Pte
Arthur Milton Le Mottee
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 09/11/1883 |
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Place of birth: Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Storeman |
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: 47676 |
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Enlistment date: 17/02/1917 |
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Enlistment place: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand |
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Units: — Canterbury Regiment, 2nd Bn. |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/12/1917 |
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Place of death: Reutel, Beselare, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 34 |
Cemetery
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Polygon Wood Cemetery Plot: / Row: E Grave: 1 |
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
Arthur Le Mottee was born in Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia on 9 November 1883, the son of Alfred and Elizabeth Le Mottee. His father was from the Channel Islands and his mother was Australian.
Arthur moved to New Zealand sometime before 1911, when he was listed on the Electoral Roll as a barman at the King George Hotel, Christchurch. His parents arrived in Christchurch about 1910.
When he enlisted on 17 February 1917 in Christchurch he was working as a storeman. He was a short man, only five feet two inches (1.57m). He was originally in the 26th Reinforcement, service number 47676, but was transferred to the 25th Reinforcement. Arthur trained at Trentham and Featherston camps before embarking on the troop ship Turakina on 26 April 1917.
He entered Sling Camp on 20 July 1917 and on 5 September, sailed for France. Here, he was posted to 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment on 16 September 1917.
The New Zealand Division was in the Polygon Wood area, after the end of the Third Battle of Ypres. Much of the time was spent in wiring, repairing crumbling trenches and improving defences. The landscape was covered with waterlogged shellholes. The right of the New Zealand position was enfiladed from Polderhoek and a decision was made to capture the spur on which the ruins of Polderhoek Chateau and German pillboxes sat.
After the unsuccessful attack on Polderhoek on 3 December 1917, the various battalions took turns in the line and in reserve. Neither the New Zealand Division history or that of the Canterbury Regiment give detailed information for the December 1917-February 1918 period so it is impossible to say with any certainty how Arthur Le Motte died. The opposing German forces generally held higher ground and movement in the New Zealand lines was often observed and shelled or machine-gunned.
The 2nd Canterbury Battalion is mentioned in the history of the Otago Regiment.
His battalion, which was in support, was heavily shelled on 12-13th December and it is possible this caused his death on 12 December 1917. His body was recovered and identified, originally buried in Crucifix Dump. He is now in Polygon Wood Cemetery, Row E, Grave 1.
Arthur moved to New Zealand sometime before 1911, when he was listed on the Electoral Roll as a barman at the King George Hotel, Christchurch. His parents arrived in Christchurch about 1910.
When he enlisted on 17 February 1917 in Christchurch he was working as a storeman. He was a short man, only five feet two inches (1.57m). He was originally in the 26th Reinforcement, service number 47676, but was transferred to the 25th Reinforcement. Arthur trained at Trentham and Featherston camps before embarking on the troop ship Turakina on 26 April 1917.
He entered Sling Camp on 20 July 1917 and on 5 September, sailed for France. Here, he was posted to 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment on 16 September 1917.
The New Zealand Division was in the Polygon Wood area, after the end of the Third Battle of Ypres. Much of the time was spent in wiring, repairing crumbling trenches and improving defences. The landscape was covered with waterlogged shellholes. The right of the New Zealand position was enfiladed from Polderhoek and a decision was made to capture the spur on which the ruins of Polderhoek Chateau and German pillboxes sat.
After the unsuccessful attack on Polderhoek on 3 December 1917, the various battalions took turns in the line and in reserve. Neither the New Zealand Division history or that of the Canterbury Regiment give detailed information for the December 1917-February 1918 period so it is impossible to say with any certainty how Arthur Le Motte died. The opposing German forces generally held higher ground and movement in the New Zealand lines was often observed and shelled or machine-gunned.
The 2nd Canterbury Battalion is mentioned in the history of the Otago Regiment.
His battalion, which was in support, was heavily shelled on 12-13th December and it is possible this caused his death on 12 December 1917. His body was recovered and identified, originally buried in Crucifix Dump. He is now in Polygon Wood Cemetery, Row E, Grave 1.
Sources 3
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Archives New Zealand https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ Sources used |
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Byrne AE., Official history of the Otago Regiment, NZEF in the Great War 1914-1918, (Dunedin, J. Wilkie and Co, 1921), pg. 239-241. Sources used |
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New Zealand births deaths marriages https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/ 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/480042 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=1d9db1bb-67a6-485f-90b6-57bff7b0e216 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7178086 |
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The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=145207 |
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Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C8697 |