Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Patrick Michael Carrick, who was known as Pat, was born on 17 October 1884 at Waimate, the only son of Lawrence Carrick and his wife Bridget née Collins. Patrick Carrick was baptised Roman Catholic three days later (20 October 1884) at Waimate. Pat had one sister, Bridget Mary (Delia), who died unmarried in 1943 and is buried at Nelson. Pat erected the headstone over her grave in the Wakapuaka Cemetery. Their father who died in August 1904 and mother who died in May 1909 are buried at Waimate. Bridget Carrick bequeathed the goodwill of her section at Wainono Settlement, Waimate and all her estate to her daughter Bridget and appointed her sole executrix of her Will. Bridget, senior, had herself inherited the goodwill of the section at Waimono Settlement, Waimate, on the death of her husband. Patrick married Catherine Kirby on 7 June 1911 at Timaru. They had one daughter Kathleen Dorothea born at Waimate on 11 December 1911.

Patrick enlisted on 22 December 1915 at Trentham. He had undergone the medical examination on 17 December at Christchurch. He stood at 5 feet 6 inches, weighed 140 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32-34½ inches. He had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His sight, hearing, colour vision, heart and lungs were all normal, his limbs and chest well formed. Free from diseases, vaccinated, and in good bodily and mental health, he was deemed fit. Employed as a saddler at Methven, with a Christchurch address, and Roman Catholic, he named his wife as next-to-kin – Mrs K. Carrick, 58 High Street, Timaru. Her address was that of the Kirby family.

Private P. M. Carrick embarked with the Otago Infantry Battalion of the 12th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt, per the “Ulimaroa” on 1 May 1916, and disembarking there on 9 June. Proceeding overseas from Alexandria per the “Ivernia” on 26 July, he disembarked at Southampton on 7 August. After marching into Sling on 8 August 1916, he proceeded overseas for France on 20 August and joined his Battalion on 22 September.

Wounded at the Somme just nine days later - on 1 October 1916, he was taken to the Dressing Station where his wound was cleaned, then admitted to the 36th Clearing Station and to the Red Cross Hospital at Etaples. It was mid-October when Mrs Carrick received word to this effect. He embarked per hospital ship at Rouen for England on 12 October and was admitted to the No. 1 New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst the next day. He had suffered a gunshot wound to his right elbow joint, shell fragments passing through his elbow, resulting in a compound fracture of the ulna and humerus. As of 18 October, he was seriously ill at the New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst. He was reported to be still seriously ill at Brockenhurst on 25 November, again on 5 December and yet again on 27 December. He experienced great swelling and paralysis of the exterior muscles. He was removed from the seriously ill list on 1 January 1917. It was recommended that he be sent to New Zealand and a medical transfer certificate was completed on 13 January. Embarking for New Zealand per the hospital ship “Marama” at Southampton on 15 January 1917, he was struck off the strength of the N.Z.E.F.

The hospital ship “Marama”, with over 500 men, arrived at Auckland on 4 March and was due at Lyttelton on 7 March. Included in her complement was Private Patrick Michael Carrick, a saddler and the husband of Mrs K. Carrick, Timaru. Two days out from England the “Marama” had picked up a lifeboat containing 12 men from the steamer “Brookwood”, sunk five days earlier by a German submarine. He was discharged on 23 April 1917, in consequence of being no longer physically fit for war service on account of wounds received in action. In 1917 he headed for 58 High Street, Timaru, then for Christchurch (care of the citizens Defence Corps). His British War Medal and Victory Medal which were issued on 20 November 1924, were re-issued on 11 August 2010. From May 1916, the name of Patrick Carrick appeared under Answered the Call in Waimate’s Roll of Honour published regularly in the Waimate Daily Advertiser.

