Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Irvine James Quigley was born on 7 January 1889 at Girborne, the third son of William James and Clara Jane (née Coles) Quigley. His father, who was an architect at Gisborne, died in 1905. “Mr I. J. Quigley, accountant at the Gisborne branch of the New Zealand Shipping Company, has been transferred to the Timaru branch, where he will also hold the important position of accountant. Mr Quigley joined the Gisborne staff ten years ago. and has worked himself up from junior clerk to his present responsible position. His promotion to such an important branch as Timaru is a compliment to the capability of so young an officer. Mr Quigley will he missed in rowing and hockey circles, in which sports he took an active part. He is vice-captain of the Gisborne Rowing Club, and has been a representative oarsman for some years past. He will leave for Timaru early next month. [Gisborne Times. 14 June 1915.]

Expecting to go into training at Trentham in December 1915, Irvine paid a short visit to his home at Gisborne in late November. Irvine J. Quigley, Timaru, was one of the South Canterbury recruits for the eleventh reinforcements (Infantry), who left Timaru for Trentham on 15 December 1915. His engagement to Lillias Hamilton Bruton, of Dunedin was announced in November 1915. They married on 17 June 1916 at Dunedin. He had enlisted on 16 December 1915 at Trentham, when he was still single. He was able, however, to name his wife as next-of-kin – Mrs Lillias H. Quigley, care of J. Bruton, Wales Street, Roslyn, Dunedin.

Sergeant I. J. Quigley embarked with the Army Pay Department, departing for Devonport, England by the “Pakeha” on 25 September 1916. “War is not all fighting, and there are a lot of better jobs in the army than spitting Huns or digging in. At the New Zealand Military Headquarters in London, I came across two Gisborne men, neither of whom have yet seen France. These were Staff-Sergeant Robertson (late of the G.P.O. Gisborne), who is in. the Paymaster’s Department, arid Corporal I. J. Quigley, who employs his time auditing pay-books. Both were looking very well.” [Gisborne Times. 2 December 1917.] C.Q.M.S. I. J. Quigley, accountant, N.Z. Shipping Co., Timaru (formerly of Gisborne), returned to New Zealand by the “Rimutaka” (draft 248) which was due at Wellington on 17 May 1919.

“Private A. A. Quigley, who left Gisborne with the 9th Reinforcements, returned by this morning’s steamer, having been invalided back to New Zealand. Private Quigley left with the Mounteds, and on arrival in Egypt, in February, 1916, was transferred to the artillery. Accompanying the Expeditionary Force to France, the Gisbornite saw eight months’ active service on the Western front, participating with the artillery in operations at Armentieres, the Somme, and at Fleurbaix. Private Quigley was in excellent health throughout until a breakdown necessitated his removal to hospital on Boxing Day last. He was in hospital ill France and afterwards in England, leaving the Old Country in April last. Whilst on leave Private Quigley spent several weeks m Scotland, where with other New Zealanders he was most hospitably entertained. A son of Mrs Quigley, of Dannevirke, Private Quigley has three brothers on active service, viz., Private Willie Quigley (recently in hospital at Hornchurch with pneumonia), Corporal I. J. Quigley (paymaster’s office, London), and Corporal “Mid” Quigley (of 4th infantry reinforcements and now in France.” [Poverty Bay Herald. 19 June 1917.]

Three brothers of Irvine Quigley also served in World War One – William Edward Quigley (Willie), Athol Andrew Quigley (Attila) and Middleton Stanley Quigley (Mid). Mr A. A. Quigley died suddenly in 1922 at the age of 29. He had seen four years service and had been invalided home after being gassed, never fully recovering. Neville Benton Quigley – a son of Frank Martn Quigley, another brother – lost his life in World War Two.

Irvine James Quigley saw service with the Home Guard in World War Two, a second-lieutenant with the temporary rank of lieutenant, effective from 20 November 1943. In the 1962 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.B.E.), for work in local government and community affairs. Irvine James Quigley, who had served in both World War I and World War II, died on 28 October 1971 at Gisborne, aged 82 years. He was buried in the RSA section of Taruheru Cemetry, a services plaque marking his grave. Lillias died in 1987 at the age of 94 and was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, also.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [01 August 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [01 August 2022]; Gisborne Times, 14 June 1915, 2 December 1917, Timaru Herald, 9 December 1915, Poverty Bay Herald, 19 June 1917, 5 May 1919, Gisborne Herald, 27 January 1943, Press, 2 January 1962 (Papers Past) [01 & 04 August 2022]; Taruheru Cemetery headstone image, burial records & headstone transcriptions (Gisborne District Council) [03 August 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file
• Other military personnel file

Related Documents

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Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

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