Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

John Joseph Hertnon was born on 27 July (or August) 1890 at Timaru, the youngest son of Irish-born parents, William and Mary (née Eager – Egan?) Hertnon. William from King’s County and Mary from Tralee, County Kerry married at Timaru in 1876, it is said. They were to have four sons and five daughters, the youngest dying in infancy. His birth was registered as 12 December 1890, perhaps to avoid a penalty for late registration. He was baptized Roman Catholic on 28 August 1890 at Timaru. John and his brothers were probably educated at the Marist Brothers School, their sisters attending Sacred Heart School, Timaru. Like his older brothers Thomas and Denis, John was into football, representing Celtic III in their match at the beginning of May 1908 and Celtic IV in their matches in July and August 1908. The 1909 season saw him playing for the Celtic President’s team. Throughout 1910 and 1911 he was a regular player in the Juniors team. It was an unfortunate and unforeseen football injury which resulted in the death of Thomas Hertnon on 6 July 1911. While John was playing for Celtic Juniors, Tom was playing for Celtic Seniors. “Deceased was a well-behaved, hard-working young fellow, his conduct on the field being exemplary, and he was one of the most popular players in South Canterbury. To his parents, relatives and friends, deep sympathy will be extended”. It was estimated that 2000 people, including contingents from many sporting clubs, attended his funeral. Mr Denis Hertnon wrote on behalf of his parents, brothers and sisters, thanking the Rugby Union for their expressions of sympathy at the death of his brother. Fellow footballers erected a memorial stone over his grave. In November 1913 eight handsome stained-glass windows were blessed at Timaru’s Sacred Heart Church, one in memory of the late Thomas Hertnon, subscribed for by the public of Timaru. The memorial window to the memory of Sergeant William Byrne, the first South Canterbury volunteer to the South African War and the first man from the district to fall in action, was also unveiled.

John Hertnon was surely the Mr J. Hertnon who contributed a song in pleasing style at the Morven Foresters’ Lodge social in aid of the Red Cross fund held on 6 July 1916. His father, William Hertnon died on 31 December 1916 after a short illness and was buried at Timaru Cemetery. John Hertnon, carter, Oxford Street, Timaru, was listed on the 1916 Reserve Rolls, and he was called up from that First Division in 1917. Examined at Timaru on 10 October 1917 by the Travelling Medical Board, he stood at 5 feet 6½ inches, weighed 152 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 37-39½ inches. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. Free from diseases and never absent from work through ill-health or accident, he was in good bodily and mental health. Enlisting at Timaru that same day, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs M. Hertnon, Oxford Street, Timaru. He was a carter for his brother Denis, single and Roman Catholic. J. J. Hertnon was among the men who would form South Canterbury’s quota for the 35A Reinforcements and were to leave Timaru for camp on 12 November 1917. They were given a public social on the Bay on 8 November and a brief farewell at the Drill Shed before leaving. He actually arrived at Trentham on 11 November 1917.

Private J. J. Hertnon embarked with the 36th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington per the “Willochra” on 23 April 1918. He forfeited 2 days’ pay when found guilty of failing to appear at parade on 17 May while on the “Willochra”. Disembarking at Suez on 31 May, he marched in and was posted to the Strength of the Australian Camp. Having re-embarked at Alexandria per the “Ormonde” on 4 July, he disembarked at Southampton two weeks later, marched in and was posted to the Canterbury Infantry Regiment at Sling. On 30 September 1918 Private Hertnon left for France where he marched into camp at Etaples on 3 October and joined his Battalion in the Field on 7 October.

Hertnon’s time in Action was short-lived, however. He was admitted to Hospital on 25 October 1918, having suffered a gunshot wound to his right side which caused contusions. The next day he was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Station and on 27 October admitted to Camiers. J. J. Hertnon, Canterbury Regiment, was reported wounded in the newspapers in November 1918. Mrs M. Hertnon, Oxford Street, had received word that her son, Private J. Hertnon, who left with the 36th Reinforcements, was wounded on October 25th. He was transferred to England on 1 November. There he was admitted to No. 2 New Zealand General Hospital at Walton on Thames the next day. He had been wounded in France by a shell explosion which caused a contusion on his right side. This was strapped on 5 November. He was discharged from Walton on 17 December 1918 and admitted to No. 3 New Zealand General Hospital at Codford. He experienced stiffness and was restricted in some stretching movements. He was improving when he was discharged to the Command Depot at Codford a day or two later.

