Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Henry Alfred Wade, known as Harry, was born on 13 October 1891 in Walworth, London, England, the son of William Walter Holliday and Mary Elizabeth née Holliday (probably cousins). His birth was registered – Holliday, Henry Alfred – in the October-December quarter at Southwark, London. Henry A. Holliday was at home with his parents William W. and Mary E. Holliday and younger brother Edwin, in London in 1901. He also had an older sister, Mary Ann Holliday, who married in 1902, and an older brother, William Walter Holliday, at whose marriage in December 1908 in London Henry Alfred was a witness. Henry Alfred Holliday seemed to miss out in the baptism stakes. In 1911 only Edwin was with their parents, Henry nowhere to be found in England.

When and why did Henry Alfred Holliday change his surname to Wade? By 1914 Henry Alfred Wade was residing in Timaru, New Zealand, a motor driver, but had been here for some time before that, as of mid-October 1914 he had served with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles but no longer belonged. At his death it was stated that he had been in New Zealand for 46 years, giving a year of arrival as 1912-1913. H. Wade was one of the South Canterbury men selected in October 1914 to go to the front as reinforcements for the mounted men. Henry Alfred Wade who had been medically examined on 15 October 1914, stood at 5 feet 10 inches, weighed 150 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32½-35 inches, with a fair complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision and teeth were all good, his limbs and chest well formed, and his heart and lungs normal. He was free from diseases, vaccinated, and in good bodily and mental health. He attested that day at Timaru, a motor driver for the “Herald” Office, Timaru. He had been for a time the driver for the “Herald” motor delivery on the Pareora run. Single and of Church of England affiliation, he named a local friend as next-of-kin – Miss Cristina [sic] Taylor Broad, 20 Archer Street, Timaru. His father’s name was later added – Mr W. W. Holliday, 69 Olney St, Walworth, (England).

Trooper H. A. Wade embarked with the 2nd Reinforcements, Canterbury Mounted Rifles, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt on 14 December 1914. Suffering from acute tonsilitis, he was admitted to hospital at Zeitoun on 11 April 1915, he was transferred to the E. A. Hospital the next day. He embarked for the Dardanelles on 9 May 1915. Admitted at Anzac with diarrhoea on 23 August 1915, he was then transferred to Mudros. Trooper H. A. Wade disembarked at Malta from the hospital ship “Franconia” on 28 August 1915, slightly sick. After arriving at Alexandria from Malta on 9 October 1915, he embarked for the Dardanelles again on 18 October, having recovered. He was again admitted at Anzac on 1 December 1915, this time suffering from lumbago. A few days later he was admitted to the New Zealand General Hospital at Cairo, then after a few more days admitted to the Lady Godley Home at Alexandria, convalescent, before being discharged to the New Zealand Base on 18 December.

On 30 May 1916, Wade embarked for the UK per the HT “Nile”, disembarking at Devonport on 9 June. A few days later, he was attached to Strength at the Command Depot at Grey Towers and posted to C Company. Transferred from the Convalescent Section of the Camp Hospital to the Infectious Section on 1 September 1916, he was discharged from there to the Convalescent Section (Hornchurch) on 12 September. On 17 November 1916, he was discharged from Hornchurch and marched into Sling, marching out from Sling for Egypt on 8 December. Attached to Strength on 13 January 1917, he was transferred to the Canterbury Mounted Rifles in the Field on 16 January and posted from the Training Regiment to the 8th Squadron on 18 January. But, on 22 January, he was admitted with eczema. He was discharged to duty on 28 January and transferred to Headquarters. He was admitted to Hospital in The Field on 27 February, still afflicted with eczema, and on 2 March admitted at Abbassia. On 10 March he was discharged from Hospital and posted to Base at Moascar, his progress having been satisfactory. Trooper Wade was transferred to the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Brigade on 8 April 1917. Posted from the Training Regiment on 10 April 1917, he was transferred to the 8th Squadron, only to be wounded in action at Gaza on 19 April. He was admitted to No. 2 Australian Stationary Hospital on 25 April and discharged to Base two days later. Admitted to the 24th Stationary Hospital at Kantara on 29 April, having suffered a gunshot (shrapnel) wound in the back (not severe) on 19 April, he was transferred the Hospital Train for Cairo and admitted to the 27th General Hospital at Abbassia the next day (30 April). By early May his progress was satisfactory. He was admitted to the Aotea Convalescent Hospital at Heliopolis on 15 May, transferred to the Military Hospital on 30 May, then admitted to the Military Infectious Hospital at Cairo on 9 June 1917, now suffering from tonsilitis for a second time, and back again to the Aotea Convalescent Hospital on 12 June. He was discharged to duty on 27 June. After being detached to the School of Instruction for eleven days at the beginning of July 1917, he was posted to the Training Regiment at Headquarters on 24 July. At the School of Instruction at Zeitoun, he had qualified as a Gunner. At the end of July 1917, he was in Egypt.

