Sergeant-Major David Gallaher, New Zealand

[Aurel Sercu]

Just to inform that this morning 15 March (11.30 a.m.) there was a small ceremony at Nine Elms Cemetery, Poperinge, at the grave of Sergeant-Major David Gallaher (New Zealand). A delegation of French former rugby players laid a wreath at his headstone.

David Gallaher was the first captain of the New Zealand national rugby team, the 'All Blacks' when the team toured Great Britain in 1905. He was 43 when in 1916 he volunteered. His younger brother had died in France and David lied about his age, and though married (and having an 8-year-old daughter) joined the troops. He died of wounds on 4 Oct 1917 near Passendale.

In 2000 a delegation of All Blacks had already paid tribute at his grave. The visit and small ceremony by the French former rugby players of today was an initiative of the "Lille Université Club", who also have a rugby team.

Below a photo. A few more photos (by Jacky Platteeuw and myself) can be seen at :

http://www.wo1.be/ned/evenementen/erbij/20...e1503/body1.htm

Aurel

[Andrew P]

Thanks for that Aurel. Very interesting.

Cheers

Andrew

[Dolphin]

Aurel

Thank you for the information and photograph.

David Gallaher was born on 30 October 1873, in Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland; his family moved to Katikati, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand on the SS Lady Jocelyn when he was five. He married Eileen Francis in 1906 and had a daughter, Nora.

He played Rugby as a Flanker for: Katikati School, Parnell, Ponsonby, Auckland, North Island and New Zealand.

David Gallaher was first selected to play for Auckland in 1896, and played for the city 26 times. His Rugby motto was ‘Give nothing away, take no chances.’

Perhaps surprisingly, although remembered as one of the great All Black captains, Gallaher played only six internationals for New Zealand: v Australia in 1903; v Scotland, England and Wales in 1905; and v France in 1906. New Zealand them won all except the match v Wales, the result of which is still the subject of dispute among some New Zealanders.

He served in the South African War, initially in the 6th Contingent, New Zealand Mounted Rifles, and then as a Squadron Sergeant Major in the 10th Contingent. He participated in an engagement against a large force of Boers at Spitskoop early in 1902.

He was joint captain of NZ tour to Australia in 1905, and captain of the NZ tour to the British Isles, France and North America in 1905-06. Although now regarded as one of the greatest ever NZ captains, his hold on the position was not certain in 1905. On the ship travelling to the UK some players felt he was too old at 29 [he was really 32!] and voted against him in a ballot, won by Gallaher 29-11. The team went on to win 32 of their 33 matches, losing only to Wales 0-3, a match Gallaher described as ‘a rattling good game, played out to the bitter end, with the result that the better team won’.

He played 36 matches for the All Blacks, including the 6 Internationals mentioned above, and was an NZRFU selector from 1907 to 1914. Gallaher was the co-author, with Billy Stead, of The Complete Rugby Footballer in 1906.

During the Great War he was eventually a Company Sergeant Major in the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Regiment, 2nd Brigade, NZ Division, NZEF. After two of his brothers were killed in the 1914-1918 War Gallaher falsified his age in order to enlist in July 1916. He departed New Zealand on the SS Aparima and travelled to Sling Camp on Salisbury Plain in England for further training before joining the NZ Division on the Western Front. Gallaher was promoted to Sergeant and joined the 2nd Aucklands on 30 July 1917 at Steengte, Belgium.

At 1015 on 4 October 1917 the 2nd Aucklands and 2nd Wellingtons were in the second wave of an attack on German positions which, despite heavy fire, captured and held a German headquarters and a group of pillboxes known as Waterloo. Dave Gallaher was hit in the face as the Aucklands left their trenches, and was taken to an Australian First Aid post. He was killed in action.

The Auckland Rugby Union presented the Gallaher Shield as a prize in a club competition in 1922. In November 2000, the David Gallaher trophy was instituted for matches between France and New Zealand.

Again, thanks for the post.

Gareth