Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

Douglas Graham Dick, who was born on 11 April 1886 at Mataura, South Otago, was the elder son of Gavin Graham and Jane (née Sinclair) Dick, of Timaru. Gavin, a farmer, and Jane who both hailed from Scotland, married in 1879 at Loburn, Canterbury, New Zealand. They had four daughters and two sons, their births registered in various parts of the country – Rangiora, Hastings, Mataura and Hamilton. Where Douglas was educated is not apparent, although each of his siblings had some schooling in Christchurch or Timaru. His mother moved to Timaru to live by 1899. Jane Sinclair had emigrated in 1864-1865 with her parents and five older brothers. Both her parents died at Timaru in 1898 (John in March and Marion in August). In 1908 and 1911, Douglas was a factory worker living with his mother in North Street.

Douglas Graham Dick, woollen-mill hand, 144 North Street, Timaru was listed on the World War One 1916 Reserve Roll. He had, however, enlisted at Trentham on 8 January 1915, posted to the 4th Reinforcements, and was back home later in 1915. Medically examined on 6 January 1915, he stood at 5 feet 8 inches, weighed 140 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 32-34½ inches, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His sight, hearing and colour vision were all good, his limbs and chest well formed, and his heart and lungs normal. He had false upper teeth and part lower. He was free from diseases, vaccinated, and in good bodily and mental health, with no slight defects. Employed as a labourer for a business in Bank Street, single and Presbyterian, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Jane Dick, 144 North Street, Timaru.

Private D. G. Dick embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the 4th Reinforcements, departing from Wellington for Suez, Egypt on 17 April 1915 (Transport No. 21). Private Douglas Graham Dick was wounded in the right shoulder at the Dardanelles/Gallipoli on 7 August 1915 and admitted to the Hospital Ship “Delta” the next day. Three days later he was admitted to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Luna Park, Heliopolis. It was not until 10 September 1915 that he was transferred to the Convalescent Camp at Zeitoun. The medical report dated 11 September 1915 - A bullet entered his shoulder muscles, passed through the neck of the humerus and emerged through the posterior, fracturing (apparently) the neck of the humerus. In a sling for 4 weeks. The elbow is now stiff but could be bent with exercises. Dick was recommended for change to New Zealand, which action was approved.

Private Douglas Graham Dick was invalided home to New Zealand on 25 September 1915 per the “Willochra”, arriving at Port Chalmers on 30 October 1915. He shared this return trip with several local wounded soldiers. The Medical Board assembled at Dunedin on 30 December considered Private Dick, 6/1827, not fit for “general service” as a result of the gunshot wound suffered at Gallipoli. Granted 2 months’ sick leave (to 25 December 1915), he would go to the Out Patients at Timaru Hospital with regard to the gunshot wound to his right shoulder, his private residence being 144 North Street, Timaru. Private Douglas Craham Dick (Canterbury Infantry Battalion, wounded) is a son of Mrs Jane Dick, 144 North street. Timaru. He enlisted with the 4th Reinforcements, prior to which he was a factory hand. [Press, 18 August 1915.] After 197 days of overseas service, he was struck off the strength of the NZEF on 9 January 1916 and finally discharged on 25 January 1916, in consequence of his services being required in the Dominion//“at his own request”. He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. A Medical Board was assembled at Trentham on 3 February 1916 to examine and report on the present state of health of Private D. G. Dick. The Board found that he had delusional insanity and considered him permanently unfit for “general service”. His disability had been contracted on and caused by military duty. He was referred to the Return Soldiers Board. A Medical Board which had been assembled at Timaru on 22 December (1915?) had found that he had an old gunshot wound to his right shoulder which was now healed. Reporting that he was fit for “general service’, this Board recommended that he had recovered and was fit for Active Service – send to Trentham.