Henry was transferred to 43 Stationary Hospital (Palestine) on 31 December 1917, his progress satisfactory. But, on 1 January 1918 while in the Field he was admitted to hospital, sick. On 6 January 1918 he was admitted to 44 Stationary Hospital (Kantara), with tonsilitis yet again. On 13 January 1918, he was admitted to the Military Infectious Hospital at Choubra, with diphtheria. At the New Zealand Convalescent Home at Aotea in March 1918 and again in May, Trooper Wade was to be boarded. Because of debility he was classed PB (Permanent Base – classified unfit) on 7 April 1918. As of 29 June 1918, at Aotea Convalescent Home, Henry was discharged to Headquarters and attached for duty. On 1 October 1918, he was appointed Temporary Corporal while attached to the NZEF, relinquishing that appointment at Cairo on 5 March 1919 and marching out to Suez to await embarkation for New Zealand. He had been in Cairo in January 1919.

Harry returned home from Egypt on the troopship “Kaikoura” (Draft 230), which was due on 17 April 1919, after embarkation at Suez on 6 March. This was the first large returning draft of fit soldiers from Egypt and Palestine, chiefly officers and men from the New Zealand Mounted Force. He returned to Archer Street, Timaru, but by 1921 was living in Geraldine. His address was 32 High Street, Timaru when he applied for the Overseas War-Service Gratuity on 30 September 1919. Remarkably Harry gave 4 years 211 days of war service, only 83 days being in New Zealand; but his time was not without its troubles, with several bouts of tonsilitis and diphtheria in 1917. Having served in Egypt and at Gallipoli, he was discharged on 18 May 1919, on the termination of his period of engagement, and was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Less than a month after arriving back in the country, on 8 May 1919 at Christchurch, Harry married his next-of-kin, Christina Taylor Broad. They had one daughter, Gwenda born in 1923. Harry who worked as a mechanic and general engineer, was not unseen or unheard in the Geraldine community. The Geraldine Borough Council approved a transfer of land to him in September 1922. He wrote a letter to the Editor of the Temuka Leader in November 1928, explaining his position with regards to the use of wireless in public places and fees for same. This issue had caused some ill-feeling, it seems. In January 1929, he successfully sued another for £2.15s.11d. On 21 April 1931, Henry Alfred Wade was nominated for the Geraldine Borough Council. When nominations closed on 23 April, nine people had been nominated for six positions, Wade and one other being first-time candidates. Harry was unsuccessful in his bid for a seat. He served on the Geraldine District High School committee. In 1935 Mr Wade was the highest-polling unsuccessful candidate but declined to fill a vacancy created by a resignation. At the Temuka Magistrate’s Court on 14 November 1933, three charges were laid against a fellow Geraldine resident, the third being of removing a sign-board from the property of Henry Wade. The offender who pleaded guilty to all charges was convicted and discharged on the third.

At the time of the Second World War, Harry and Christina moved back into Timaru, living at 27 Rose Street until his death. Henry Alfred Wade died suddenly at the Timaru Public Hospital on 28 May 1959, aged 67 years. At Henry’s death his parents were named as William Walter Wade and Elizabeth Holliday. Following a service at St Mary’s Church, he was buried in the Services Section of Timaru Cemetery, where South Canterbury RSA members attended the funeral of their comrade. A Services plaque marks his grave, a new one being laid after Christina’s death. Harry was survived by his wife and daughter. Sometime after Christina moved to Lower Hutt, probably to be close to her daughter, and there she signed her Will in September 1973. Her daughter Gwenda’s husband, Dennis Willard Stead, was a funeral director and he swore an affidavit in respect of Christina’s death. Christina Taylor Wade died at Lower Hutt on 29 April 1974.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [26 August 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK18805 W5557 0117598) [27 August 2013]; Timaru Cemetery headstone image (Timaru District Council) [27 August 2013]; family details (ancestry) [31 October 2013]; Timaru Herald, 20 October 1914, 14 September 1915, 28 October 1915, 16 May 1917, 2 April 1919, 22 & 24 April 1931, 6 & 7 May 1931, 13 & 15 November 1933, 15 April 1935, NZ Times, 13 September 1915, 28 October 1915, 22 December 1915, 2 & 3 May 1917, 1 April 1919, Sun, 27 October 1915, 2 May 1917, Evening Post, 28 October 1915, 22 December 1915, 1 & 3 May 1917, Press, 28 October 1915, 22 December 1915, 2 May 1917, 1 April 1919, 29 May 1959, Otago Witness, 29 December 1915, 9 May 1917, Star, 31 March 1919, Temuka Leader, 21 September 1922, 17 November 1928, 15 January 1929 (Papers Past) [02 November 2013; 10 November 2013; 06 January 2014; 17 January 2026]; England 1901 & 1911 Census returns (ancestry.com.au) [02 November 2013]; England Birth registration (Free BDM) [07 May 2014]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [2014; 2026]; Timaru Herald, 29 May 1959 (Timaru District Library) [18 March 2015]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS