World War I (1914-1918): New Zealand Roll of Honour

The First World War took more than 100,000 New Zealanders overseas (10% of the then population of one million), many for the first time. Of that number more than 18,000 died in or because of the war and there were around 41,000 cases of wounding or illness that often had long term consequences. Nearly every New Zealand family was affected. Some men died after discharge of wounds inflicted or disease contracted while on active service. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission use the date of 31st December 1921 as a cut off date for war deaths whereas the official cut off date for deaths in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force is 31 December 1923. Anzac Day on the 25th of April each year marks the anniversary of the first campaign that led to major casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces during the war. On this day we remember the tragedy and travesty of World War I, the pointless waste of human life that started as a local conflict over a political assassination and become an unbelievable bloodbath.

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
- Wilfred Owen (1917)

Note: Most commonly referred to in New Zealand as World War I or WWI, but also known as First World War | World War 1 | World War One | WW1.

New Zealand World War One Roll of Honour

A complete listing of the casualties totalling 18,308 can be found at this link: New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour

Statistics

• 98,950 served in New Zealand units overseas
• 80% were volunteers
• 20% were conscripted
• 2227 served in Maori units
• 461 came from the Pacific Islands
• 550 nurses served in the NZEF, 18 died
• 7036 served in New Zealand
• 9% of the population served
• 0.9% New Zealand units as a proportion of the British forces
• 286 men were imprisoned for rejecting military service
• 6400-7900 men refused, objected to, or avoided military service
• 18,058 total deaths
• 2779 died during the Gallipoli campaign
• 2111 died during the Somme offensive
• 837 died during the Messines offensive
• 1796 died during the Passchendaele offensive
• 5 were executed
• 41,317 occurrences of injury or illness
• 501 prisoners of war
• Source: First World War by the numbers https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/first-world-war-by-numbers

Nurses Roll of Honour

1. Brown, Marion Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
2. Clark, Isabel Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
3. Cooke, Ella 8 September 1917 Hit by a train Alexandria, Egypt
4. Fox, Catherine Anne Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
5. Gorman, Mary Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
6. Hawken, Ada Gilbert 28 October 1915 Enteric fever (typhoid), Alexandria, Egypt
7. Hildyard, Nona Mildred Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
8. Isdell, Helena Kathleen Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
9. Jamieson, Mabel Elizabeth Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
10. Kemp, Elise 20 October 1917 Killed when a German aircraft bombed the field hospital in Flanders, France
11. Lind, Lily 21 November 1916 Tuberculosis, contracted while nursing At sea, on board SS Maheno
12. Rae, Mary Helen Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
13. Rattray, Lorna Aylmer Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
14. Rogers, Margaret Marquette Sinking, Aegean Sea
15. Tubman, Esther Maude 18 September 1918, Cerebrospinal meningitis, Salisbury Hospital, United Kingdom
16. Whishaw, Mabel 10 November 1918 Influenza Pandemic, Featherson Camp, New Zealand

Victoria Cross Recipients

11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to soldiers serving with New Zealand forces - 5 to those serving with other forces.

1. Andrew, Leslie
2. Bassett, Cyril
3. Brown, Donald
4. Crichton, James
5. Forsyth, Samuel
6. Frickleton, Samuel
7. Grant, John
8. Judson, Reginald
9. Laurent, Henry John
10. Nicholas, Henry
11. Travis, Richard

Families that lost three or more children

Anthony Christophers and Juliet Mary Christophers (nee Gillon)

1. Christophers, Herbert Henry
2. Christophers, Julian Anthony
3. Christophers, Reginald Gillon
4. Christophers, Victor James

Edward Foster and Christina Foster (nee Dalziel)

1. Foster, Henry
2. Foster, William
3. Foster, Robert

Levi James and Frances Amy James (nee Rogers)

1. James, Albert Edward Levi
2. James, Alexander George
3. James, John Sydney

James Maben Laurie and Jane Gilchrist Laurie (nee Brown)

1. Laurie, Francis Hamilton Stobo
2. Laurie, Reginald Walter Scott
3. Laurie, Ernest Gilchrist

William Lewis and Sarah Elizabeth Lewis (nee Eldridge)

1. Lewis, Samuel Lees Eldridge
2. Lewis, Thomas Eldridge
3. Lewis, Watkin Eldridge

John Tohill and Sarah Anne Tohill (nee Everitt)

1. Tohill, Alban Joseph
2. Tohill, Charles
3. Tohill, William Henry