STOKES, Maximillian Harry
(Service number 80116)
| First Rank | Private | Last Rank | Private |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 12 May 1895 | Place of Birth | Waikuku, North Canterbury |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | Age | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Morven, Waimate | ||
| Occupation | Farm labourer | ||
| Previous Military Experience | 2nd South Canterbury - still serving | ||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | Mr Edward STOKES, Morven, Canterbury | ||
Military Service
| Served with | NZ Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
| Body on Embarkation | New Zealand Expeditionary Force | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | 42nd Reinforcements, B Company | ||
| Date | 1 August 1918 | ||
| Transport | Tofua | ||
| Embarked From | Destination | ||
| Other Units Served With | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Unit Served With | NZ Rifle Brigade | ||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | |||
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 |
Death
| Date | 2 May 1977 | Age | 81 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | Rangiora | ||
| Cause | |||
| Memorial or Cemetery | |||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
Maximillian Harry Stokes, known as Harry, who was born on 12 May 1895 at Waikuku, was the elder son of Edward and Elliss (née Whatman) Stokes. In mid-1905 the family moved from Waikuku to Morven, where Mr Stokes took up a farm, and ‘Henry’, his brother and sister transferred to Waihao Native School. In 1906 at Morven School, Harry was awarded a prize for second in Standard V. The following year, still at Morven, he gained the Standard VI proficiency certificate. He was also awarded a prize for merit in Standard VII and a special prize for second equal in gardening.
In November 1917, Edward Stokes appealed for his son, saying that “the appellant was the only son left, his only other son being on active service.” The matter was referred to the Efficiency Board. Maxilian Harry Stokes was a farm labourer at Morven when he enlisted, naming his father as next-of-kin – Mr Edward Stokes, Morven, Canterbury. Private M. H. Stokes embarked with the 42nd Reinforcements per the “Tofua” on 1 August 1918. He returned to New Zealand by the “Cordoba” which was expected at Wellington on 30 August 1919.
Maximillian Harry Stokes, a farm labourer of Woodend, was successful in the Soldier Land Ballots in June 1920. Harry was best man for his brother in 1925 at Wellington. Harry was by the time farming at Hawarden. Harry married Eileen Pretoria Worsfold in 1930. He died on 2 May 1977 at Rangiora, predeceased by his wife.
Sources
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [07 August 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [07 August 2021]; School Admission records (Waimate Branch NZSG) [08 August 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [08 August 2021]; North Otago Times, 25 December 1906, Oamaru Mail, 20 &23 December 1907, Timaru Herald, 8 November 1917, NZ Times, 12 August 1919, Sun, 11 June 1920 (Papers Past) [07 & 08 August 2021]
External Links
Related Documents
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Researched and Written by
Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG
Currently Assigned to
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Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.
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