First NZEF casualty - France

[(nzef)]

Hi All,

I am currently researching a number of NZEF men for a number of projects I have on the go. As part of this research, I wanted to know who the first recorded NZEF casualty was for France.

Initially, I located Cpl Charles Edward Town - Reported killed on the 27/3/1916 by CWGC - However, his headstone shows a date of 1918 which checks out with the Auckland Cenotaph database (not to mention he won an MM in 1917). So this is a mistake by CWGC. I have emailed them to rectify this. There was also a 1915 recorded casualty, but this was also an error. Sadly, I can not recall his name at present.

So, after a few errors I had a name. And had that "someone has walked over my grave feeling" which seems sadly ironic.

Sapper Michael Tobin - Died of disease Saturday, April 15, 1916.

I know this man well. Not only have I been writing about him in an upcoming book, but he is a relative of mine. He is mentioned by name in the Unit history as the first engineering casualty.

Does anyone have information that would help colloborate or disprove this information for me ?

Regards

Grant

[dannyhill86]

Obvious anwer, but check the national newspapers of them time. It is likely that the first casualty/casualties of the great war of NZ soldiers were reported in some detail at a national newspaper level, although you may have already checked.

A complete guess, but my hunch would be to check the earliest troop passages from NZ to europe during WW1, there may be a 'casualty' among the early voyages.

Regards,

Dan