Profile

STOKES, Maximillian Harry
(Service number 80116)

Aliases
First Rank Private Last Rank Private

Birth

Date 12/05/1895 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
Religion Church of England
Medical Information

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 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
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

Farmer

Death

Date 2 May 1977 Age 81 years
Place of Death Rangiora
Cause
Notices
Memorial or Cemetery
Memorial Reference
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

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.

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