REMEMBERING OUR ANZACS TODAY

 

Collage collection

Top Row Left to Right

ADAMS, Morgan - Private - 7th Battalion, 5th Reinforcements A.I.F - - SERN 1903: Born Melbourne VIC, 4 March 1895 - Died 22 August 1923: enlisted Melbourne VIC: Next of Kin (Mother) M Adams.
Returned home 1919 

FORSYTH, John WW1- Born 10 May 1879 Rhodes Swamp, Christchurch, New Zealand  - Serial No.17561 - First Known Rank Corporal - Embarkation Unit 20th Reinforcements Mounted Rifles Brigade, Mounted Machinegun Section. Returned home to New Zealand - Boer War -  returned home to NZ - Trooper - Service No. 3836, enlisted in the 6th New Zealand Contingent, known as the "Silent Sixth", on the 18th of January 1901 at Wellington.

BREACH, James Carey - SERVICE NUMBER NZ 11201. Navy, Regular Military Service, Korean War, 1950-1953 Born 23 February 1930 - Died 2006 Next of kin on embarkation  Esther Breach nee Musson mother. Returned home.

MORGAN, James George Henry Edward - Stoker in the Royal Australian Navy 16th August 1926  Official number 17819.  Navy records physical description 5 foot 6 inches, Auburn hair, Hazel eyes, Fresh complexion. Returned home.

Bottom Row Left to Right

FORSYTH, William - enlisted as Private 15 June 1916 - 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment New Zealand - Serial No.13/2189 - First Known Rank Trooper - Embarkation Unit Auckland Mounted Rifles. Discharged a corporal. Returned home to New Zealand

MORGAN,  William John Pike  Private 14th Battalion A.I.F - SERN - 893: POB - Euroa VIC: POE Broadmeadows VIC: NOK - (Mother) MORGAN S A.†- Killed Lone Pine 8 Aug 1915 - Lest we forget 

CROWL, Bertie Leslie - Private - 7th Battalion, 12th reinforcements AIF - SERN 3712 - Enlisted 8th July 1915. Returned home 5th April 1919. (Brother in law of above Morgan ADAMS.)

FLEMING, Albert Henry Percival - Sergeant Major- 5th Battalion, A Company A.I.F  -  SERN 24: POB Melbourne VIC: POE Melbourne VIC: NOK (Wife) Fleming Marjory. Returned home.

From

http://ancestorchaser.blogspot.com/p/our-familys-brave-lest-we-forget-as-i.html

Private William Robert Musson WW2

My grandfather's older brother William Robert "Bill" Musson was born on the 27th of November 1903 at Belfast, Canterbury, New Zealand.  His birth was registered early in 1904.

Bill was the eldest son of James Christopher Musson (1873-1950) and Margaret Ann Hay Forsyth (1877-1928) of Belfast, Canterbury, New Zealand.

He had 2 older sisters, Jessie Catherine (1899-1969) and Mary Margaret "Molly" (1902-1970) and 6 younger siblings, James Richard (my grandfather 1906-1976), Walter Phillip (1908-1919), Esther Helen (1911-1966), Eric Mark "Mac" (1913-1991), Ian Alexander "Fat" (1915-1989) and Ivor Forsyth "Hip" (1918-1993).

Bill enlisted in the New Zealand Military Forces on the 14th of February, 1940.  He gave his birthdate as 28th of November 1905.  Perhaps he thought 1903 was getting a bit close to the cut off age for enlistment, perhaps a recording error was made.  He gave his address as Rangiora, his occupation as a tractor driver and next of kin  E. M. Musson (his brother Eric Mark)

Bill joined the 21st Battalion 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force and trained at Papakura Military camp South of Auckland.

This photo, from the family collection courtesy of Nola Bennett nee Musson, would have been taken around the time of Bill's enlistment.  Bill is the one in uniform. 
Nola, the baby in the photo, is Bill's god-daughter and niece, daughter of  Eric Mark Musson.