The recommendation of the Medical Board held at the NZ Command Depot at Codford on 4 January 1919 was B1 – able to be made fit by medical treatment. J. J. Hertnon, of Timaru, embarked at Liverpool on 7 February 1919 to return to New Zealand by the “Ajana” (Draft 224), which arrived at Auckland on 25 March 1919 and berthed the next morning after 24 hours’ quarantine. The South Canterbury men reached Timaru by a special train at 2.30 pm on 28 March. 70940 Private John Joseph Hertnon, Oxford Street, Timaru, was granted leave from 29 March to 25 April 1919, when he was discharged on the termination of his period of engagement. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

When the Celtic Football and Cricket Clubs entertained visiting athletes in the Browne Street Hall on 3 January 1921, there was a large number of contestants at the Caledonian Sports present. The Rev. Father Hurley presided and gave the first toast – “Visiting Athletes.” He impressed the importance of physical fitness as a help to mental fitness, and welcomed contestants, who, by their clean, manly rivalry, made those annual gatherings so enjoyable. A happy couple of hours was spent in witty speeches, old time athletic stories and song, J. Hertnon and others agreeably rendering songs. Later in the month he contributed songs at the half-yearly meeting of St Mary’s Branch of the Hibernian Society. In 1928, John Hertnon served as a Celtic delegate to the South Canterbury Rugby Football Union (Management Committee). And in 1930 he chaired the Committee, which met once a week during the playing season.

John Joseph Hertnon married Ellen Bridget Downes in 1923. Their only child – Dorothy Mary Hertnon – was born in 1924. John and Ellen lived for some years not too far from his childhood home in Oxford Street and from Hertnon Street, moving to Trafalgar Street in the mid-1940s. John Joseph Hertnon died at Timaru Hospital on 2 September 1954, aged 64 years, and was buried at Timaru cemetery after a service at Sacred Heart Church. He was survived by his wife and daughter Dorothy. Ellen died in June 1956 and was buried with him. John’s mother died in September 1938 at her residence, 75 Oxford Street, Timaru. His father-in-law, Denis Downes, had died at John’s residence in March 1938, his mother-in-law dying there in December 1933. His only sibling to survive his, Catherine Dunne, died in November 1954. John’s eldest brother, William, was listed on the 2nd Division Reserve Rolls – slaughterman at Timaru, married with two children. Hertnon Street is named after William Hertnon (senior) who lived in the vicinity and kept cows for town milk supply.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [15 August 2016]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ ref. AABK 18805 W5539 0053991) [15 August 2016]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [15 August 2016]; Timaru Herald, 20 May 1908, 2 & 29 July 1908, 18 August 1908, 12 May 1909, 16 June 1909, 29 July 1909, 4 May 1910, 9 & 29 June 1910, 21 July 1910, 26 April 1911, 6, 7 & 10 July 1911, 1 January 1917, 8 November 1917, 7 & 9 November 1918, 13, 26, 27 & 28 March 1919, 4 & 29 January 1921, 4 September 1928, 24 June 1930, 29 July 1930, 17 March 1938, 24 September 1938, NZ Tablet, 20 July 1911, 27 November 1913, Oamaru Mail, 19 July 1916, Sun, 2 October 1917, Press, 7 November 1918, 4 September 1928, Star, 11 March 1919 (Papers Past) [15 August 2016; 08 January 2023; 29 April 2025]; Timaru Herald, 3 September 1954 (Timaru District Library) [15 August 2016]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [29 April 2025]; Catholic Baptisms index (Christchurch Catholic Diocese CD held by South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [04 September 2016]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

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