A returned soldier, Douglas lived on in the family home at North Street, Timaru, for many years after of no occupation. From 13 August 1923 to 28 June 1924, he was a patient at Sunnyside Hospital. Retired and still in Timaru in 1963, Douglas Graham Dick died at 43 Seabrook Avenue, New Lynn, Auckland (the residence of his nephew Clifford Buckingham) on 3 July 1965, aged 79 years. He was buried in the Soldiers’ Section of Waikumete Cemetery (Auckland), a services plaque marking his grave. Three nieces – daughters of his sister Agnes who died at Timaru in 1961 – inserted a death notice for Douglas in the Timaru Herald. Agnes Metson and her family had lived at the family home (127 North Street, Timaru) with Douglas for at least 20 years. Douglas, a retired woollen mill employee, signed his last Will on 8 June 1965 at New Lynn. He bequeathed his estate to his nephew Clifford Robert Buckingham who resided in New Lynn. Cliff served in World War Two. His oldest sister Marion Buckingham, who had been widowed young, died in Auckland in 1969, outliving all her siblings.

Douglas’ only brother, Alexander Sinclair Dick, who also served in World War One, was killed in action at Gallipoli on 14 November 1915, after Douglas had returned home. In August 2009 in Australia, “a poignant pair of WWI trios”, the medals awarded to 6/44 Pte A. S. Dick and 6/1827 Pte D. G. Dick were offered for sale. A portrait of Private D. G. Dick was printed in the Otago Witness of 15 September 1915. Mrs Jane Sinclair Dick died at her North Street residence on 4 September 1936 and was buried at Timaru with her brother David Sinclair, alongside her daughter Elizabeth (Lizzie) Graham Dick, the youngest of the family, who died on 30 October 1926. A memorial to Alex is inscribed on Lizzie’s stone. Mrs Dick had signed her last Will just a few days before her death. She made specific bequests to two Metson granddaughters, to her daughter Agnes Metson and to her son Douglas Graham Dick (including the land and buildings at 127 North Street, absolutely), and remembered also her three daughters – Marion Buckingham, Jane Burchard and Agnes Metson. Her brother David Sinclair who died in December 1932 made bequests to his brother William Sinclair, his niece Jessie McDonald(?), his nephew Douglas Dick, his niece Agnes Metson, his sister Jane Dick, his niece Jane Burchard, his niece Marion Buckingham; the residue of his estate was to go to his sister Jane Dick. Gavin Graham Dick had died at Christchurch three years before his wife, on 18 September 1933, and was buried at Bromley. Although late of Timaru, he did not feature in any family notices, except his own – On September 18th, at Christchurch, Gavin Graham Dick. He died intestate, his estate (£350) administered by the Public Trust. When Marion Dick, the eldest daughter, married in December 1904 at her parents’ North Street residence, she was given away by Mr David Sinclair, of Oamaru (surely her uncle). John Sinclair who attended the bridegroom as best man was probably a cousin.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [31 July 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5537 0033716) [26 September 2014]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5562 0129999) [07 July 2016]; WWI GALLIPOLI MEDALS BROTHERS, ONE KIA ONE WIA (Trade Me, 18 Aug 2009 - Medals & documents for sale) [31 July 2013]; Waikumete Cemetery burial record (Auckland Council) [28 March 2014]; Waikumete Cemetery headstone record; Timaru Herald, 31 December 1904, 17 & 18 August 1915, 23 October 1915, 7 December 1932, 5 September 1936, Evening Post, 17 August 1915, Waimate Daily Advertiser, 18 August 1915, Press, 18 August 1915, Lyttelton Times, 19 August 1915, Star, 30 October 1915, 2 November 1926, 20 September 1933, Otago Witness, 15 September 1915 (Papers Past) [18 November 2013; 12 May 2015; 03 July 2015; 23 November 2022; 13 November 2023; 12 May 2026]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [20 April 2015]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [20 April 2015; 12 & 13 May 2026]; Timaru Herald, 8 July 1965 (Timaru District Library) [15 June 2016]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file
• Other military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

TS