Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Percy, youngest son of Thomas John and Mary Jane (nee Vye) Pope, was born at Lawrence, Otago, on 25 December 1886. He was educated at the Wetherstone and Lawrence Schools, and did his technical classes for plumbing at Dunedin Technical College, as a paying adult student.

Percy enlisted at Timaru on 26 August 1915, having been employed by the Timaru Gas Company in the maintenance department. He was described as being single, aged 28, Anglican, 5 foot 5 and ¾ inches tall, weighing 118 lbs, chest measuring 31 – 34 ½ inches, black hair, brown eyes, dark complexion and having serviceable teeth. His father, Thomas Pope of Roslyn Street, Timaru, was listed as his next of kin. Having no previous military experience, he was posted as a Private to the 2nd Company, 1st Canterbury Infantry Battalion, and embarked with the 8th Reinforcements from Wellington on 13 November 1915, aboard SS Willochra, arriving in Suez, Egypt, 20 December 1915. Private Pope joined his battalion at Ismailia on 9 January 1916, and embarked for France from Port Said, on 6 April 1916. On 6 May 1916, he was admitted to the 7th General Hospital at St Omer, dangerously ill with cerebral spinal fever. He was then transferred to No.14 Stationary Hospital at Boulogne on 17 June, then to the 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, on 6 July. On 20 July he was transferred to No.1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, and 25 August he reported to NZ Convalescent Camp. He was to spend the rest of his service in England, and on 6 April 1918, was admitted to No.3 NZ General Hospital at Codford. Discharged from hospital on 18 May, he was attached for duty to the VD Section until 28 May, when he was discharged to the NZ Convalescent Depot, Codford. On 18 July he marched into Sling Camp until 1 February 1919, when he embarked from London for his return to New Zealand. After having served 3 years and 231 days, Percy was discharged from the army on 13 April 1919. For his service he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Returning to Timaru, and taking up his previous employment as a plumber, Percy married Miss Margaret Helen Ramsey in 1925. He spent the rest of his life working in the Timaru area, where he died on 9 May 1966, and is buried with his wife Margaret, in the Timaru Cemetery.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotpah Database (August 2015); Military Personnel file at NZ Archives (August 2015); Fam Net, The Family History Network at http://famnet.net.nz; New Zealand ANZACs in the Great War 1914-1918 at http://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=206816 (2 September 2015); Geni at http://www.geni.com/people/Percy-Pope/6000000034739706959 (2 September 2015); Ancestry at http://search.ancestry.com.au/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=allgs&gss=sfs63_home&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=percy&gsfn_x=1&gsln=pope&gsln_x=1&MSAV=1&cpxt=1&cp=14&catbucket=rstp (2 September 2015); Papers Past at http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz: Timaru Herald 1 March 1919 "Returning Men: the main body me", Tuapeka Times 4 August 1915 "Local and General" includes a comment about Pope at the military training camp, and Timaru Herald 21 August 1915 "Town & Country" n otes Pope's deaprture for Trentham; Timaru District Cemetery database at http://www.timaru.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/cemeteries/cemetery-search?BurialId=21862 (2 September 2015); NZSG Index V5

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Ted Hansen, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.