Patrick Michael Carrick was charged in the Christchurch Court that on 28 August 1920 he had wilfully set fire to certain substances (straw, matches and paper) as a result of which the Star Hotel, Addington, was likely to be set on fire. In a statement, the accused “said he had been drinking heavily for six months past, and on the day of the offence had been drinking from noon. Some time previously he had been separated from his wife, who went to work at the Star Hotel. He had become suspicious of the relations of his wife and a barman at the hotel, and went out on the day in question to watch. He saw nothing to justify his suspicions, but in a fit of jealousy lit the fire to frighten his wife. He did not intend to burn the hotel.” Pleading not guilty, he was committed for trial and allowed bail. In the interim, he faced a drunkenness charge. At trial, his defence council said “that the prisoner was a returned soldier who had been seriously injured during the War. He had volunteered in 1915 and had served two or three years, being wounded just before the retreat from the Somme. A man having gone through such an experience would be weakened in body and, possibly, in mind. On his return from the War prisoner gave way to drink, but, apart from this failing, had been a thoroughly reliable man. Carrick had been muddled with drink on the evening of the occurrence. The statement made to the police, counsel submitted, was given while the prisoner was still recovering from his debauch. In the statement, prisoner only admitted that his intention was to frighten his wife, not to burn the building.” The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, and the prisoner was accordingly discharged.

By the mid-1930s, Patrick and Catherine were back together. Their daughter married in 1936, but in 1943 her husband was arrested for failing to maintain his wife and child. Kathleen married for a second time in 1948, her second husband having been a prisoner of war for four years in World War Two. After a few more years in Christchurch, Pat and Catherine moved to Wellington, Pat a pensioner. Pat’s sister, Bridget (Delia), moved from Waimate in 1919, though she maintained contact with Waimate folk. She died suddenly in August 1943 at her Nelson residence. An obituary noted that she was president of the Convent Old Girls’ Association, which suggests that some of her education was at Nelson, perhaps a reason for her to return there when none of her family was left in South Canterbury. Patrick Michael Carrick, a war pensioner, applied for administration of her estate. The only debts in the estate were accounts for funeral expenses and a small amount owing in respect to rates on a vacant section (the Waimate section?). The Inspector of Police at Nelson swore to a friendship with both Bridget and Patrick of thirty years or more and could verify that there were no other family members to bring a claim on the estate, as could a childhood friend of Bridget’s living in Wellington.

Patrick Joseph Carrick died 19 December 1947 at Wellington, aged 63 years, and was buried in the services section of Karori Cemetery, Wellington. Catherine Carrick – the beloved wife of Patrick, loved mother of Kathleen and grandma of Jill – died in May 1958 and was buried in the general section of Karori Cemetery.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph Database [12 May 2017]; N Z Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5530 0023057) [17 May 2017]; CWGC [12 May 2017]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [12 May 2017]' Karori Cemetery, Wellington, headstone images & burial records (Wellington City Council) [12 May 2017]; Karori Cemetery headstone transcriptions (Wellington Branch NZSG) [12 May 2017]; Wakapuaka Cemetery, Nelson, headstone transcription (Nelson Brach NZSG) [12 May 2017]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [12 May 2017; 24 September 2023]; Waimate Daily Advertiser, 25 May 1916, 21 October 1916, Timaru Herald, 21 October 1916, 12 December 1916, 3 January 1917, 10 February 1917, New Zealand Times, 21 October 1916, 5 January 1917, 6 March 1917, Ashburton Guardian, 5 March 1917, Sun, 5 March 1917, Lyttelton Times, 5 March 1917, Temuka Leader, 6 March 1917, Press, 31 August 1920, 9 September 1920, Star, 27 October 1920, Sun, 27 October 1920, Nelson Evening Mail, 16 & 17 August 1943 (Papers Past) [12 May 2017; 29 December 2022; 23 & 24 September 2023]; Baptism record (Christchurch Catholic Diocese CD held by South Canterbury Genealogy Society) [24 September 2023]; Probate records sighted (Archives NZ/Family Search) [24 September 2023]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

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