Bill served 38 months and 12 days Overseas service from the 1st of May 1940 until the 12th of July 1943 and had a total of 176 days leave.  

photo courtesy of Bill's daughter Judy and grandson Levi Simpson-Musson.
Bill 3rd from right back row

On the 29th of June 1940 after arriving in England Bill was transferred from E Company to H.Q. Company.

For a more detailed account of the Battalion's movements, I referred to Wikipedia:-

From Wikipedia - "By April 1940, training had been completed and 21st Battalion was preparing to depart overseas. It duly embarked aboard the Empress of Japan on 2 May 1940 and travelled in convoy with other troopships to Scotland^[8] with its first port call at Perth.^[9] The next stop would have been at Ceylon as the convoy travelled on towards its planned destination of the Middle East, but the invasion of Holland and France, followed by the entry of Italy into the war on the side of the Germans, forced a diversion. The convoy was now to make for England^[10] and thus it stopped at Cape Town, and then Freetown,^[11] arriving at Gourock, in Scotland, on 16 June."

Greece

The British Government anticipated an invasion of Greece by the Germans in 1941 and decided to send troops to support the Greeks, who were already engaged against the Italians in Albania. The 2nd New Zealand Division was one of a number of Allied units dispatched to Greece in early March.^[13] By late March, 21st Battalion had arrived in Athens where it was to carry out guard duty of vital installations around the city while the rest of the division proceeded to the north of the country to garrison the Aliakmon line.^[14] On 6 April, the day after Germany declared war on Greece, elements of the battalion guarding docks near Athens experienced a bombing raid which caused minor wounds to a couple of men.^[15] On 8 April, the battalion began moving to the front to rejoin 5th Infantry Brigade, which was now stationed at Olympus Pass.^[16] However, en route, the battalion was diverted to the Platamon Tunnel, which was 15 miles from the town of Larisa. The defences here had been prepared by D Company, of 26th Battalion.^[17] Orders were to hold the position and should any part of it be lost, a counterattack was to be immediately made. The battalion, which arrived on 9 April, set to work further improving the defences, assisted for three days by the company from 26th Battalion until its departure.^[18]

Casualties during the 21st Battalion's campaign in Greece amounted to 40 killed and wounded with 230 personnel captured and made prisoners of war.^[19]

Crete

The Glengyle arrived at Crete on 25 April and 21st Battalion were unloaded at Suda Bay. Initially, it was believed that Crete was to simply be a staging point for the New Zealanders as they returned to Egypt. However, as military intelligence indicated a likely attack by the Germans, it was necessary to defend the island.^[20] The 5th Brigade was assigned the defence of Maleme airfield, with 21st Battalion positioned to the east, guarding the beach and river mouth. It was also tasked with supporting 22nd Battalion if required. At this time, the battalion numbered 237 personnel, and two companies of New Zealand Engineers were attached to boost its numbers.^[21] In early May several parties of men, including Macky, began arriving, having made their way to Crete from Greece by various means. However Macky was ill with dysentery and was soon taken to hospital, leaving Harding still as acting commander.^[22]

On 20 May 1941, German paratroopers began landing on Crete. After the initial drop, during which several Germans were killed as they descended, the day passed relatively uneventfully for the battalion. Lieutenant Colonel John Allen had taken command just a few days previously.^[23] After the Maleme airfield, defended by 22nd Battalion, was lost to the Germans, the entire 5th Brigade was withdrawn from its positions.^[24]

It was evacuated from Crete on the night of 31 May aboard the light cruiser HMS Phoebe and reached Alexandria the following day. Total casualties during the Battle of Crete were 33 killed in action, 33 wounded, and 80 men were captured.^[25]

North Africa

After a period of leave, the battalion's personnel reassembled at Helwan in Egypt. Reduced to about 270 men after the campaigns in Greece and Crete, it was brought back up to strength with over 500 reinforcements.^[26] By August, the battalion, along with the rest of 5th Brigade, was involved in training in desert warfare and by the end of the month construction, of defensive positions, known as the Kaponga Box, commenced. It remained here for a month^[27] before shifting further west to the Baggush Box.^[28]

Its training was in preparation for the 2nd New Zealand Division's role in the upcoming Operation Crusader, which was planned to lift the siege of Tobruk.^[29] The New Zealanders were to be one of the 8th Army's infantry divisions that were to surround and capture the main strong points along the front while the armoured divisions were to seek out and engage Generalleutnant (Lieutenant General) Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps. At the same time, the Tobruk garrison was to attempt a breakout.^[30]

Bill was recorded as safe in Crete May 1941, Egypt June 1941 and safe in December 1941 and September 1942 but no placenames were given for the last two dates.  

