Profile

McCONNELL, James
(Service number 6/513)

Aliases Known as Jim
First Rank Private Last Rank Private

Birth

Date 9 November 1882 Place of Birth Millers Flat, Otago

Enlistment Information

Date Age
Address at Enlistment Fairlie
Occupation Farm labourer
Previous Military Experience 9th NZ Contingent South Africa - 6 months
Marital Status Single
Next of Kin Mrs Catherine McCONNELL (mother), Heriot, Otago; later Fairlie
Religion
Medical Information

Military Service

Served with NZ Armed Forces Served in Army
Military District

Embarkation Information

Body on Embarkation Main Body
Unit, Squadron, or Ship Canterbury Infantry Battalion
Date 16 October 1914
Transport Tahiti or Athenic
Embarked From Wellington Destination
Other Units Served With
Last Unit Served With Canterbury Infantry Regiment

Military Awards

Campaigns
Service Medals
Military Awards

Award Circumstances and Date

No information

Prisoner of War Information

Date of Capture
Where Captured and by Whom
Actions Prior to Capture
PoW Serial Number
PoW Camps
Days Interned
Liberation Date

Discharge

Date Reason

Hospitals, Wounds, Diseases and Illnesses

Post-war Occupations

Death

Date 15 August 1921 Age 38 years
Place of Death Timaru Hospital, Timaru
Cause Disease contracted while on Active Service - tuberculosis
Notices Timaru Herald, 16 August 1921
Memorial or Cemetery Fairlie Cemetery
Memorial Reference Block P2, Plot 22
New Zealand Memorials Timaru Memorial Wall; Mackenzie War Memorial, Fairlie (2016 additions)

Biographical Notes

James McConnell, who was known as Jim, was born on 9 November 1882 at Millers Flat, Otago, the older son of William and Catherine (née Patrick) McConnell. William who hailed from County Antrim, Northern Ireland, and had married Catherine in 1877 in New Zealand, died in 1893 at Moa Flat, leaving a widow and six little children. Jim was educated at Teviot School and Moa Flat/Ettrick School. He was a farm labourer at Fairlie when he enlisted. He had served for six months with the 9th New Zealand Contingent in the South African War. In 19 14 his nominated next-of-kin was his mother – Mrs Catherine McConnell, Heriot, Otago. J. McConnell was one of twenty men of the Seventh Draft from Timaru which left for the concentration camp at Christchurch on 18 August 1914. Private J. McConnell embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the Main Body at Wellington on 16 October 1914.

The 77th Casualty List, issueed in mid June 1915, recorded Private James Mconnell, 6/513, among the wounded. It appears that his mother was by this time residing at Fairlie

Private J. McConnell, 6/513, arrived back in New Zealand by Draft 222 (“Athenic”) in March 1919, after four years and seven months abroad. His mother was then residing at Fairlie. On 3 August 1921, James McConnell married Ellen Christina McMillan (Christina). On 15 August 1921, James Mc Connell died at the Timaru Hospital, aged 38. The cause of death was tuberculosis contracted on active service. He was interred in the Fairlie Cemetery. Maurice McConnell, son of James and Christina was born in October 1921.

James’ brother, William Robert McConnell (Willie), also served, embarking for the Front in December 1914. Following special intercessory services in connection with war, on Sunday, 8 August 1915 at the Fairlie Presbyterian Church, a Roll of Honour was unveiled and the 31 names on it were read out, those of J. McConnell and W. McConnell being among them. The name of J. McConnell is inscribed on the Timaru Memorial Wall and on the Mackenzie War Memorial at Fairlie (2016 additions).

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [23 May 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [23 May 2021]; Fairlie Cemetery burial record (Mackenzie District Council) [23 May 2021]; School Admission record (Alexandra Branch NZSG) [23 May 2021]; Timaru Herald, 19 August 1914, 10 August 1915, 16 August 1921 (Papers Past) [14 February 1918; 22 & 23 May 2021]

External Links

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.

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