas WITHERS Whangamata, 5th contingent. Died of typhoid fever 5 January 1901, Johannesburg. N.O.K. Mr T. Withers, Whangamata.

Trooper George Roland BRADFORD,
Paeroa.

Sergeant Leonard Mathews TARRANT,
Miner of Coromandel

HAURAKI/COROMANDEL BOER WAR SERVICEMEN

Name, Residence, Contingent

ADAMS, Robert Allen, Paeroa, Cont. Cont. 8
ALLAN, Daniel Waitekauri, Cont. 5
AUTRIDGE, William James, Thames, Cont. 10
AVERY, Bertram Richard, Ohinemuri, Cont. 1
BELLAMY, Harry, Waihou, Cont. 10
BENDALL, Arthur Travers, Thames, Cont. 8
BENNETT, Benjamin, Waihou, Cont. 4
BENNETT, Harold James, Paeroa, Cont. 3
BIGGS, Alfred Ernest, Te Aroha, Cont. 9 (also served WW1)
BLENKHORN, Charles, Coromandel, Cont. 1
BORRELL, George, Waihi, Cont. 9
BOWLER, Charles, Waihi, Cont. 8
BRADFORD, George Roland, Paeroa, Cont. 1
BRADLEY, John, Te Aroha, Cont. 7
BRINKLEY, Walter Albert, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
BROWN, Albert Evans, Puriri Thames, Cont. 8
BROWNE, Samuel, Coromandel, Cont. 10
BROWNE, Simon Welton, Coromandel, See Samuel BROWNE
BURCHELL, Arthur John, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
BURNS, Gordon Stewart, Thames (buried Shortland Cemetery), Royal Artillery, British Army
BUSH, George Arthur, Thames, Cont. 9
BUTLER, William, Waihi, Cont. 6
CALLAWAY, John Walter, Coromandel, Cont. 1
CAMPBELL, Hector, Coromandel, Cont. 5
CAMPBELL, James, Ohinemuri, Cont. 5 & 10
CASLEY, James Henry, Paeroa, Cont. 9
CHEFFINGS, Frank, Te Aroha, Cont. 8
CHOAT, Walter Alfred, Thames Kopu, Cont. 7
CHRISTEY, Thomas Walter, Miranda, see Thomas Walter CHRISTIE
CHRISTIE, Thomas Walter, Miranda, Cont. 10
CLARK, William George, Waihi, Cont. 5
CLARKE, John Thomas, Thames, Cont. 9 (also served WW1)
CLEWS, Charles Edward, Waihi, Cont. 2
COCHRANE, Arthur Hamilton, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
COCK, Edward Stephen, Paeroa, Cont. 10
COLEBROOK, Herbert John Drew, Coromandel, Cont. 9
COLLEDGE, James Alexander, Te Aroha, Cont. 4
COLLIER, Edward, Coromandel, Cont. 9 (also served WW1)
COLQUHOUN, Ludovic Cliffe, Thames, Cont. 8
COOK, Thomas Joseph, Te Aroha, Cont. 10
CORNES, Harry Graham, Te Aroha, Cont. 7 & 9
COTTEE, Charles William, Thames, Cont. 9
COUBROUGH, Alfred, Te Aroha, Cont. 6
COUTTS, Daniel Burrows, Waihi, Cont. 10
COWAN, William Henry, Paeroa, Cont. 9, (died in WWI)
DARE, William, Thames, Cont. 8
DARROW, Reginald James, Tararu Thames, Cont. 9
DAVIES, Maurice Llewellyn, Waikino, Cont. 4
DEAN, George, Paeroa, Cont. 2
DIBBLE, Frank Gordon, Waihi, Cont. 7
DICKSON, Robert, Waihi, Cont. 8
DOBSON, Joseph, Kopu, Thames, Cont. 10
DONKIN, William, Thames, Cont. 7
DOUGLAS, Mungo, Thames, Cont. 5
DUNLOP, David Walter, Parawai,Thames, Cont. 10
DUNLOP, Thomas Albert, Parawai,Thames, Cont. 10
DUNNE, Valentine, Parawai, Thames, Cont. 3