Much of the record is written in military abbreviations that I can't understand.

NZETC (New Zealand Electronic Text Collection) has a wonderfully detailed account of the 21st Battalion in a digitised electronic version HERE

Bill wasn't in all the battles written about as he had intermittent furloughs and hospital stays.
He was discharged in June 1944.

courtesy of Levi and his mum Judy

courtesy of Levi and  Judy.

Bill married Veronica "Vicki" Whittle.  Vicki had a daughter from a previous marriage.  Bill and Vicki went on to have another daughter, Judy.

Bill passed away in November 1979 at Rotorua and Vicki in 1980.
Burial is at Block 16 section B plot 11, Kauae cemetery, Ngongotaha Road

Tribute page for our Servicemen

John Yule FARQUHAR

Today I received a hint from familysearch.org about a possible record for John Yule FARQUHAR.

The record was his obituary from Bucyrus, Ohio, USA in 1935

John was a brother of my great-great-grandmother, Jannet "Jessie" Forsyth nee Farquhar who emigrated to New Zealand with her husband Robert and eldest son Alexander Farquhar Forsyth.

Jessie pre-deceased her brother in 1923.

Their mother, Margaret nee Yule had died in Scotland in 1907.

Scotland, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories), 1876-1936

Click on the above images to make them more readable 

Image from "Ohio, Crawford County Obituaries, 1860-2004." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 25 June 2018. Crawford County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, Bucyrus.

 A noticeable error in the index is sister Mrs Gene Prett (sic) is actually Mrs Jean PRATT.

Image from Image from "Ohio, Crawford County Obituaries, 1860-2004." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 25 June 2018. Crawford County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, Bucyrus.

Transcription
Bucyrus, April 20 - Funeral services will be held at the Wise Funeral Home at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon for John Yule Farquhar, 79, Bucyrus druggist for more than 50 years, who died at his home, 301 South Spring Street Friday.  The Rev. David N. Roller, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, of which the deceased was a member, will conduct the service.  The body will be placed in the Bucyrus mausoleum.

Mr. Farquhar had been ill only two days.  Death was due to a complication of diseases.

Mr. Farquhar was born in Scotland and received his education there.  In 1877, he came to America and in 1883 located in Bucyrus with his wife Emma Shannon Farquhar and established the Farquhar Pharmacy which has remained in business since.  Mr. Farquhar was one of the few remaining members of the "55" year club which was formed 30 years ago by a group of men whose birthdays occurred in 1855.  He was also a member of the Fifty Year Club an organization of Bucyrus men who have been in the same business for 50 years.

Survivors are the widow; two sons, Ivan Farquhar of New Hartford, New York, and Captain Allan Farquhar of Vallejo, Calif.; one brother, William, who was associated with him in the drug store since its founding, and two sisters, Mrs Helen McRobbie of Hastings, New Zealand, and Mrs. Jean Pratt of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

On going through my files later I found that I had a copy of an obituary for John.

Trancription

John Farquhar, Prominent Bucyrus Druggist, Dies.

John Yule Farquhar, 79, prominent Bucyrus businessman for more than a half century, died at 7 o'clock this morning at his home, 301 South Spring street.

Although he had been in ill health for some time, his illness did not become serious until the first part of this week and he had been bedfast for only about two days.

Mr Farquhar was a native of Scotland and was born in Whitcairn, Lonmay, Scotland, on August 15, 1855.  At the age of nine years, his parents moved to Quarryburn, Aberdour, Scotland where he received his education.

