Pte
Ellis Childs
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 13/03/1897 |
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Place of birth: Pleasant Point, Canterbury, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Labourer |
Army information
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Country: New Zealand |
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Force: New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 55423 |
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Enlistment date: 04/05/1917 |
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Enlistment place: Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand |
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Units: — Canterbury Regiment, 1st Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 13/12/1917 |
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Place of death: Judge Cross Roads, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: / Row: D Grave: 20 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private Ellis Childs served in the Canterbury Regiment 1st Battalion, part of the 1st New Zealand Brigade, of the New Zealand Division.
The Division participate in the Third Battle of Ypres. After the offensive the New Zealand Division held the line in and around Polygon Wood. In early December the Division, along with the Canterbury Regiment 1st Battalion, wanted to improve its positions and tried to take the heights round Polderhoek Chateau. The Division made some gains, suffering heavy casualties, but they did not succeed in capturing the Chateau and the surrounding heights.
The Division’s sector had been slightly altered. It was now too long to be held by one Brigade, and there was no accommodation or shelter for two Brigades, so an extra battalion was attached to each Brigade when it held the line. Reliefs took place on an average of every six days.
On the night of 9th and 10th of December the 1st Canterbury Battalion took over the 2nd Brigade’s center sector called “Judge Cross Roads”, extending from a point opposite Judge Cottage to a point just north of “Joiner’s Rest”.
The new front line system had to fortified, and the Battalions in the line worked on improving their trenches. Except in a few places close up the frontline, there were no communication trenches in the Divisional sector. All the traffic up to the line was confined to a few duck tracks. The Germans were well aware of these tracks, which were frequently shelled. From their positions in Polderhoek Chateau they had an excellent view on the British and New Zealand positions.
At first the muddy terrain round the tracks smothered many shells, greatly reducing the danger. But when it started freezing days before Christmas the terrain hardened. At first this seemed to make lives in the trenches a bit better as the ground became solid. However it did not much add to the discomfort, as the frozen ground increased the danger zone of the shells. Consequently even badly aimed shells could cause casualties to troops using the tracks.
Private Ellis Child was killed in the Judge Cross Roads sector. He possibly fell due to shell fire while holding and improving the frontline. He was buried at Polygon Wood cemetery.
The Division participate in the Third Battle of Ypres. After the offensive the New Zealand Division held the line in and around Polygon Wood. In early December the Division, along with the Canterbury Regiment 1st Battalion, wanted to improve its positions and tried to take the heights round Polderhoek Chateau. The Division made some gains, suffering heavy casualties, but they did not succeed in capturing the Chateau and the surrounding heights.
The Division’s sector had been slightly altered. It was now too long to be held by one Brigade, and there was no accommodation or shelter for two Brigades, so an extra battalion was attached to each Brigade when it held the line. Reliefs took place on an average of every six days.
On the night of 9th and 10th of December the 1st Canterbury Battalion took over the 2nd Brigade’s center sector called “Judge Cross Roads”, extending from a point opposite Judge Cottage to a point just north of “Joiner’s Rest”.
The new front line system had to fortified, and the Battalions in the line worked on improving their trenches. Except in a few places close up the frontline, there were no communication trenches in the Divisional sector. All the traffic up to the line was confined to a few duck tracks. The Germans were well aware of these tracks, which were frequently shelled. From their positions in Polderhoek Chateau they had an excellent view on the British and New Zealand positions.
At first the muddy terrain round the tracks smothered many shells, greatly reducing the danger. But when it started freezing days before Christmas the terrain hardened. At first this seemed to make lives in the trenches a bit better as the ground became solid. However it did not much add to the discomfort, as the frozen ground increased the danger zone of the shells. Consequently even badly aimed shells could cause casualties to troops using the tracks.
Private Ellis Child was killed in the Judge Cross Roads sector. He possibly fell due to shell fire while holding and improving the frontline. He was buried at Polygon Wood cemetery.
Sources 1
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Ferguson D., The History of the Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F. 1914-1919, (Auckland, Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, 1921), pg. 218-224. Sources used |
More information 5
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480013 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=7b3fd5ba-4d69-4fc0-81b2-02654e77e65d |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7172379 |
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The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=44073 |
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Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/c2551 |