LCpl. John Graham Snodgrass

Tauranga surveryor's assistant John Graham Snodgrass saw action at Gallipoli before being killed in action at Ypres in Belgium on 10 December 1917. John Graham Snodgrass was born at Otumoetai in Tauranga on 1 February 1888. His parents were David Graham and Jane Elizabeth Snodgrass (nee Burkitt) who married in New South Wales, Australia, on 16 March 1886. Jane was known as 'Jeannie'. In around 1904 John's father David disppeared in Australia in mysterious circumstances. Jane moved with the family to Te Puke. In 1910 she married widower Thomas Patrick Lemon (1863-1933). Known as 'Jack', John worked as a surveyor's assistant and was a member of the Tauranga Mounted Rifles. He enlisted to fight during World war I on 5 December 1914. He served with the British section New Zealand Engineers, No. 4 Field Company (Service No. 4/209A). On 12 April 1915 he departed for Gallipoli. Two months later he was in hospital at Moudros, on the island of Lemnos in Greece, suffering from dysentery. On 12 September 1916 it was reported that John had been gassed in France. By 26 October he was recovering in Brockenhurst Hospital in England. At the end of October he was transferred to Hornchurch. He was discharged in November, and rejoined his unit. On 5 March 1917 John was admitted to hospital again suffering from measles. After rejoining his unit he suffered a strained back on 16 June 1917 and was discharged from hospital on 25 June. Lance Corporal John Graham Snodgrass was killed in action at Ypres, Belgium on 10 December 1917, aged 29. He was buried in the Ramparts Cemetery at Lille Gate, Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. His death was noted in the local newspapers: SNODGRASS It is with exceeding regret that we have to announce the death of Corporal Jack Snodgrass, the eldest son of Mrs T P Lemon, who was killed at the front on the 9th inst. The sad news was received by a private cablegram yesterday. The late Corporal Snodgrass, who was 29 years of age, was extremely well known in Te Puke and Tauranga, having spent the greater part of his life in this district, where he was attached to the Public Works Department. When war broke out he was in Canada, but crossed over to England, where he enlisted. He was a member of the British section of the New Zealand Engineers. The utmost sympathy will be felt with Mrs Lemon and family in their bereavement. [Te Puke Times, 18 December 1917, p. 2 and Bay of Plenty Times, 21 December 1917, p. 2] John's medals were sent to his brother, Archibald Hamilton Snodgrass (1899-1969) in Te Puke. Source: Biography by Debbie McCauley (10 December 2014) http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/remembering_war/topics/show/2388

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