ENSOR, Charles Hedley, Thames, Cont. 9
FARMER, Daniel George, Manawaru, Te Aroha, Cont. 8
FARQUHAR, Robert, Thames, H Squadron, Brabant's Horse
FAHEY, Edward Joseph, Waihi, Cont. 5 & 9
FORBES, Frederick William, Thames, Cont. 5
FORDYCE, Bruce, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
FORSTER, Francis Samuel, Waihi, Cont. 10
GAFFNEY, Clifford, Thames, Cont. 10
GALBRAITH, William Ronald, Thames, Cont. 10
GATLAND, E. F. (Jack), Coromandel, Queensland Federal Cont.
GARNER, Arthur Ernest, Thames, Cont. 6
GIBB, Robert, Thames, Cont. 10
GIBBONS, Charles Francis, Kopu, Thames, Cont. 8
GIBBONS, John Percy, Kopu, Thames, Cont. 8
GIBSON, Walter Rees, Coromandel, Cont. 4
GILLAN, Thomas, Puriri,Thames, Cont. 7
GILPIN, James, Thames, Cont. 10
GORDON, William Nelson, Thames, Cont. 5 & 9 (also served WW1)
GRAHAM, John, Thames, Cont. 8
GRIFFITHS, Charles Thomas, Paeroa, Cont. 8
HAMMOND, Edward, Waihi, Cont. 8
HARRIS, William Stephen, Te Aroha, Cont. 8
HARSANT, Roger Charles Cato, Karangahake, Cont. 5
HAWKESBY, Joseph Gilbert Elliott, Waikino, Cont. 5
HAY, Lionel James, Thames, Cont. 10
HEFFORD, William Bradley, Waihi, Cont. 5
HEIGHTON, Frank, Waihi, Cont. 7
HENDERSON, John, Waihi, Cont. 8
HESP, Job Robinson, Paeroa, Cont. 2 & 9
HILL, Thomas John, Paeroa, Cont. 8
HOLLIS, Charles, Waihi, Cont. 10
HORNE, Frederick Charles Ring, Coromandel, Cont. 7
HOUGHTON, Edward George, Parawai, Thames, Cont. 9
HOWARD, John Hooton, Thames, Cont. 10
HUBBARD, Percy Richard, Paeroa, Cont. 1
HUBBARD, Walter, Paeroa, Cont. 4
HUGHES, Frederick Ernest, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
HUNT, Henry George, Waihi, Cont. 6
HURLEY, John, Waihi, Cont. 9
INDER, Robert Walter Norman, Coromandel, Cont. 10
JOHNSON, Alfred Charles, Waihou, See Alfred Charles JOHNSTON
JOHNSON, George Richardson, Coromandel, Cont. 8
JOHNSTON, Alfred Charles, Waihou, Cont. 10
JONES, Alfred Austin, Waihi, Cont. 10
JONES, William Henry, Coromandel, Cont. 9
JOUGHLIN, Robert, Waihi, Cont. 9
JOWSEY, Thomas, Waihi, Cont. 3
JURY, Henry, Thames, Cont. 10
KEATING, James Henry, Kopu, Thames, Cont. 8
KEATING, Roland Howard, Kopu, Thames, Cont. 8
KIDD, Kenneth Harold, Thames, Cont. 10
LINKLATER, Hugh, Thames, Cont. 7 & 9
LITTLE, Charles John, Whangapoua, Cont. 8
LLOYD, Henry William, Thames, Cont. 10
LOVEGROVE, Ernest Victor, Te Aroha, Cont. 6
LYNCH, William, Paeroa, Cont. 10
LYONS, Thomas Walter, Waitekauri, Cont. 5
MANNING, Rudolph, Te Aroha, Cont. 10
MASON, Colin, Waihi, Cont. 8
MAY, William Henry, Thames, Cont. 10
MAYNE, Frederick, Coromandel, Cont. 7
McCARTHY, Donald, Waihi, Cont. 9
McCARTHY, John, Te Aroha, Cont. 10
McDONALD, Charles Hilary, Thames, Cont. 7
McGLASHAN, Douglas Roy, Waihi, Cont. 9
McGRUER, Norman, Karangahake, Cont. 5
McKEE, Archibald, Te Aroha, Cont. 10
