Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Lester Belcher was born on 1 December 1894 at Coutts Island, Kaiapoi, the third surviving son of Thomas William and Mary Jane (née Young) Belcher. Thomas and Mary who married in 1888 had six sons, the second-born dying in early childhood. Thomas’ father Richard Belcher married at Kaiapoi in 1862. He and sons Thomas and John farmed at Coutts Island near Kaiapoi (also known as Kaiapoi Island). In the early 1900s Thomas and Mary moved to St Albans, Christchurch. Lester started his schooling at Coutts Island School and moved to Elmwood School in September 1901. He re-entered Elmwood in 1905, leaving shortly after his 15th birthday.

Both Lester and his oldest brother, William Thomas Belcher, were listed on the 1916 South Canterbury Reserve Rolls, Lester a teamster and shepherd at Hackfall, Arundel, and William a farmer at Arundel. Their father, Mr T. W. Belcher may have acquired “Hackfall” in February 1913. Lester Belcher was a teamster at “Hackfall”, Arundel, when he was drawn in the fourth ballot and called up in July 1917. He was medically examined at Timaru on 18 July 1917. Standing at 5 feet 8 inches and weighing 126 pounds, he had a chest measurement of 31½-34 inches, a sallow complexion, grey eyes and dark hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. While he was free from diseases and vaccinated, he had had pneumonia three times, was subject to fits every 3 months and was not good bodily and mental health. Also, he had aortic cardiac disease. He was assessed as C2 and was to undergo re-examination. He enlisted that day at Timaru. He had registered for compulsory military training at Geraldine and he belonged to the 2nd South Canterbury Regiment. A farmer for his father at Arundel, single and Methodist, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Mary Jane Belcher, “Hackfall”, Arundel, South Canterbury. At the meeting of the Military Service Board in Timaru on 30 July 1917, the appeal of L. Belcher (Arundel) was dismissed as he had been classed by the Medical Board as C2 (fit only for Home Service). At the beginning of September 1917, a very successful gift afternoon had been held at the Carew School, in order to help to supply comforts for the soldiers in the trenches. A programme of musical items and recitations was given by the pupils. During the interval a Roll of Honour was unveiled by the senior pupil, and as each soldier’s name was called out, he was accorded a round of applause. At the conclusion of the programme, three ringing cheers were given for the soldiers. Substantial gifts were received from many, including Mrs T. Belcher and Mr Lester Belcher.

Lester Belcher enlisted again at Timaru on 28 May 1918, joining D Company, C1. He was medically examined that day, his height, weight and chest measurements unchanged. His complexion was dark, his eyes grey and his hair dark brown. His sight, hearing and colour vision were all good; his limbs and chest well formed; his heart and lungs normal. He was free from diseases and now in good bodily and mental health. He stated that he had had pneumonia and was subject to catarrh. In determining disability, there were notes on physique, history of pneumonia, but no physical defects in chest. On 23 September 1918, L. Belcher (Arundel) and three other C1 men left Geraldine for Temuka, en route for camp. He arrived at Tauherenikau on 25 September. Come October and he was to spend 15 days in hospital at Featherston (from 2 October to 16 October) with mild influenza. On 29 November 1918, Lester Belcher was granted leave without pay until further orders on Demobilization. At the medical interrogation on demobilization of a soldier wo had not left New Zealand, the Medical Officer noted that he (Belcher) complained of no illness and was found to be in good health.

After the war, Lester farmed for some years at “Hackfall”. In October 1928 he was taken to court by two stores re payment for goods supplied. He married Gertrude Evelyn Henderson in 1933. Their only child, John Basil Belcher, was born at “Whare Nana”, Timaru on 26 January 1936. After their marriage, Lester and Olive lived in the vicinity of Temuka for a few years then moved into Timaru in the late 1930s and to Christchurch in the late 1940s. In Christchurch he was employed as a storeman and a clerk. In 1937 at Timaru, Lester gave evidence in support of his brother William, a bus driver whose arm was injured in an accident. In October 1942, Lester Belcher, a traffic worker appealed seeking exemption from Home Guard Service on the grounds he was an Emergency Precautions Scheme employee and was granted a sine die adjournment. Lester Belcher died at Christchurch on 2 June 1969, aged 74 yrs – “A patient sufferer at rest.” He was buried at Waimairi Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, son and four grandchildren, and by his brothers Ernie and Percy, Bill and Charlie having predeceased him. When Gertrude Evelyn Belcher (known as Evelyn) died on 22 October 1972, she was buried with Lester at Waimairi Cemetery.

William Thomas Belcher, the eldest son of Thomas and Mary, was farming at Arundel when he was drawn in the fourth ballot in February 1917. When the Military Appeal Board sat in Timaru in mid-March 1917, William Thomas Belcher, farmer, Arundel, appealed on the grounds of hardship and financial obligations. “He was in charge of his father’s farm. His father was an invalid, and if appellant were called up his father was not in a position to engage outside labour. The farm carried 3000 sheep, and about 250 acres in oats. His father was a chronic invalid, and unable to do anything at all. Appellant and his brother looked after the farm. His brother was 22 years of age. There was another brother who was not able to do any farm work. Another brother had gone in the front.” He had never discussed the question of his brother enlisting. The chairman said that one of the two brothers would have to go. Apparently, appellant was the more important of the two. The appeal was adjourned till the next sitting of the Board, appellant being told to consult with his brother as to which of them should enlist. In May 1917, he was farewelled at Temuka as he was going into camp with the 30th Reinforcements. In May 1918, however, Wm Thomas Belcher (Arundel) had his appeal dismissed as he had been classed C2 by the Medical Board. Lester who did enlist was that 22-year-old brother. The brother who was not able to do any farm work was probably Percy. Percy Belcher, Arundel, Geraldine, was drawn in the seventh ballot in May 1917, to complete South Canterbury’s quota of the 31st Reinforcement. Eric William Belcher, the elder son of William and his first wife Esther, served in World War Two. Percy died in 1981, the last surviving of the six sons of Thomas William and Mary Jane. He was buried at Cracroft Cemetery. Mr Thomas William Belcher died at his residence “Hackfall”, Carew on 5 July 1927. His funeral which took place at Cracroft Cemetery, a private cemetery in Mid-Canterbury. Mr Belcher had been stricken with paralysis some twenty years earlier and had been an invalid for many years. Thereafter, Mary Jane lived with family at Timaru and at Longbeach. She died suddenly on 16 November 1941 at Timaru and was buried at Cracroft Cemetery, the funeral leaving her son Lester’s residence.

Sources

NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives New Zealand Collections – Record number 0013383) [01 April 2025], (per ancestry.com.au) [27 March 2025]; NZ BMD Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [24 July 2016]; School Admission records (Waimakariri & Canterbury branches NZSG) [30 March 2025]; Ashburton Guardian, 13 February 1917, 5 September 1917 [see Ernest], Timaru Herald, 14 February 1917, 16 March 1917, 9 May 1917, 4 & 31 July 1917, 6 & 7 July 1927, 24 October 1928, 28 January 1936, 15 July 1937, 17 & 18 November 1941, 17 October 1942, Temuka Leader, 17 March 1917, 29 May 1917, 5 & 31 July 1917, 18 May 1918, 24 September 1918, Press, 6 & 7 July 1927, 17 November 1941, 3 & 4 June 1969, 24 & 25 October 1972 (Papers Past) [09 August 2016; 30 & 31 March 2025]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [27 March 2025]; Waimairi Cemetery records (Christchurch City Council); Waimairi Cemetery headstone image (Find a Grave)

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Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS