2nd Lt
George Ackhurst

Information about birth

Date of birth:
02/06/1878
Place of birth:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

General information

Profession:
Engineer

Army information

Country:
New Zealand
Force:
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Service number:
18207
Enlistment date:
12/10/1915
Enlistment place:
Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand
Units:
 —  Wellington Regiment, 1st Bn.  (Last known unit)

Information about death

Date of death:
04/10/1917
Place of death:
Berlin Wood, Passchendaele, Belgium
Cause of death:
Killed in action (K.I.A.)
Age:
39

Memorial

Tyne Cot Memorial
Panel: New Zealand Apse panel 6

Distinctions and medals 2

British War Medal
Medal — 20/09/1921
Victory Medal
Medal — 28/07/1922

Points of interest 3

#1 Place of birth
#2 Enlistment place
#3 Place of death (approximate)

My story

Second Lieutenant Ackhurst George ( 1st Bn. Wellington Regiment, 1st NewZealand Brigade, 1st NewZealand Division ) was killed in action during the Battle of Broodseinde, on the 4th of October 1917.

That day, the NewZealand Division had two objectives ; the first being the so-called Red Line ( which roughly went from Bordeaux Farm to Albatros Farm ) and the second being the Blue Line.

At 5.25 a.m. they attacked with the 1st and 4th NewZealand Brigade, respectively on the left and the right, to obtain the first objective. The 1st Brigade consisted of the 1st Bn. Auckland Regiment and the 1st Bn. Wellington Regiment.

While advancing to the Red Line, Ackhurst and his battalion came under heavy enemy fire from Boetleer pillboxes. On reaching the crest they came under fire from two dugouts in front of Korek. These pillboxes were cleared by troops from the Wellingtons and the 3rd Otago (4NZ Brigade). It is presumed that George Ackhurst was killed during this attack northwest of ‘s Graventafel.

Files 3

CWGC - Certificate View

Sources 4

Cunningham W.H., Treadwell C.A.L., Hanna J.S. The Wellington Regiment NZEF 1914-1919, (Uckfield, The Naval & Military Press, 2003, pg. 213-223)
Sources used
Gray J.H., From the Uttermost Ends of the Earth. The New Zealand Division on the Western Front 1916-1918, (Christchurch, Willson Scott Publishing, 2010, pg. 129 - 135).
Sources used
McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, pg. 99 & 101).
Sources used
Stewart H., The New Zealand Division 1916 - 1919, (London, Intype London Ltd, 1920), pg. 248 - 297).
Sources used

More information 4