McKEE, James Alexander, Karangahake, Cont. 5
McKEE, John, Te Aroha, Cont. 10
McLEAN, Charles Edward, Te Aroha, Cont. 1
McLEAN, John, Karangahake, Cont. 10
McMAHON, George Hamilton, Tapu, Thames, Cont. 9
McPHERSON, William, Paeroa, Cont. 1
MENHENNET, Samuel Henry, Morrinsville, Cont. 8
MILNE, James Greene, Thames, Cont. 8
MOLLER, Carl William Auckland, Thames, Cont. 4/5, 9
MOORE, Louis Vivian, Waihi, Cont. 10
MOORE, William John Dennerley, Netherton, Cont. 8
MORRIS, Alfred James, Kopu, Thames, Cont. 7
MORRISON, Edward James, Hikutaia, Thames, Cont. 10
MORTON, George Samuel, Thames (buried Totara Cemetery), South African Forces
MURDOCH, Thomas, Karangahake, Cont. 5
NESBITT, Henry, Coromandel, Cont. 5
NEWDICK, Alfred, Thames, Cont. 1 (Thames Star 3 August 1900.)
NEWDICK, Herbert Gilmour, Thames, Cont. 10
NEWDICK, William Henry, Waihi, Cont. 4 & 9
OSBORNE, George Phillip, Thames, Cont. 6
PARTRIDGE, William Bertram, Waihi, Cont. 9
PETERS, Andrew, Kaiaua, Thames, Cont. 9
PEVREAL, Evans, Waihou, Cont. 8
PEVREAL, Richard Andrew, Waihou, Cont. 8
PHAIR, Charles Oakshot, Coromandel, Cont. 4
POTTS, John Kirker, Thames, Cont. 10 (also served WW1)
POWER, Richard Milgrew, Waihi, Cont. 10
PYE, George, Waihi, Cont. 8
PYE, John, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
REA, Edward Henry, Thames, Cont. 8
RIPLEY, William, Hikutaia, Thames, Cont. 9
ROLLINSON, Harold James, Waihi, Cont. 7
ROSEWARNE, Rudolph Huntly, Thames, Cont. 7
RYAN, Martin Henry, Thames, Cont. 8
SALMON, Henry Evan, Te Aroha, Cont. 4
SCOTT, Archibald Alfred, Waihi, Cont. 10
SHAND, James Arthur, Thames, War Correspondent
SHAW, Frederick Thomas, Paeroa, Cont. 1
SHAW, Guy Langstone, Thames, Cont. 8
SILCOCK, Samuel Thomas, Paeroa, Cont. 8
SMITH, Wilmott Lawrence, Thames, Cont. 10
SNELGAR, Albert George, Waiotahi, Thames, Cont. 10
STANLEY, Herbert Andrew, Te Aroha, Cont. 9
STRANGE, John Francis, Te Aroha Cont. 1
SULLIVAN, Michael, Thames, Cont. 6
TARRANT, Leonard Matthew, Coromandel, Cont. 1
TAYLOR, John Solomon, Thames, Cont. 8
TAYLOR, John Thomas, IrishTown, Thames, Cont. 5 & 9, (Member of NZ Zeerust Cup rugby team)
TAYLOR, William James, Waiotahi, Thames, Cont. 8
TETLEY, John William, Paeroa, Cont. 1
TIMMINS, Patrick, Waihou, Cont. 9
TREVARTHEN, William McVey, Paeroa, Cont. 2
TUKE, Ernest, Whitianga, Cont. 7 & 10
WALKER, John William Gibson, Thames, Cont. 10
WALMSLEY, Francis John, Waihi, Cont. 10
WALSH, James Henry, Waihi, Cont. 8
WATT, Edward William, Karangahape, Cont. 6
WILD, Alfred Edward, Te Aroha, Cont. 5
WILSON, James Alexander, Thames, Cont. 5 & 7
WILTON, William Moore, Thames & Waihi, Cont. 9
WITHERS, Thomas, Whangamata, Cont. 5
WITHERS, Wilson Paki, Pauanui, Cont. 4
WORTHLEY, William Thomas, Thames, See: William Thomas WORTLEY
WORTLEY, William Thomas, Thames, Cont. 9

