Killed in action - their stories J-R

Henry Moreland Jones

Private Henry Moreland Jones fought in WW1 like so many others, and along with many other soldiers he died there too. They assumed he was killed but the actual cause is unknown, because they never found his body. He died in Somme on 16th September 1916. Henry had a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He enlisted on the 23rd of August 1915 when he was about 27 and died only one year later. He was born on the 24th of August 1887 and was a seaman before the war, although weirdly he didn’t work in the navy, he was a gunner. Before Henry went to war he lived at 60 Mitchell St, Brooklyn.

James Robert Ruston Leys

James Robert Ruston Leys was a clerk employed by the BNZ until WW1 when he like many others volunteered for the army. At the end of the war he had been promoted to captain in charge of 200 men. James died of wounds on 17th of April 1918. He was buried at the Haringhe military cemetery France. James received a Military Cross medal for determination. James led his comrades into an enemy attack and apprehended an enemy machine gun that was active and killing many allies. He was in the entrenching company. He didn’t have a wife. His mother Mrs R.R Leys lived in Brooklyn for the rest of her life and received James’s medal after his death.

Charles Edgar Makeham

Charles Edgar Makeham lived at 16 Ohiro Road, Brooklyn. Before he left for war he was an accountant. Charles was killed in action on 12th of September 1918 on the field in France and was buried in Havrincourt Wood. His service number was 23/818. His last known rank was a Second Lieutenant. Before he died he visited different places such as Suez, Egypt, and Southampton, Hampshire, England.

Audley Charles Hyde Millar

Audley Charles Hyde Millar worked as a clerk. He was 5 foot 9 inches tall and lived at 18 Tanera Crescent until the time came when he went to war. Audley Millar went to World War 1 and died at the age of 30 while serving with the Imperial Royal Army on the 16th of October 1917. He was abroad for 223 days in total.

Kenneth Ritchie Murray

Kenneth Ritchie Murray was a bricklayer before he went to WW1 and became a sapper. His service number was 23717. His next of kin was his Mother, Mrs J Murray. He died of wounds on the 26th of November 1916 on the field of Belgium.

Richard Newman

Richard Newman lived at 5 Ohiro Road. His next of kin was Sarah Newman, his mother who lived at 55 Cleveland St. He worked as a letter carrier until he decided to go to war on the 25th of September 1916. He was a rifleman and fought in France and died there as well on the 18th of May 1918. He died of bomb wounds (multiple) in the field received in action.

William Campbell Pickering

William Campbell Pickering was one of the many, many soldiers who died in World War One. He was born on the 9th of January 1879 and enlisted for war on the 16th of October 1915. This means he was in his late 20s or early 30s when he left for war leaving his wife, Emily Francis Pickering back at their home, 11 Taft Street. William originally came from Lancashire, England. He worked as a clerk employed by the Wellington Harbour Board. He embarked on the Marquette on the 19 October 1915 in Alexandria Egypt. He was torpedoed on his boat and died along with 32 other kiwis. William was reported drowned that same day. The medal he was awarded has no further information except it was given to his next-of-kin, his wife.

Charles Huntley Rose

Charles Huntley Rose was 26 when he decided to enlist in the army on the 10 of October 1916, even though he had a wife and a son. His wife, Christina Pearl Rose was his next of kin and got given everything in his will. His son, Donald Huntley Rose had only just been born a year or two before Charles left the country. Charles had brown hair, brown eyes and a dark complexion. He stood somewhere around 5 feet tall. He died in action on the 13th of September 1918 in Havrincourt France and was buried in Gouzeaucourt New British cemetery, France. Charles lived at 26 Washington Ave in Brooklyn and most likely went to my school, Brooklyn primary. He was a cabinet maker before he left for war. Charles never ranked higher than a private. He didn't get paid one time because he stayed away on leave a little too long. Charles Huntley Rose never set eyes on his home again or got to see his son grow up.