McALISTER, James
(Service number 21874)
| First Rank | Rifleman | Last Rank | Private |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 15/01/1895 | Place of Birth | Edinburgh, Scotland |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | 4 May 1916 | Age | 21 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Rocklands, Fairlie | ||
| Occupation | Farm worker | ||
| Previous Military Experience | Lothian & Border Horse, Scotland - 1 year - left Scotland | ||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | Mrs Ann McALISTER (mother), 41 George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | ||
Military Service
| Served with | NZ Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
| Body on Embarkation | New Zealand Rifle Brigade | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | 7th Reinforcements, 3rd Battalion, G Company | ||
| Date | 21 August 1916 | ||
| Transport | Mokoia | ||
| Embarked From | Destination | Plymouth, Devon, England | |
| Other Units Served With | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Unit Served With | NZ Machine Gun Corps | ||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | |||
Award Circumstances and Date
No information
Prisoner of War Information
| Date of Capture | |
|---|---|
| Where Captured and by Whom | |
| Actions Prior to Capture | |
| PoW Serial Number | |
| PoW Camps | |
| Days Interned | |
| Liberation Date |
Death
| Date | 24 April 1965 | Age | 70 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | Palmerston, Otago | ||
| Cause | |||
| Memorial or Cemetery | Palmerston (Otago) Cemetery | ||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
James McAlister was born on 15 January 1895 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the son of Ann (Annie) McAlister and a fisherman father McAlister. Six-year-old James was a scholar at home at Leith, Midlothian, with his mother and two younger sisters in 1901. He had served with the Lothian and Border Horse, Scotland, for one year before leaving Scotland. On 4 May 1916, he enlisted with the New Zealand Forces for war service. He was a farm labourer at Rocklands, Fairlie. Single and Presbyterian, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs Ann McAlister, 41 George Street, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Rifleman J. McAlister embarked with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade of the 7th Reinforcements, departing for Plymouth, England, per the “Mokoia” on 21 August 1916. After servign for three years Private McAlister embarked on 3 February 1919 at Liverpool for the return to New Zealand per the “Athenic”. “Last week [May 1919] was a very busy one among the soldiers. A big social was held in the Public Hall [at Fairlie] on Thursday evening in honour of Privates . . . . . , Jas. McAlister, . . . . . , Troopers . . . . . . Several of the men could not be present owing to hospital duty, but it is hoped that they will attend at some future occasion. As usual the hall was bright with patriotic colours, and the floor was in good condition. . . . . . A bountiful supper was provided . . . . . During an interval the soldiers were paraded on the stage, and they received a vociferous volley of cheering. Mr C. J. Talbot, M.P., on behalf of the Reception Committee and the people of the district, gave them a very hearty welcome, and wished them prosperity in the future. . . . . . At the conclusion of the address the men were accorded musical honours and more cheers were given them. Dancing was continued till after midnight, and the men took the opportunity of renewing old friendships and making new acquaintances.” [Timaru Herald. 14 May 1919.] James McAlister may well have been one of those not present, possibly having gone further south.
James married Gladys Ellen Bateman in 1935. He may well have met Gladys at Fairlie, where her birth was registered and where she attended school. They had at least one son. They lived for many years in the vicinity of Palmerston, Otago, where James farmed. James McAlister died on 24 April 1965 at Palmerston, aged 70 years. He was buried in the Palmerston Cemetery. Gladys died on 2 November 2002 and was buried with James.
Sources
Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [20 December 2022]; 1901 Census return Scotland (ancestry.com.au) [21 December 2022]; Palmerston Cemetery headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records) [21 December 2022]; Otago Daily Times, 8 March 1919, Dominion, 8 March 1919, Timaru Herald, 14 May 1919, Mataura Ensign, 15 May 1919 [?] (Papers Past) [20 & 22 December 2022]
External Links
Related Documents
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Researched and Written by
Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society
Currently Assigned to
Not assigned.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.