Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Martin Flaherty was born on 14 March 1891 at Temuka, the second son of Martin and Honora (née Griffin) Flaherty. His parents who were both from Ireland, married at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Temuka. Nine children were born at Temuka before the family moved in the mid-1890s to Cheviot where three more were born. Martin was educated at Mackenzie School in North Canterbury.

Martin was a butcher at Cheviot when he enlisted on 28 June 1916 at Trentham. He was already serving with the Territorials – Canterbury Yeoman Cavalry. Single and Roman Catholic, he named his father as next-of-kin – Martin Flaherty, Cheviot. When Lance-Corporal Flaherty and four comrades were home on leave in mid-September 1916, they were tendered a farewell social by the cheviot Soldiers’ Committee and presented with writing outfits. Corporal M. Flaherty embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 18th Reinforcements, departing per the “Tofua” for Plymouth, England, on 11 October 1916.

Mr M. Flaherty, Cheviot, North Canterbury, received advice in mid-April 1918 that his son, Sergeant Martin Flaherty, had received a gunshot wound in the left arm. Prior to leaving for France Sergeant Flaherty was musketry instructor in Sling Camp. A brother, Private P. Flaherty, left with the Seventh Reinforcements and had returned to New Zealand, having been invalided home. Another brother, Trooper J- Flaherty, of the Main Body, was to arrive home shortly. At the beginning of May 1919, Mr M. Flaherty, of Cheviot, received advice stating that his son, Sergeant-Major Martin Flaherty, who left New Zealand with the Eighteenth Reinforcement, was returning by the Carpentaria. Martin was discharged on 16 June 1919, on the termination of his period of engagement. All his service was in Western Europe, for which he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

After the war Martin worked for the Railways. He married Elsie Gertrude Powis in 1926. He died at his Ashburton residence (119 Wills Street) on 22 March 1971, eight days after his 80th birthday. He was buried at Ashburton Cemetery after a funeral service at the Church of the Holy Name. He was survived by Elsie, who died in 1991, three sons and two daughters. His brothers John and Peter, also served in the war. Martin was a pall-bearer at John’s funeral in 1938.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [22 June 2023]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [22 June 2023]; School Admission record (Canterbury Branch NZSG) [22 June 2023]; Ashburton Cemetery burial record & headstone image (Ashburton District Council) [22 June 2023]; Lyttelton Times, 15 September 1916, 18 April 1918, 3 May 1919, Press, 23 March 1971 (Papers Past) [22 & 23 June 2023]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, South Canterbruy Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.