Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

William Inglis was born on 7 January 1877 at St Cyrus, Kincardineshire, Scotland, the third of the eight sons and one daughter of James and Isabella (née Adam). In 1881 he was a scholar at home with his family at Laurencekirk, Kincardine. Fourteen year old William was a grocer’s apprentice with a cousin at Dundee in 1891, and in 1901 he was a labourer with his parents – now at Scone in Perthshire. It appears that William and his brother Charles came to New Zealand shortly afterwards, William stating that he had been in the country for 15 years when he enlisted. They both settled into farming in the vicinity of Peel Forest. While Charles, who had married in 1912, was listed on the Reserve Roll, William was called up in 1917. He had previously been medically examined in 1900 in Scotland for the Boer War. And he had been medically rejected because of his stature. He had also suffered an accident to his knee 27 years earlier. He was, however, passed Fit Class A. A “send-off” for the Temuka, Geraldine, and districts’ representatives for the 25th Reinforcements was held on 20 February 1917. The men, their relatives and friends were entertained at afternoon tea by the Ladies’ Patriotic Entertainment Committee. The men were bid farewell with best wishes. “Everyone knew they would do their duty, and when they came back they would get a hearty welcome.” Captain Hawkes (S.A.) said, “The men were going on a journey they never made before; on a journey it was not often given to a man to take. . . . . . . They were going to the front to stand for truth, liberty and righteousness, . . . . .” The men marched in procession to the railway station, headed by the Brass Band, along crowded streets. There the Mayor called for three hearty cheers. Major Kennedy reiterated that the men going away were leaving the civilian life that day to take up the life of a soldier, and that they were going to fight for the freedom of the whole human race. When the men took their seats in the train and left, they were cheered again and again, the Band playing “Soldiers of the King”. One of those who left was William Inglis, of Peel Forest, one of about 90 South Canterbury men on the train. William Inglis married Elizabeth Kerr Sibbald in 1926. Elizabeth was from Selkirkshire, Scotland, and came to New Zealand in 1920 per the “Tainui”. Perhaps she and William met during the war. Elizabeth had served as a sergeant with Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps and was at some time awarded the O.B.E.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [27 August 2020]; Geraldine Cemetery headstone image (Timaru City Council) [27 August 2020]; Scotland census returns 1881, 1891, 1901 (ancestry.com.au) [27 August 2020]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [27 August 2020]; Temuka Leader, 17 & 22 February 1917 (Papers Past) [24 & 27 August 2020]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.