WALL, Michael
(Service number 9/99)
| First Rank | Trooper | Last Rank | Driver or Gunner |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 9 October 1883 | Place of Birth | Waimate |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | 17 August 1914 | Age | 30 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Care's Bay, Port Chalmers | ||
| Occupation | Engineer | ||
| Previous Military Experience | |||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | Mrs Fanny WALL (mother), care of R. T. Leatham, Solicitor, 213 Lichfield Street, Christchurch. Later of 813 Lichfield Street, Sydenham, Christchurch. Later next-of-kin - Miss Nellie WALL (sister), Fruiterer, Waimate | ||
Military Service
| Served with | NZ Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
| Body on Embarkation | Main Body | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | Otago Mounted Rifles | ||
| Date | 16 October 1914 | ||
| Transport | Ruapehu or Hawkes Bay | ||
| Embarked From | Port Chalmers | Destination | Suez, Egypt |
| Other Units Served With | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Unit Served With | New Zealand Field Artillery | ||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | Gallipoli; Balkans; Egypt; Western Europe | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | 1914-1915 Star; British War medal; Victory Medal | ||
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 | 29 March 1932 | Age | 47 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | Christchurch | ||
| Cause | Angina pectoris; valvular disease of heart | ||
| Memorial or Cemetery | Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch | ||
| New Zealand Memorials | |||
Biographical Notes
Michael WALL was born in Waimate, the eldest son of Nicholas and Fanny (nee McGOVERN) WALL. He served an apprenticeship in engineering, then joined his brother in an auctioneering business in Timaru and Waimate. When the war broke out he was in Dunedin, where he immediately enlisted. Why did Michael give his birth year as 1887 (instead of 1883) on enlistment? His brother Matthew WALL (23/984), died of wounds in 1916 - this is noted in Michael's Personnel Record; another brother, Nicholas WALL, also served in WWI and is buried with Michael. There appears to have been difficulty in tracing next-of-kin for Michael. In time Miss Monica WALL (sister) was traced in an elctoral roll at 852 Colombo Street, Christchurch. One must wonder at Michael's condition on return to New Zealand, after he was hospitalized several times during his service overseas. On more than one occasion he returned to the trenches after being wounded or sick. In February 1917 he was transferred to special duty at the Artillery Camp at Aldershot. Michael gave 4 years 119 days of service (from 17 August 1914 till 13 December 1918), all but 126 days on active service overseas. On his return home (per "Ionic"), he resided initially at the Soldiers' Hostel, Vivian Street, Wellington. His medals were handed to him in 1927.
Sources
Cenotaph Database [15 August 2013]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5557 0118272 [25 June 2014]; Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch burial record (Christchurch City Council) [15 August 2013]; Headstone transcript Bromley Cemetery (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records microfiche) [13 August 2014]; Timaru Herald, 8 July 1915, Otago Daily Times, 8 July 1915, Press, 9 July 1915, 20 September 1915 (Papers Past) [24 June 2014]
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