Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Cecil Bertram Gatchell was the eldest son of Edwin John and Rosa (née Howe) Gatchell. He was born on 11 July 1897 at Maerewhenua Goldfield, Otago. Edwin and Rosa married in the Duntroon Presbyterian Parish in 1896. In the early days Edwin worked in the goldfields of Livingstone and Maerewhenua. Cecil was educated at several schools in the Oamaru area – Oamaru South, Weston/Waiareka, Teaneraki, Maerewhenua. In 1907 Mr Gatchel was elected to the Maerwhenua School Committee, and again in 1911. It was at the Maerewhenua School break-up on 29 December 1907 that Cecil was awarded the prize for first place in Standard II. And a special prize for most popular boy. In 1909 he was again first in his class (Standard IV). He received a Standard V prize in 1910 while his sister Helena (Lena) received a Standard I prize and a sewing prize. At the annual distribution of prizes on 21 December 1911, Cecil’s prize was for Standard VI, and Lena’s for Standard II and sewing. Mr E. Gatchell was still in North Otago in early 1912 when he was elected to the Maerewhenua Commonage Committee of Management for the ensuing 12 months. In June 1912, Cecil’s sister Helena and younger brother William John Gatchell transferred to Timaru Main School, where both did well. In time they were joined by Lillian May (Lily) and Charles Stanley (Charlie). Both Lena and Willie participated in the Woodlands Road Methodist Sunday School, with success. All the family members were later involved with the Baptist Church.

Cecil was an apprenticed printer in Timaru when he enlisted at Timaru on 10 September 1917. His name had been drawn in the Tenth Ballot. He was serving with the 8th Mounted Rifles Band and the 2nd South Canterbury Regiment. Single and Methodist, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Rosa Gatchell, 14 Rhodes Street, Timaru. When he was medically examined on 10 September at Timaru by the Travelling Medical Board, he was classified C1 on account of a heart concern. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 134 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32½-35 inches. His complexion was pallid, his eyes blue, and his hair fair. His sight, hearing and colour vision were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. His lungs were normal, as was his heart although there was a functional issue at the apex. He was free from diseases, vaccinated and in good bodily and mental health. He had had a fit in childhood (nature of the fit unknown). No apparent disability was found by the Medical Board assembled on 16 November 1917 at Featherston Military Hospital. He was deemed Fit A for Active Service.

Private C. B. Gatchell embarked with the 36th Reinforcements per the “Balmoral Castle” on 24 April 1918, but returned to Wellington on 27 April then sailed on 2 May 1918. Disembarking at London on 21 June 1918, he marched into Sling and was posted to the Canterbury Regiment. He marched into Larkhill on 23 August. Marching out from Larkhill for overseas on 18 September 1918, he joined his Battalion a few days later. In October he was appointed Lance Corporal. Appointed temporary Corporal on 16 February 1919, he was detached to the U.K. and relinquished the appointment on 29 March. All was good at his medical examination on 7 May 1919. Private C. B. Gatchell returned to New Zealand by the “Port Hacking” which left from Liverpool on 11 July and was due at Lyttelton about 14 August 1919. Cecil was one of more than 800 men who arrived back in New Zealand on 17 August 1919. The small railway station platform in Timaru was crowded on 20 August 1919 with persons anxious to welcome back their soldier relations and friends on the troop train (from the “Port Hacking” and the “Somerset”). There was much excitement, singing and cheering, both on the train and on the platform. Cigarettes and apples distributed by the ladies of the Reception Committee were much appreciated. The men were motored home, but as there were not sufficient cars, some whose homes were near at hand shouldered their swags and walked. Maybe Cecil was one who walked.

He was discharged on 17 September 1919, on the termination of his term of engagement, and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in Western Europe. Cecil returned to his hometown Timaru and resumed his work as a printer. Mr C. Gatchell, in whose capable hands was the projection when the management of the Grand Theatre installed the latest type of projector in November 1926, was surely Cecil. In January 1935, Cecil B. Gatchell was best man at the wedding of Frances Emma Auty, whose sister Doris he would marry the following year, and Doris Auty was a bridesmaid. In May 1935 Helena Myrtle Gatchell married Scotsman John Sutherland. They intended to make their home in Scotland, but returned to Timaru many years later. Cecil Bertram Gatchell and Doris Auty married on 31 March 1936 at the Timaru Baptist Church in a very pretty wedding. Cecil’s sister Lily played the wedding music. After the reception at the bride’s home, the bride and bridegroom left for the north. They were actually engaged in November 1933. In 1937 it was the turn of Lillian May Gatchell to marry Scotsman John Gardiner at the Timaru Baptist Church. At that date Edwin and Rosa had returned to Maerewhenua, though for only a year or two.

On 11 July 1940, Charles Stanley Gatchell, the youngest brother of Cecil, enlisted at Timaru for service and was passed fit by the Medical Board. In December postings for the Fifth Reinforcements were mobilized and proceeded to camp at Burnham in the new year. 17286 Private C. S. Gatchell, 2nd N.Z.E.F., youngest son of Mr and Mrs E. J. Gatchell, Timaru – and in 1931 dux of Timaru Main School – died overseas on 11 June 1941, of sickness. He is remembered on his parents’ headstone at Timaru. Edwin John and Rosa died within a month of each other in 1944, Edwin on 14 January and Rosa on 14 February. They were survived by two sons (Cecil and Bill) and two daughters (Lillian and Lena). In December 1942, Cecil Bertram Gatchell, Timaru, was in a group of married men aged from 41 to 45 years, who were called up for military service. He had been medically examined in June 1940. His brother, William John Gatchell, also a married man, was drawn in a ballot in 1942. Cecil’s cousin, Henry George Gatchell, enlisted for World War One but saw no overseas service. In the late 1940s Cecil and Doris lived briefly at Petone where he was a milling assistant.

Cecil Bertram Gatchell died on 20 June 1956 at Timaru, not long after moving to a new address in Avenue Road. Aged 58 years, he was survived by his wife Doris and only child, Noeline. He was buried at the Timaru Cemetery, where his funeral was attended by members of the South Canterbury R.S.A. and where a services plaque marks his grave. Some time after his death, Doris married widower Donald Hendry. Doris who died in 1976 and her sister were buried at Timaru with their parents.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [14 June 2016]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5539 0043687) [14 June 2016]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [14 June 2016]; School Admission records (Oamaru & South Canterbury branches NZSG) [14 June 2016]; Evening Star, 26 April 1907, North Otago Times, 25 December 1907, 27 December 1909, 16 June 1911, Oamaru Mail, 24 December 1910, 23 December 1911, 11 January 1912, Sun, 03 September 1917, 8 August 1919, Otago Daily Times, 8 August 1919, Timaru Herald, 30 July 1919, 11 & 21 August 1919, 6 November 1926, 7 August 1933, 10 January 1935, 11 May 1935, 20 April 1936, 6 September 1937, 12 July 1940, 21 December 1940, 17 June 1941, 23 December 1942, 15 January 1944, 15 February 1944, Press, 11 January 1935, 27 June 1940 (Papers Past) [17 June 2016; 26 April 2021; 16 July 2021; 30 October 2023]; Timaru Herald, 29 June 1956 (Timaru District Library) [20 June 2016]; Timaru Cemetery headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records) [20 June 2016]; Timaru Cemetery headstone images (Timaru District Council) [16 December 2016]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [14 June 2016]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• GATCHELL Cecil Bertram - newspaper clippings (pdf, 111.2 KB updated 10-Nov-2023)

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