Princess Christian's Army Nursing Service Reserve, South Africa:

BROOKE-SMITH, Mabel Ethelind, Matron Waihi Hospital 1906.

Civilian teachers at SA Concentration Camps:

KENRICK, Caroline (Lena) Adie, Thames,
DEVIN, Annie Maria, infant mistress at Mercury Bay School.

The unveiling of Boer War Memorial, Pollen Street, Thames, 1902.
Click to enlarge the photo.

The Thames South African War Memorial was originally erected in 1902 on Pollen street, facing out towards Grahamstown and the Hauraki Gulf. It was unveiled by Councillor J. W. Poulgrain before a large crowd which included the Minister of Mines and the Minister of Justice, soldiers, returned troopers and veterans.

In 1919-20, the South African (Boer) War Memorial was moved to Victoria Park, where it still stands.

A Letter from Mr H. C. T. Lawlor, Johannesburg 1896

HAERE MAI

By ROSLYN

Done with the sword and fire of long campaign;
Done with the weary watching on the plain;
The tireless pursuit of the wily foe
O'er kloof, and krantz, or spruit at overflow;
The frequent kopje looming 'gainst the sky;
The whizzing bullet, and the parting sigh.

Yes, the boys are coming
Home again they say,
From the field of battle
And the fatal fray.

Content for weary months with scanty fare;
Consumed with one desire to do and dare;
Prepared, yea proud the warm heart blood to spill,
With the brave lads that held New Zealand hill,
For those return true love in vain may yearn,
They raised to valour's height the badge of fern.

Ah, the warmest welcome
Cannot cross the wave,
To the heroes sleeping
In a soldiers' grave

Back from a wider world to one more straight,
From speech with kingly men, and warriors great;
A sense of kinship never known before
For life to link them to a far off shore.
Beneath the flag they fought for on the Rand,
The boys are coming back to Maori land.

All her raupo quivers,
All her nikau cry,
'E pai awa, e pai ana,
Haere mai,
Haere mai.'

Sources:

1.THE AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM Cenotaph Database.

2.EMBARKATION DATABASE NZ in the South African (Boer) War.

3.ARCHWAY, Archives New Zealand for Military Records.

4.The Thames Star: All newspaper clippings are from The Thames Star or The Ohinemuri Gazette, both of which can be searched online at PapersPast

5.NEW ZEALAND MOUNTED RIFLES. South Africa War 1899 - 1902.

6. 'Rough Riders at War' by Richard Stowers, Hamilton, New Zealand, 2006.

7. 'Teachers For South Africa: New Zealand Women at the South African War Concentration Camps' by Ellen Ellis, Hanorah Books, 2010

8. Women at war - NZ units in South Africa 1899-1902

9. 'Walter Callaway: A Maori Warrior of the Boer War' by Mike Dwight. Print House, Hamilton, 2010.

10. 'Kiwi Versus Boer: The First New Zealand Mounted Rifles in the Anglo-Boer War 1899 - 1902' by Richard Stowers, Print HOuse, Hamilton, 1992.