Profile

HUMPHRIS, James Thomas
(Service number 21837)

Aliases Tom
First Rank Rifleman Last Rank

Birth

Date 22 October 1891 Place of Birth Waimate

Enlistment Information

Date Age
Address at Enlistment Washdyke, Timaru
Occupation Jockey, Washdyke, Timaru
Previous Military Experience
Marital Status
Next of Kin W. Humphris (brother), Washdyke, Timaru, New Zealand
Religion
Medical Information

Military Service

Served with NZ Armed Forces Served in Army
Military District

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 Wellington, New Zealand Destination
Other Units Served With
Last Unit Served With

Military Awards

Campaigns
Service Medals
Military Awards

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

Discharge

Date 6 September 1918 Reason No longer physicallt fit for war services on account of wounds recieved in action

Hospitals, Wounds, Diseases and Illnesses

Post-war Occupations

Death

Date 1 January 1950 Age 59
Place of Death Timaru Hospital
Cause
Notices
Memorial or Cemetery Timaru Cemetery
Memorial Reference Services section, Row 101, Plot 19
New Zealand Memorials

Biographical Notes

James Thomas (Tom) was born on 22 October 1891 to Valentine John Humphris and Jessie Jack (nee Rodger).

After the war Tom married Ruth Inwood (1899-1985) on 10 September 1919. A still born child followed on 15 July 1922. Tom also appears to have returned to his pre-war occupation as a jockey, being listed as such in the 1921/22 Stones Directory. He apparently also had owned four acres at Evans St, Timaru, which his nephew Cyril Forrest bought off him and built shops on.

Tom's riding career was reported in the New Zealand Truth on several occasions. In the issue of 29 July 1926 (p13) it was reported "The spell J. T. Humphris had did not impair his riding ability, as he showed at Waimate and South Canterbury last week". The paper also reported his less fortunate incidents - reporting on 29 July 1927l: "T. Humphris had his face knocked about when Goldtown fell with him in the First Hurdles at Geraldine." Again on 5 June 1930 it reported: "THE BEST HORSE FALLS ON FLAT (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.) The Otago is usually expected to give some line to the * prospects of South Island 'chasers in the Grand National Steeplechase, but this year's event could not be viewed in such a light. , . , ' . Tom Humphris, on Night Raid, did his best to bustle the favourite into the last three fences, but the tactics failed, Bill Cooper holding Top Gear together well".

By 1950, the year of his death aged only 59, he was known to be living at 181 Evans Street, Timaru, occupied as a labourer. On his death James Thomas (Tom) Humphris was buried in the service section of the Timaru Cemetery.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database (19 June 2015); SCRoll web submission by W Griffin, 4 December 2015 & 12 December 2017

External Links

Related Documents

No documents available.

Researched and Written by

Tony Rippin (South Canterbury Museum)

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.

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