Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Reginald Alfred James Ward was born on 18 April 1890 at Blenheim, the oldest son of Alfred Roger and Louisa Honoria (née O’Brien) Ward. Archbishop Redwood of Wellington was his father’s uncle. His parents made their way south and by 1900 Alfred Ward was station manager at Glenore near Milton. From there he went to Five Rivers Estate in Western Southland. Shortly after moving to Pomahaka, Mr Ward died at his property there, “Glenburnie”, on 6 October 1920. Mrs Ward spent some time in Dunedin before going to the North Island. She died on 9 July 1931 and was buried at Dannevirke. In the space of ten years Mrs Ward was to lose er husband and two sons. When the family moved to Otago, Reginald was educated for some years by the Dominican nuns at Milton, and afterwards by the Christian Brothers, Dunedin, and the Marist Brothers, Timaru. On leaving school he worked on his father’s stations in the North Island and at Five Rivers. His brother, Clarence, also attended the Timaru Marist Brothers’ School. The five youngest daughters went from Five Rivers to board at Teschmakers near Oamaru. , Reginald Ward enlisted – as Reginald Alf James Ward – on 18 October 1915 at Trentham. He was already listed in the Southland Reserve and had served in the 8th Regiment. A farmer, single and Roman Catholic, he named his father as next-of-kin – A. R. Ward, 5 Rivers Estate, Southland. Private R. A. J. Ward embarked with the Otago Infantry Battalion of the 9th Reinforcements, leaving from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, on 8 January 1916 per the ”Maunganui”. After many weeks in Egypt, Private Reginald Alfred James Ward went to France where he was killed in action on 15 September 1916 at the Somme, aged 26 years. He was buried at Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France. When advice was received by hs parents, they were residing at Highgate, Roslyn, Dunedin. “FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE. DEATHS. WARD—On September 15, 1916, killed while in action in France, Reginald Alfred Ward (9th New Zealand Reinforcements), eldest son of Mr and Mrs A. R. Ward, Highgate, Ro«lyn, Dunedin (formerly of "Five Rivers" Station, Southland); in his 24th year. He did his duty.” His brother, Clarence Alfred James Ward, also served in World War I and was invalided home after being severely wounded at Gallipoli.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [24 November 2021]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [23 November 2021]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [24 November 2021]; Otago Daily Times, 9 & 10 October 1916, Southland Times, 10 October 1916, Otago Daily Times, 10 October 1916 (Papers Past) [24 November 2021]

External Links

Related Documents

• WARD Clarence J B & Reginald A J - newspaper extracts (pdf, 615.6 KB updated 02-Dec-2021)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC branch NZSG

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.