Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

George Turner, who was named for his paternal grandfather, was born on 30 March 1892 at Haddingtonshire (also known as East Lothian), Scotland, the son of Alexander and Ann (Annie née Wightman) Turner. Alexander and Ann married in 1889 in Edinburgh and in 1891 they were resident at Gladsmuir, East Lothian, Alexander a railway porter. Their whereabouts in 1901 has not been established. George’s mother Annie died in December 1905 at Gladsmuir and was buried there. Alexander and Annie had another son, John Alexander Turner, who was born in February 1903 and came to New Zealand with his father. In 1906 in Edinburgh, Alexander married Euphemia Bennet who died in January 1912 at Humble, East Lothian.

Alexander next married Elizabeth and came to New Zealand in about 1913, with his sons George and John and maybe a daughter born to Elizabeth and Alexander. Their daughter Elizabeth Jane Turner was born at Waimate in February 1914, her birth registered at Waimate. John transferred from Waihao Downs School, where he had received a prize in 1913, to Southburn School in May 1914, when his father took a position as gardener at Holme Station. In February 1916, John transferred from Southburn to Fairlie School. Frederick James Turner was born to Alexander and Elizabeth in March 1916 and, dying in May, aged 7 weeks, was buried at Fairlie.

On 12 August 1914, A. Turner (Holme Station) gave 10 shillings to the War Fund. George Turner was residing at Burke’s Pass, Fairlie, a blacksmith for the Mackenzie County Council, when he enlisted on 14 October 1916 at Timaru. Single and Presbyterian, he named his father as next-of-kin – Alexander Turner, Reserve, Fairlie, Canterbury. Private G. Turner embarked with the Canterbury Infantry battalion of the 21st Reinforcements, departing for Plymouth, England, per the “Ulimaroa” on 21 January 1917. His name featured in a long list of wounded reported through the Post Office on 19 October 1917. A hospital and progress report published at the beginning of November 1918, listed G. Turner as not a severe case. In early December Mr and Mrs Turner, late of Fairlie, received word that their son, Private George Turner, had been transferred to the General Hospital at Brockenhurst. Mr and Mrs Turner were at Rangitata when they were notified that George had been transferred to the Convalescent Depot at Hornchurch on 13 December.

G. Turner, Maungati, returned to New Zealand by the “Ajana” (Draft 224), which left Liverpool on 7 February 1919 and arrived at Auckland on 25 March 1919, berthing the next morning after 24 hours’ quarantine. The South Canterbury men reached Timaru by a special train at 2.30 pm on 28 March. A very large number of people assembled at the railway station to take part in the welcome home to the men, the arrival of the train being “the signal for a hearty outburst of cheering, which was subsequently several times renewed.” The Deputy Mayor and Mr James Craigie, each in a brief speech, extended to the returned men a very hearty welcome home. Alexander and Elizabeth were in 1919 at Maungati where he was a gardener for S. Higginbotham. Their daughter Elizabeth Jane started at Maungati School in October 1919 and left there two months later. After passing through several other schools, she was admitted to Fairlie School in February 1923.

Alexander and Elizabeth remained at Fairlie until their deaths, both being buried there. Elizabeth died in May 1935 at Timaru and was remembered by her husband and two daughters in 1936. Alexander died in December 1937 at Timaru, his service being held at the Fairlie Presbyterian Church. George Turner was recorded at Fairlie on the 1919 supplementary electoral roll. What happened to him?

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [07 January 2023]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.co.au) [07 January 2023]; related School Admission records (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [07 January 2023]; Timaru Herald, 22 December 1913, 13 August 1914, 22 October 1917, 5 December 1917, 1 January 1919, 26, 28 & 29 March 1919, 20 May 1935, 19 May 1936, 10 & 11 December 1937, Waimate Daily Advertiser, 22 December 1913, NZ Times, 2 November 1918 (Papers Past) [18 May 2017; 07, 08 & 09 January 2023]

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

Not assigned.