TARGUSE, John David
(Service number 5199)
| First Rank | Private | Last Rank |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 29 February 1880 | Place of Birth | Timaru |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | 12 May 1917 | Age | 37 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Eden terrace, Timaru | ||
| Occupation | Piano tuner | ||
| Previous Military Experience | |||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | Mrs Susan TARGUSE (mother), Eden terrace, Auckland | ||
Military Service
| Served with | NZ Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
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|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | |||
| Date | |||
| Transport | |||
| Embarked From | Destination | ||
| Other Units Served With | |||
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| Last Unit Served With | |||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | |||
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 |
Death
| Date | 18 March 1963 | Age | 83 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | |||
| Cause | |||
| Memorial or Cemetery | Waikumete Cemetery | ||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
John David Targuse was the second son of Alfred and Susan (née Cant) Targuse. He was educated at Timaru Main School and Temuka School. Mr Targuse died in June 1899. It was some years later that many of the family left the district. John won a special award in the 7th class at the Wesleyan Sunday School in 1896 and in 1898 was engaging in debates conducted by the Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society. He also played football in Timaru. Mr J. Targuse, who was a member of the railway carpenters’ team, was transferred to Auckland in October 1908. His many sterling qualities were noted – a willing worker, a good unionist, and a ready giver to those in need. As of 1913 John was a piano tuner at Foxton. John David Targuse, a piano tuner, was drawn in the sixth ballot in April 1917. ‘In Featherston Camp orders it is announced that No. 56199 Private John David Targuse, Featherston Details, has been found guilty by district court-martial of “deserting His Majesty’s Service,” and sentenced to undergo eleven months’ imprisonment with hard labour.’ (Evening Post, 8 October 1917). On 27 June 1918 he was posted as a deserter. In May 1919 he was listed as a military defaulter. His oldest brother, Alfred George Targuse who had remained in Timaru, was drawn in the ballot in August 1918. John married Alice Beatrice King in 1928. Alice died just four years later.
Sources
NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [25 March 2020]; School Admission records [27 March 2020]; Waikumete Cemetery burial record (Auckland Council) [28 March 2020]; Timaru Herald, 20 October 1908, 21 August 1918, Evening Post, 8 October 1917 (Papers Past) [28 March 2020]
External Links
Related Documents
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Researched and Written by
Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG
Currently Assigned to
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Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.
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