Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

James Little was born on 23 March 1885 at Timaru, the younger son of William and Agnes (née Graham) Little. William Little married Agnes Graham on 15 March 1883 at Cannington Station, near Cave, where he was the manager. They had two sons – William Alexander and James, and one daughter – Agnes Ellen. James and his siblings were likely educated at Cannington School which his father was instrumental in having established in 1891, later serving as chairman of the school committee (1883). Mr William Little died on 23 December 1908 at his residence, Cave, and was buried at Pleasant Point. William who was considerably older than Agnes, may have been ailing for some time.

James Little, Cave, registered for service with the Infantry on 1 June 1915 at Timaru, and was medically examined. Both James and his older brother were farmers at Annandale, Cave, Levels when they were listed on the 1916 Reserve Rolls. James Little, farmer, Annandale, Cave, was one of 368 whose names were drawn in the ballot to fill vacancies in the 30th reinforcements in April 1917. He enlisted on 5 May 1917 at Timaru. In May 1917, he was passed in Class C2 (fit only for home service) and his appeal was dismissed. He had had pleurisy two years prior, an old dislocation of the right shoulder and a history of fainting fits. A self-employed farmer at the family property, Annandale Cave, single and Presbyterian, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Agnes Little, Annandale, Cave. On appeal in December 1917, James Little said that he was working his mother’s farm and was allowed till 11 March 1918. On asking for an extension of time in February 1918, he was allowed till 6 March 1918. On 10 June 1918 at Featherston, James Little gave evidence, “in a very unsatisfactory manner”, as to multiple complaints – history of “fainting fits”, old injury to right shoulder; pleurisy; “injury to left knee”. On 23 August 1918 at Featherston, Private James Little, 44th Reinforcements, was granted leave with pay until further orders on Demobilization. He had had with chronic rheumatics for years and was unable to do marching and drill. He had fainted three times in Camp and at drill. He was, thus, unfit for Active Service.

As of 1928, both James Little and William Alexander Little were on the board of managers of the Albury Presbyterian parish, James being the treasurer. Invited to the dedication of St David’s Pioneer Memorial Church at Cave in November 1930 were Mr and Mrs W. Little (Cave), Mr and Mrs James Little (Cave), Mrs Little (Timaru) – probably their mother Agnes). And of course, who had invited all the guests but Mr and Mrs T. D, Burnett and the Burnett family who had built the church. Agnes Ellen Little married Thomas David Burnett, of Mount Cook Station, in 1912.

James Little married Allison Scott Hall and they had two children – Cathereen Agnes and James Laird Alexander Graham. Mrs Agnes Little died on 19 January 1945 at Timaru and was buried at Pleasant Point. James died on 22 December 1982 at Timaru, aged 97 years, and Allison died in 1987. They are buried in the family plot at Pleasant Point. When Agnes Ellen (Little) Burnett died in 1956, she too was buried in the family plot at Pleasant Point, her husband having been buried at an isolated site on his Mount Cook Station in 1941. Eoin Graham Little, the older son of William Alexander Little, lost his life in World War II, killed in action on air operations on 7 September 1943 in Germany; e is remembered on the Cave War Memorial and the Pleasant Point School War Memorial.

Sources

NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [June 2024]; Timaru Herald, 16 March 1883, 24 December 1908, 2 June 1915, 18 April 1917, 18 May 1917, 13 December 1917, 27 February 1918, 4 July 1928, 24 November 1930, 19 January 1945 (Papers Past) [28 June 2024]; Pleasant Point Cemetery headstone images (Timaru District Council) [28 June 2024]

External Links

• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.