Informationen zu Geburt

Geburtsdatum:
13/06/1885
Geburtsort:
Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

Allgemeine Informationen

Beruf:
Landwirt / Bauman / Ökonom

Informationen zum Armeedienst

Land:
New Zealand
Truppe:
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Rang:
Lance Corporal
Dienstnummer:
8/2693
Einberufung datum:
17/04/1915
Einberufung ort:
Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand
Einheiten:
 —  Otago Regiment, 1st Bn.  (Letzte bekannte Einheit)

Informationen zu Tod

Sterbedatum:
12/10/1917
Todesursache:
Im Kampf gefallen
Alter:
32

Begräbnisplatz

Poelcapelle British Cemetery
Grabstelle: XI
Reihe: E
Grab: 19

Auszeichnungen und Orden 3

1914-15 Star
Medaille
British War Medal
Medaille
Victory Medal
Medaille

Punkte von Interesse 2

#1 Geburtsort
#2 Einberufung ort

Meine Geschichte

Lance Corporal Andrew Kerr Paisley served in the 10th Company, 1st Battalion of the Otago Regiment, of the New Zealand 1st Brigade, part of the New Zealand Division. His battalion took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917.

The New Zealand Division attacked with two brigades, the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the left and the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right. The 1st Otago was allotted to the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right of the divisional front and was to attack with the 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, the 1st Bn. Otago Regiment and the 1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment. The 2nd Bn. Canterbury Regiment was in reserve. Three objectives were allotted in this order, the first being the Red Line (approx. Friesland Farm – Source Wood), the second being the Blue Line (approx. Graf Farm – Goudberg Copse) and the final being the Green Line (approx. Exert Copse - Vocation Farm).

At 5.25 a.m. the attack began with the 2nd Otago’s positioned at the front and thus leading the assault. The 1st Otago was to take the second objective, with the 10th (Otago) Company on the left flank of the Battalion. Tragedy stuck, however, when the friendly barrage that had to support the advance of the 2nd Otago’s came down short. The assembly line of the 1st Battalion Otago Regiment was hit, killing a number of men from the 10th Company.

On their right was the Ravebeek, that could be used as a guideline to reach Passchendaele. But shortly after, they got into difficulties because of uncut wire entanglements that lay in front of the jumping off line. The only gap in the wire was at a single point on the sunken Graventafel Road, which proved a death trap German machine guns concentrated fire on this position. The area of the Bellevue Spur was overloaded with German defences and pillboxes. The other battalions faced the similar problems and failed to reach the Red Line. At 3:30 p.m. orders were received that the 2nd Brigade was to consolidate their current positions and had to organize a defensive position in depth. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Otago Regiment held the front line, with the 1st holding the position from the Graventafel road to the Ravebeek on the right.

The 12th of October 1917 will be remembered as one of the most unsuccessful days in the history of the New Zealand Army. Lance Corporal Andrew Kerr Paisley was reported killed on that day. His grave was identified after the war and located at V.28.c.4.1.

Quellen 5

"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 128-132.
Verwendete Quellen
"The Official History of the Otago Regiment N.Z.E.F. in the Great War 1914-1918", Byrne A.E., Dunedin, Wilkie & Co Ltd., pg. 207 - 228.
Verwendete Quellen
Auckland Cenotaph
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C11907?n=8%2F2693&w=World%20War%20I%2C%201914-1918&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch
Verwendete Quellen
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/491947/paisley,-andrew-keir/
Verwendete Quellen
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Verwendete Quellen