LSgt. Huia Lyonal Wyatt

Huia Lyonal Wyatt was born on 21st February, 1892, in New Brighton and was the fourth son (and the sixth child of ten) of Alfred Henry and Isabella (Bella) Wyatt. His parents were among the earliest residents of New Brighton. His father was a grocer in New Brighton, a member of the New Brighton Borough Council, and also on the local school committee.

Huia went to New Brighton School, and won an attendance prize there in 1904, when he was in Standard VI. He then attended the Normal District High School. After leaving school, he worked for the Press Company, then Royal Bros and Kirk, then Messrs J. T. Brown and Sons, timber merchants. He was a member of Addington Hockey Club, New Brighton Hockey Club, and the New Brighton Coast Defence Corps. He was of average height, with brown eyes and dark brown hair. On the back of his left wrist was a small tattoo.

When he enlisted, he was living at 81 Seaview Rd, New Brighton, Christchurch. He joined the 2nd South Canterbury Battalion on 20th August, 1914, as a private, and left for Egypt on 16th October, arriving in Alexandria 3rd December, 1914. There he was a despatch rider to Major Grant, who was killed on the first day of the Gallipoli landings. He fought at Gallipoli. He moved his way up through the ranks and was made Lance Sergeant on the 3rd June, 1915.

Sadly, he was shot in the head on the 21st June. He was taken on board the hospital ship Gascon, but died the next day, and was buried at sea the same evening. He was posthumously awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory medal.

His name is on the New Brighton School Roll of Honour. He is also remembered on the Lone Pine Memorial, Lone Pine Cemetery, Anzac, Turkey.

In his will, Huia left everything to his mother except for his house at Taylor’s Mistake, which he left, including its contents, to a Hazel Davies. We wonder if that is the same young lady who is referred to in the letter sent to his mother from the commander of his platoon. He is full of praise for Huia, and sends his heartfelt sympathy to Mrs Wyatt, and also to “the young lady of whom he so often spoke to me with tender affection”. His commander also said that “Sergeant Wyatt had always proved himself not only as a smart soldier, but a gentleman in the truest sense of the term……Essentially courteous and obliging, nothing was too much for him to do that would increase the comfort and pleasure of his officers and comrades, while his ready wit and cheerful countenance endeared him to all of us….” There is a transcribed copy of this letter, along with photos of Huia’s family, his identity disc, and two of the three medals awarded to him, on display at the New Brighton Museum.

Huia's younger brother, Clarence Wyatt (Service no. 6/2017), also fought in the war and survived.

Sources

1. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohWh.html / Ref 18.4.2021