Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Francis Matterson Talbot, known as Frank, was born on 9 June 1894 at Temuka. He was the eleventh of the twelve sons of John Talbot and the third son of John’s second wife, Elizabeth Eleanor (Lily) née Smith. John Talbot (1845-1923) married Christiana Smith in 1871 in New Zealand. John and Christiana had eight sons. After Christiana’s death at Temuka in 1889, he married her sister, Elizabeth Eleanor Smith – on 3 September 1890 at Gleniti, Timaru. John and Eleanor had four sons. Frank started at Rangitira Valley School a few days after his fifth birthday and went on to Tenuka District High School at the age of thirteen. Frank received a prize in the Preparatory Class at Rangitira Valley in 1900. Second place in Standard I earned him a prize in 1902, second place in Standard III in 1904, second place in Standard IV in 1905, and second place in Standard V in 1906. His 1907 prize was for third place in Standard VI. In 1908 at Temuka School he gained his certificate of proficiency.

Francis M. Talbot was one of the South Canterbury recruits for the eleventh reinforcements (Infantry), who left Timaru for Trentham on 15 December 1915. He enlisted on 16 December 1915 at Trentham, giving his address as Temuka and naming his father as next-of-kin – John Talbot, Temuka. Frank was a farmer, single and Anglican. He was already serving with B Company 2nd South Canterbury Rregiment. Private F. M. Talbot embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 11th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, on 1 April 1916. In July 1917 he was in hospital, his case reported as severe.

Draft 534, a hospital ship which brought home more than 500 men after active service abroad, arrived at Auckland in late December 1917. One of those men was 6/4359 F. M. Talbot, of Temuka. “Private F. Talbot left with the 11thy Reinforcements, and was wounded on the face in the Somme push, and again in the face and shoulder (severe) in the Messines battle.” He was discharged on 28 March 1918 and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in Egypt and Europe.

Frank returned to farming in the Temuka district, but the effects of war service remained with him. In April 1926, he was best man for his younger brother, Rangi, with whom he lived and farmed on the family property for many years. He was very involved in local organisations. Francis Matterson Talbot served with the Home Guard in World War Two.

He died on 1 April 1944 at the Timaru Public Hospital, aged 49 years. After a service at St Peter’s Church, Temuka, he was buried at the Temuka Cemetery. His younger brother, Rangi, and Rangi’s wife were buried with him many years later. Three brothers of Frank Talbot served in World War One – Arthur Ernest was killed in action on 12 October 1917 at Ypres, Belgium; Christopher Mark came home and lived to the age of 80; Basil Herbert was killed in action on 7 August 1915 at Gallipoli. Rangatira (Rangi) Talbot was called up and Leonard Smith Talbot, a surgeon, served in World War Two.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [01 August 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [01 August 2022]; School Admission record (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [02 August 2022]; Temuka Leader, 1 January 1901, 30 December 1902, 29 December 1904, 28 December 1905, 1 January 1907, 28 December 1907, 24 December 1908, Timaru Herald, 9 December 1915, 1 January 1918, 23 January 1942, 3 & 4 April 1944, Evening Post, 28 December 1917, Press, 3 & 5 April 1944 (Papers Past) [01, 04 & 06 August 2022]; Temuka Cemetery headstone image (Timaru District Council) [02 August 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• TALBOT Francis Matterson - newspaper clippings (pdf, 107.7 KB updated 25-Aug-2022)

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.