Fired with a desire to get ahead in the world he left his native Scotland in 1874 when but 19 years old and with two older sisters went to New Zealand, where he remained for three years.  In 1877 he came to America and late that year passed through Bucyrus on his way to Turkey City, Pa. He was employed as a drug clerk in Turkey City for three years and in 1880 opened a drug store in Byrom centre, then one of the oil boom cities of Pennsylvania.  Here he was married in 1881, on January 1,  to Miss Emma Shannon, a sister of Mrs William Farquhar.

He disposed of the drug store late in 1881 and removed to Reynoldsville, Pa., where the drug firm of Farquhar Bros., was formed, his partner being his brother William, a resident of Bucyrus.  In 1883 he began casting about for a new location for the firm and Bucyrus was decided on when it was learned that the city had been made a division point for the T. and O. C. railroad and was enjoying a steady growth.

A short time later the store was moved here and it has been one of the substantial business institutions in Bucyrus since that time.

For a short period of three years, from 1912 to 1915, Mr and Mrs Farquhar were in Roanoke, Va., where they were engaged in fruit raising.  However they returned to Bucyrus in 1915 and Mr Farquhar again resumed his connection with the firm.

Mr Farquhar was a member of First Presbyterian Church and served for many years as church treasurer and a member of the board of trustees.  He was one of the few remaining members of the old "55" club which was formed 30 years ago by a group of Bucyrus men who claim 1855 as the year of their birth.  He was also a member of the Fifty Year Club of Bucyrus, composed of a group of men who have been in business here for 50 years.

Surviving are Mrs Farquhar and two sons, Ivan Farquhar of New Hartford, New York and Captain Allan Farquhar of Vallejo, Calif.; his brother William, with whom he was associated in business for so many years; two sisters, Mrs Helen McRobbie of Hastings, New Zealand, and Mrs Jean Pratt of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and four grandchildren, John and Melville Farquhar, sons of Ivan Farquhar and Ann and Jean, daughters of Captain Farquhar.

Funeral services will be held at the Wise funeral home at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon with Rev. D. N. Roller, pastor of First Presbyterian church conducting the service. The body will be placed in the mausoleum.  Friends may call at the funeral home Sunday evening from 7 to 9 o'clock.

Gunner Edward FORSYTH

Edward Forsyth was born in 1894 at Tyrie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

He was one of nine children and the eldest son of Edward Gerrard Forsyth and Helen Yule Forsyth nee Jamieson.

Edward was a Gunner with the 15th Divisional Ammunition Column of the Royal Field Artillery.

The 15th Divisional Ammunition Column, Royal Field Artillery served with 15th (Scottish) Division.

15th (Scottish) Division was formed in September 1914, as part of Kitchener’s Second New Army. They proceeded to France in the second week of July 1915. They were in action in The Battle of Loos in 1915. In spring 1916, they were involved in the German gas attacks near Hulluch and the defence of the Kink position. They were in action during the Battles of the Somme, including The Battle of Pozieres, The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and the capture of Martinpuich, The Battle of Le Transloy and the attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt. In 1917 they were in action in The First and Second Battle of the Scarpe, including the capture of Guemappe during the Arras Offensive. They then moved north to Flanders and were in action during The Battle of Pilckem and The Battle of Langemark. In 1918 they fought in The First Battle of Bapaume, The First Battle of Arras, The Battle of the Soissonnais and the Ourcq taking part in the attack on Buzancy, and The Final Advance in Artois. – See more HERE 

from Commonwealth War Graves Commission website

Tribute page for our Servicemen

Sergeant James Forsyth - WW1 New Zealand Expeditionary Forces

James Forsyth (known as Jimmy) was born on the 31st of October 1890 at Coutts Island, Kaiapoi, New Zealand.
He was the youngest son and second youngest child of Robert Forsyth and Jessie nee Farquhar.

When James enlisted to the Auckland Mounted Rifles for service in WW1 on the 6th of September 1915 he named next of kin as his mother Mrs J Forsyth of Waitoa.  This was changed after his marriage on the 15th of May 1919 to Marjorie Sylvia Whitehead (known as Sylvia).
They had met at the Sutton Coldfield hospital where James spent some time.
Sylvia's address then was 40 Lower Queen Street, Sutton Coldfield.
(Below image from current Google maps)

https://goo.gl/maps/osgomqSpKmQ2

James was five feet seven and a half inches tall and weighed 146 pounds.  

