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  • Reinforcements New Zealand Expeditionary Force

    For sometime I have being trying to sort out details of an ancestor and his descendants who sailed from England as part of a young persons sponsorship passage to New Zealand. My Ancestor was aged about 10 when as a boy collier in the Forest Of Dean (abt 1872) , with the permission of his Uncle sailed for a better life. His Mother was in the Workhouse having had two boys out of wedlock and was deemed "unfit", therefore the boy was living with his Uncle.

    He arrived in New Zealand as planned and worked as a Collier (place unknown), got married in 1883 and had at least 8 children all born Annat/ Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. However he had changed the spelling of his surname from Poyner to Piner as his schooling wasn't the best, so he always wrote name how he thought it sounded. Via a distant cousin in New Zealand, it is known he returned to England and the Forest of Dean with one of his daughters, and a diary survives from the late 1920's recording his visit and meeting of people he knew as a child before sailing.

    Two of his son's appear on the Commonwealth War Graves. One died in 1916 in France as part of the New Zealand Field Artillery. This brings me to my question -

    The second son died 13th August 1921 - Richard Piner Corporal 63039 Reinforcements N.Z.E.F and buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, New Zealand.
    What were the Reinforcements N.Z.E.F., and why would he be buried under the Commonwealth War Graves notation 3 years after the first world war had finished. Was there another campaign in the south pacific at the time?

    Sorry to be so long winded.
    David

    I
    Don't always claim to be right, but I'm never wrong.



  • #2
    Dave

    here is a record that is available on him, it states that he is a retired soldier.
    Archway

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    • #3
      Many thanks Pat. It's partly answered my request. Looks like he may have have died of the after effects of the War.
      David

      I
      Don't always claim to be right, but I'm never wrong.


      Comment


      • #4
        Pat,

        I've just done a random search of the site and found other members of the family including a divorce, probate, BDM,

        Thank you so much!
        David

        I
        Don't always claim to be right, but I'm never wrong.


        Comment


        • #5
          the good thing is dave you can order the records if you want, I never have but if they are close member maybe worth while.

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          • #6
            Dave.................I have ordered quite a few NZ records...........Births, marriage, wills, and Army records from WW1. I don't use the internet to order as you have to send a cheque or email your credit card details.
            I've always rung the relevant office and that way can pay by credit card.
            They have all been extremely helpful and the records have all arrived quicker than expected.

            All have been cheaper than Australian ones as well.

            Libby.

            Comment


            • #7
              Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Database

              Here is a link to Christchurch cemeteries database, he is on there and there may be some extra information that might help.
              Christine
              Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
              Mary Jean Iron

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Libby and Chris,

                Thanks for your replies. This is my first dip into research in New Zealand. As you can tell from my original request this all comes from one ancestor who settled in the Christchurch area. Today I've been learning about the two Islands and how remote some parts of the county are. I've got links into Westland, Canterbury, Otago.
                At this stage I've book marked the Archway site that Pat posted, and Chris I've bookmarked the Christchurch cemetery site.

                I've now googled the Reinforcements N Z E F, it basically found that from the age of 12 all males in New Zealand received military training. In 1911 New Zealand formed a 25,000, part-time national militia. Most of the men who volunteered to join the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in August 1914 came from this Territorial Army.

                My Richard died aged 31, and the burial entry from your site Chris, says he was a storekeeper at the time of death, and also gives his address.
                David

                I
                Don't always claim to be right, but I'm never wrong.


                Comment


                • #9
                  I am wondering if maybe a person buried in the Returned Servicemen part of a cemetery were listed on the war graves at that time. All cemeteries have such a section now, my grandfathers who served in WW1 and my father, WW2 are buried in such a section, and I am sure that they would not be listed on the CWG site, but perhaps they were back then. I am trying to think of a way to check that.

                  The only way you can find out how he died will be to get the death cert. If it was related to war injuries then I imagine his army records will also list the cause of death. I know that we can get these records for free, 1 per year, but I don't know what the situation is internationally. I have used up my allotment for another few months, or I would offer to get them for you.

                  All males received military training up until about 1968 as part of their school lessons. When I was at High School all the boys had to dress up in uniform and march around the playing fields for a week or so per year, so that would have been from aged 12 to 18 if they stayed at school that long.
                  Christine
                  Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
                  Mary Jean Iron

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Chris thanks for you kind offer. I'm still learning about the geography of New Zealand, and todays fact finding mission has for me been very rewarding and Interesting. I must admit I've never thought how hard it must be for you all in that part of the world trying to gain information / Certificates from over here in the British Isles, and now "as the shoe is on the other foot" as we say over here (LOL) I feel a renewed sense of desire to learn more as my research has taken this new turn.
                    David

                    I
                    Don't always claim to be right, but I'm never wrong.


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      If your ancestor worked as a collier in this country it is most likely that he would have been on the West Coast of the South Island as this is the major coal mining area. (West Coast is the name of the region, also refered to as the Coast!) Coal was also shipped out of the Port of Lyttleton which would be very close to the Sydenham area of Christchurch. I actually lived in that area for many years, but for the life of me, can't place the cemetery!

                      I have looked on the Telecom White pages and there are a number of Piners on the Coast, and a couple in Christchurch. It would be likely that West Coasters would settle in Christchurch, the nearest major city. I have found some references to earlier Piner families in this country, so they may not all be yours! I note that there are a number in Rununga, we have friends there so could ask them if they know any of these people, if you think that would be helpful. (Rununga is a small town, and you would be surprised at just who knows who!)

                      White PagesĀ® Home Page

                      Researching the other side of the world can be difficult, although we are lucky in that so many UK records are on line. There is very little NZ information available that way. Some times it is easier to find out about family in the UK than it is here. There are no census records available for New Zealand, for instance.
                      Christine
                      Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so.
                      Mary Jean Iron

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Richard died after discharge from the NZEF from wounds inflicted or disease contracted while on active service.

                        Have a look here:
                        Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database#

                        I had hoped that there might be a photo for you, but there isn't.

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                        • #13
                          Chris and Lyn,

                          Looks like you are this sites New Zealand connection! I can't believe how much there on the internet and how much you found out, and all to do with a distant ancestor of mine.

                          I am in semi-contact with One person In New Zealand. They have been very good at supplying a few names and whereabouts of a few connected ancestors, and after more than 5 years of having these names I thought I'd delve a bit deeper, and you've both done me proud.

                          The named next of kin for Richard is someone I knew about, however its also strange that on the Commonwealth Graves site it states he had a wife called Jean.

                          Anyway, many thanks again.
                          Dave
                          David

                          I
                          Don't always claim to be right, but I'm never wrong.


                          Comment


                          • #14
                            There are actually 3 Piner lads listed on the site g for WW1....had you noticed?

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