Profile

HOWARD, James Mann
(Service number 52610)

Aliases
First Rank Private Last Rank Rifleman

Birth

Date 18 December 1887 Place of Birth

Enlistment Information

Date 28 March 1917 Age 29 years
Address at Enlistment 31 Evans Street, Maori Hill, Timaru
Occupation Coach painter
Previous Military Experience
Marital Status Married
Next of Kin Mrs Ina Myrtle Howard (Wife), 31 Evans Street, Maori Hill, Timaru
Religion Anglican
Medical Information James was 5 foot 3 1/2 inches tall, 125lb, had a chest measurement between 31 and 34 inches. He had a medium complexion, with blue eyes and brown hair.

Military Service

Served with NZ Armed Forces Served in Army
Military District

Embarkation Information

Body on Embarkation New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Unit, Squadron, or Ship 28th Reinforcements Wellington Infantry Regiment, B Company
Date 14 July 1917
Transport Waitemata
Embarked From Wellington, New Zealand Destination Plymouth, England
Other Units Served With
Last Unit Served With NZ Rifle Brigade

Military Awards

Campaigns Western European
Service Medals British War Medal, Victory Medal
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 21 April 1918 Age 30 years
Place of Death Somme, France
Cause Killed in action
Notices Timaru Herald 10 May 1918
Memorial or Cemetery Englebelmer Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France
Memorial Reference E 15
New Zealand Memorials

Biographical Notes

South Canterbury. James Mann Collett Howard was born on 18 December 1887, the son of Henry Rogers Howard and Elizabeth Hannah Howard, of 50 Lindsay Street, Christchurch. James married Ina Myrtle Pierce on 2 November 1915 in Geraldine.

At the time of his enlistment on 28 March 1917, James described himself as being married self employed coach painter of Geraldine. His medical exam described him as being Anglican, 5 feet 3 ½ inches tall, 125lb, with a chest measurement of 31 inches. He was of medium complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. After his initial training he was posted to B Company, 28th Reinforcements 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade of the 3rd Battalion.

Private Howard (serial no. 52610) left Wellington on the 14 July 1917 on board HMNZT 89 Waitemata. They landed at Plymouth, England on the 24 September 1917, before marching into Sling Camp for a month’s training. After being attached to a unit in Irdworth, he left for France on 11 January 1918 arriving at Etaples on 13 January 1918. He was attached to another unit at Abule for a time before joining the Battalion. There he was posted to D Company on 5 April 1918 which was on the front line. James was killed in action while fighting in France on 21 April 1918.

James was originally buried at Beausand Community Cemetery before being exhumed and reinterred at Englebelner Communal Cemetery at Somme, Picardie, France. James’ brother John was also killed during the war.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database (March 2014); New Zealand War Graves Project http://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/james-mann-howard; NZ Defence Force Personnel Record at Archives NZ; Timaru District Council Cemetery records at http://www.timaru.govt.nz/services/community-and-culture/cemeteries/

External Links

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Carol Bell, SC branch NZSG & Timaru Herald; Dianne Hall

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.

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