His hair colour was dark auburn, eyes blue, complexion fair.  

He disembarked on the Scottish built ship HMNZT S.S. Dalmore for Suez in February 1916 and served a total of 4 years and 44 days mostly with the New Zealand Field Artillery in the Egyptian and Western European theatres of war. During that time, between August 1917 and January 1918, he received four promotions from Soldier to Sergeant.

Further information at http://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=16331

Between January and July 1918 James was in and out of different hospitals for both sickness and an injury which looks to be a fractured right fibula.

James returned to Wellington from Plymouth on the S.S. Tainui and received his discharge on the 19th of October 1919.

ShipSpotting.com © Gordy

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52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 11: Lucky - Crusader to New Zealand

In December 1874, Captain Renaut sailed his ship The Crusader into Lyttleton Harbour, 

New Zealand with 374 passengers on board.

The Crusader departed from Plymouth on the 25th of September and made the passage in 97 days 

with very little illness reported.  

The surgeon superintendent was Dr. John Guthrie who settled in Christchurch.  

On the voyage Dr Guthrie found it necessary to appoint two nurses, Mrs Cleaver and Mrs Lindon.

The Crusader developed a hole and the well was taking in water.

The water was successfully pumped out throughout the voyage but the pump kept breaking down and not too much water continued to come in.  It is said that on arrival at Lyttleton harbour a fish skeleton was found in the well and so it was thought that the fish body had blocked the hole thus stopping the ship taking on more water and sinking!

My great great grandparents, Robert Forsyth and his wife Jessie nee Farquhar were on board the Crusader with their little son Alexander.  

They were very LUCKY to arrive safely.

Robert and Jessie Forsyth went on to have a large family in New Zealand

Photo A Large Sailor's Woolie of the Clipper Ship The Crusader at Anchor in New Zealand
Circa 1875-85courtesy of Paul Vandekar  
 http://www.vandekar.com/archives/details.asp?inventoryNumber=NY07221

The Press newspaper reported the Arrival of the Crusader in its edition on the 1st of January 1875.
Everyone spoke most highly of the Captain  "The passengers and Immigrants alike testifying to his unwearying care and devotion during the passage".

An excerpt from that newspaper article.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 2 : Favourite Photo

I have so many photos I could class as "favourite" that it was hard to choose. 

Writing my Week 1 post about my grandfather prompted me to remember the first time I ever saw a photo of him as a young man.

When I first visited his nieces and nephews in New Zealand, my Dad's first cousin Nola Bennett, nee Musson, showed me this photo and pointed out my grandfather.
He is standing centre back row.

 I got a little emotional.

After some conversations with family members, there were some differing opinions on who was in the photo.

One speculation is:-
The first couple back left look like George Barker and Jessie Musson.  If so this photo was most likely taken in 1931 as Jessie looks pregnant and their first daughter, Lynley was born in June 1931.
L-R
Back row
George Barker b 1897 so age here would be 34
Jessie Musson b 1899 so age here would be 32
James Richard Musson (certain) (my grandfather known in Australia as James Forsyth) b 1906 so age 25
Eric Mark Musson (certain) (Mac) b 1913 so age 18
? Possibly brother of James Christopher, William Musson b 1868 so age 63
Front row
Possibly Esther Helen Musson b 1911 so age 20*
Ivor Forsyth Musson (certain) b 1918 so age 13
Ian Alexander Musson (certain) b 1915 so age 16
James Christopher Musson b 1873 age 58 father of the Musson children. (certain)

*Also thought to be Margaret Ann Hay nee Forsyth, wife of James C Musson.  She died in 1929 aged 52, so if it is her this photo would have been taken before 1931.  This is quite possible as the Musson boys don't look quite old enough to fit the ages above.

We may never know.

Thanks Nola for being so helpful and sticking with me on this journey.

John ADAMS death and funeral notices

I only recently found the death and funeral notice of my great grandfather, John ADAMS who was born in North Melbourne on the 28th of February 1858 to parents George ADAMS and Catherine nee BARRY.

