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Remembered Today:

NZs in SA Forces


SBW

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I am trying to build a better understanding of the role of NZs in WW1 SA forces. Below list of men identified as having NZ connections who served and died. I would appreciate any information on these men. If anyone can add to the list of NZ men in SA forces, that would be great too. Many thanks

Sue

Name: FRASER

Initials: J R

Nationality: South African

Rank: Sergeant

Regiment: South African Service Corps

Unit Text: M.T.

Age: 52

Date of Death: 04/07/1918

Service No: MT/6879

Additional Information: Son of Robert and Ann Fraser. Born in New Zealand.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: VIII. C. 3.

Cemetery: DAR ES SALAAM (UPANGA ROAD) CEMETERY

Name: WILSON

Initials: L H

Nationality: South African

Rank: Captain

Regiment: South African Infantry

Unit Text: 8th Regt.

Age: 42

Date of Death: 19/07/1917

Additional Information: Son of John Lamb Wilson and Ellen Wilson husband of Dorothy Clare Wilson, of 18, Chestnut Rd., West Norwood, London, England. Served in the South African Campaign, also in German South-West Africa. Born in New Zealand.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 1. B. 9.

Cemetery: DAR ES SALAAM WAR CEMETERY

Name: CLACHAN, WILLIAM JAMES

Initials: W J

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Captain

Regiment: Middlesex Regiment

Unit Text: 2nd Bn.

Secondary Regiment: King's African Rifles

Secondary Unit Text: attd. 1st

Age: 26

Date of Death: 06/01/1918

Additional Information: Son of William Adam Clachan and Margaret Ann Clachan, of "Aberfoyle", 22, Ohiro Rd., Wellington, New Zealand. Left New Zealand and gazetted to a Commission in Sept., 1914. Served in France 1915-1916 and three times wounded.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: 50.

Cemetery: MANGOCHI TOWN CEMETERY

Name: BASKETT, EDMUND GRAHAM

Initials: E G

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Captain

Regiment: Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry

Unit Text: 9th Bn.

Secondary Regiment: Nigeria Regiment, W.A.F.F.

Secondary Unit Text: attd.

Age: 35

Date of Death: 27/10/1918

Additional Information: Son of the late Nathaniel and Agnes Baskett, of Cambridge, New Zealand, formerly of Eye, Suffolk; husband of Dorothy Mary Baskett, of "Stapleton," Bury Rd., Newmarket.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: In south-west corner.

Cemetery: LOKOJA TOWN CEMETERY

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  • 11 months later...
Guest gunneronwheels

Captain Baskett is also commemorated on the Mendlesham War Memorial, so there may be some information available in that area. Mendlesham was the given birthplace of his Mother, close by Eye their address as per CWGC

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  • 11 months later...

The only war memorial in Mendlesham is that of the US 34th Bomber Group from WWII.

Have a look inside St. Mary's Church, you'll find another :thumbsup:

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  • 5 years later...
Guest sallian

''Ted'' Baskett was born in Brockford-cum-Wetheringsett in 1883 where his father had been farming at Brames Hall before emigrating to New Zealand the previous year. The family joined him in1884. Ted's grandfather and great-grandfather, the William CUTHBERTS, were the Mendlesham doctors and his uncles the vicars of St. Mary's where several of his familyare buried. In NZ he trained as a mining metallurgist and in 1911, as such, worked in South Africa then the Gold Coast hence his posting to Lokoja after enlisting in England 1915. While on leave in1917 he married his cousin Dorothy CUTHBERT but died the following year back in Nigeria, 

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  • 5 years later...

SBW:

Appreciate its been a few years since you asked but:

Adding to the list of New Zealanders who served in Sth African forces (these men all attended Auckland Grammar School in NZ):

Surgeon Captain E H Philips served in German South West African campaign.  (survived - worked most of career in the Cape) 

Captain R D Salmon MC served in King's African Rifles.  Ultimately became a game warden in Uganda; made Member, Royal Victorian Order 1937, died 1952

You have Leonard Wilson - he was born in Stoke Newington, London in early 1875.  Family emigrated to NZ 1878; entered Auckland Grammar in 1889; took up an engineering apprenticeship and in 1897 moved to UK to work for Earle;'s Shipbuilders in Hull.  1900 volunteered for Boer War and served in 66th (Yorkshire) Company, 16th Imperial Yeomanry (service number 12331).  Remained in Sth Africa and worked as engineer in mining industry.  Married Dorothy Clare Downing about 1905 in Johannesburg (they had two children).  He volunteered for service at start of war; appointed Lieutenant to the Corp of Engineers 5th October 1914 and embarked for German South West Africa campaign 19th October 1914.  Returned home 23/6/1915, then assigned to 8th Regiment, SA Infantry 21 December 1915, leaving for East Africa early 1916.  Reported missing in action south west of Kilwa (now part of Tanzania).  Body identified via photos he was carrying of his family.  Two brothers served in NZEF (one on Gallipoli, the other in Mounteds in Egypt and Palestine).

Andrew

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Other New Zealanders known to have served in African forces in Great War in Africa  (all based on NZ newspaper reports):

Sgt. Hugh Tennent  of Invercargill, Natal Light Horse.  

Captain F B Knyvette  of Auckland, Natal Light Horse

Corporal O W Owles, Christchurch served with 8th Divisional Train  (brother, Lt. A.H. Owles also served in Africa but I'm unsure if in British or African forces, another brother, George Owles served on Gallipoli )

A. J Boddington of Masterton, Wairarapa  Royston's Horse German Sth West Africa

Major Cashmore Freeth  of Wellington appears to have stayed in Africa after Boer war service;  served in Pretoria Infantry Crops ww1

Frank Ferrar  of Balclutha (note - fought against Sth African rebels late 1914 - unclear of served against Germans in Sth West Africa)

Sgt. A W Stuckey,  of Levin, served German Sth West Africa (? unit). He had served in Boer War in a NZ contingent, stayed in Africa after

Lt. Snow , also of Levin, served German Sth West Africa (? unit)

Sgt - Major Low  of Dunedin, served Sth African Intelligence Force, General Staff

 

Andrew

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by aconnolly
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  • 2 months later...

Further to the above, Lt. F.H. Snow was in German East Africa and an elder brother Major C.H.S. Snow was also in East Africa, awarded Military Cross.  Major Show had left NZ as a 17 year old to fight in the Boer War and stay in Africa following that.  A third brother, D.P. Snow served in NZEF (Gallipoli and Western Front).  All three from Levin in North Isl;and of NZ.

Major F M Haselden awarded MC German West Africa and DSO German East Africa then with British forces in North Russia.  Lived in the Manuwatu region, North Island; married in NZ 1903, died NZ 1950.  

Sgt. C.R. Digby left NZ 1901, served German West Africa then Cape Auxillary Horse Transport, France

 

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