Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

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Death

Biographical Notes

Albert Sapwell was the youngest son of Thomas Ekins Sapwell and Agnes née Donaldson. He married Frances Lillian Tutton in 1908. They had three children before he enlisted - Lillian ethel Violet born in 1909 at Temuka, William Ekins Albert born in 1910 at Timaru, and Henry born in 1914 at Timaru. At Trentham Albert played the piano in the Third Battalion's Band. He returned to New Zealand on the Prin Gessin in June 1919. In March 1920 Mrs Sapwell sought a maintenance order and a separation order. Her husband had left her in January 1920 and she did not know where he was. Mrs Sapwell was granted a separation order and custody of the three children, while Albert Sapwell was ordered to pay maintenance. Frances died in 1963 and is buried at Timaru.

A great-granddaughter commented:

“Albert Sapwell was born in Kelso on 25 July 1889, the youngest of seven children of Thomas Ekins Sapwell (of Newport Pagnall, England) and his second wife Agnes Jane Donaldson (from Belfast, Ireland). He was baptised at the Kelso Presbyterian Church and attended Kelso School from 8-13 years of age. The family moved to Timaru in 1903 where his father, assisted by his five sons, built their home in Hassall St. Albert was taught carpentry by his father and this was also his trade … Albert and Fanny rented several homes in Timaru, until 1915 when they travelled to Levin where Bert began Army training; they lived with Fanny's sister Ada.

In October 1915 Albert voluntarily signed up for World War One. In January 1916 he left for overseas duty with the 1st NZEF, arriving in France in April 1916. Albert served in France, Western Europe, and Egypt; and had the opportunity to visit the UK during two periods of leave. When Albert left for overseas, Fanny and the children returned to Timaru. When the war was over his discharge was finalised in August 1919, concluding 3 years [and] 147 days of foreign service ... On his return to his family in Timaru, Albert was unsettled; and in January 1920 his three children watched him climb into a taxi and leave home. After two months with no word Fanny applied to the Courts for maintenance and a separation order. Fanny understood that he "lived with a young woman in Wellington." There was no response from Albert. Despite extensive searching there is no further knowledge of Albert after that day in January 1920 when he climbed into a taxi and left. It appears he did not want to be found, [and] his date of death is unknown.”

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [15 March 2018]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [15 March 2018]; Waimate Daily Advertiser, 5 February 1916, Timaru Herald, 16 June 1919, 12 March 1920 (Papers Past) [17 March 2018]; SCRoll web submission by K Meehan, 31 May 2025

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