John married Mary Agnes MORGAN on the 7th of November 1887 at Essendon then they moved to Sydney where their first two sons were born.  

Alexander born 13th October 1888 may have been stillborn or died soon after birth.

John "Jack" born (1889-1983) married May Maude McGee.

John and Mary went on to have five more children all born in Essendon and Kensington.

Alice Agnes (1891-1960) married Bertie CROWL.

Morgan (1895-1923) married Isabel O'BRIEN.

Catherine "Kit" (1896-1973) married William GOODWIN.

Brenda (1905-1999) married 1. Eric DANIELS.  2. James FORSYTH

Frank (1906-1979)

I do wonder who put the death notice in the newspaper as I have gleaned from family stories that John was estranged from his children.  

Perhaps they reconciled in the years before his death.

John and Mary's battle over maintenance of their youngest two children played out in the newspapers.  It was rather confronting when I found the story.  I wrote about it in this Trove Tuesday Post back in 2012.

Those articles and family stories pointed to estrangement within the family but this death notice doesn't give that impression.

Family Notices (1937, April 12). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 1.  http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205613023

Private William James FORSYTH

William James Forsyth was born on the 16th of August 1888 at Coutts Island, Canterbury, New Zealand.

He was my Great Grand Uncle, the second youngest son of my great great grandparents, Robert and Jessie Forsyth (nee Farquhar).

We are yet to find out when and where he died.

William enlisted in the Auckland Military Rifles NZEF on the 15th of June 1915.  He was single and 27 years of age.  Next of kin was his mother, Mrs Forsyth, widow, of  Waitoa.

‘ Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, AWNS-19170823-41-34 ‘

His regiment embarked for Suez, Egypt on the 14th of August 1915 from Wellington onboard HMNZT 28 vessel Tofua.  They arrived on the 19th of September 1915.

On the 3rd of October 1915 William was posted as a trooper to the Auckland Mounted Rifles at Mudros and in early November he was admitted to hospital with Typhoid.  This must have affected his health as from that time he spent many of the coming months in various hospitals.  They embarked to Alexandria on the H.S. Delta on the 27th of December where William was admitted to hospital again on the 28th with enteritis and transferred to the NZ general hospital at Cairo on the 24th of January.  From there he went on to a convalescent camp in February then back to the hospital at Cairo.  On the 15th of March, he was admitted to a convalescent home at Heliopolis, a suburb of Cairo and was finally discharged to duty on the 29th of March 1916.

On the 16th of April 1916, he was posted to the Mounted Rifles Training Regiment and then on to the second infantry brigade at Tel-el-Kebir on the 2nd of May.  From there he proceeded to France where some time was spent at Ètaples training depot before joining the 2nd Battalion, 4th Coy of the Otago Regiment on the 27th of June 1916 at Houplines.

At the end of July William had to forfeit 7 days full pay for falling out from a parade without permission!

Nothing further was written on his record for ten months.

In France he was wounded in action, suffering a gunshot wound to the left shoulder on the 26th of May 1917.  He was evacuated to hospital on the 28th.  The 10th of June that year saw him sent to England and various convalescent hospitals over the next 5 months.  During that period he apparently overstayed leave.  One record says he had to forfeit ten days pay,  another says one days pay.

On the 30th of November 1917, he was attached to the NZ command depot at Codford.

It is mentioned that he took a railway journey from Aberdeen to Fraserburgh.  William had relatives there, had he gone to visit them?

Again from January to June 1918, he was in and out of the hospital.  June 1918 found him at Sling and then by the end of that year he was back at Codford.

In January 1919 William went A.W.L (absent without leave) and had to forfeit 28 days pay, did 28 days detention and another 48 days pay RW, whatever that means.

On the 18th of March 1919, he embarked for New Zealand per Tainui.  William was discharged on the 28th of May 1919.

In January 1920 William was employed in the medal engraving section and promoted to Corporal.

On the 14th of July 1921, he was discharged.  We have yet to find further information on William Forsyth.

sources – Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database

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