Pte
Arthur Wyatt Ellis
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 06/07/1887 |
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Place of birth: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Plumber |
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: 40789 |
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Enlistment date: 26/10/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand |
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Units: — Canterbury Regiment, 3rd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 16/12/1917 |
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Place of death: Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 30 |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: IX Row: AA Grave: 15 |
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 Ellis was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 6 July 1887, son of Joseph and Jane (nee Wyatt) Ellis. He had six siblings. Arthur was a plumber working in Sumner, a suburb of Christchurch, when he enlisted on 26 October 1916 in Christchurch, joining the 23rd Reinforcement, service number 40789. He trained at Trentham, Featherston and Tauherenikau camps before embarking on the troop ship Corinthic on 2 April 1917. During the voyage he was in the ship’s hospital with tonsillitis. He arrived in Devenport, England on 10 June, entering Sling Camp on the Salisbury Plain the same day.
Arthur sailed to France on 6 July 1917 and spent two weeks at Etaples before being posted to 3rd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment on 24 July.
After the Third Battle of Ypres the New Zealand Division held the line in and around Polygon Wood. In early December the Division wanted to improve its positions and tried to take the heights round Polderhoek Chateau.
The Division’s battalions relieved each other in the Polygon Wood sector, the main work being improving defences, repairing trenches and wire. The landscape was water-filled shell holes. The Germans had observation over much of the area so any movement was shelled or machine-gunned.
The 2nd Brigade was replaced by the 4th Brigade on the night of 15/16 December; In this, the 3rd Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment replaced the 1st Canterbury. It was during this period that Arthur Ellis was killed. His burial was reported by Rev C Jones, attached to the 3rd Canterbury Battalion.
He is now in a special memorial grave at Buttes New British Cemetery at Polygon Wood, Plot IX, Row AA, Grave 15.
Arthur sailed to France on 6 July 1917 and spent two weeks at Etaples before being posted to 3rd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment on 24 July.
After the Third Battle of Ypres the New Zealand Division held the line in and around Polygon Wood. In early December the Division wanted to improve its positions and tried to take the heights round Polderhoek Chateau.
The Division’s battalions relieved each other in the Polygon Wood sector, the main work being improving defences, repairing trenches and wire. The landscape was water-filled shell holes. The Germans had observation over much of the area so any movement was shelled or machine-gunned.
The 2nd Brigade was replaced by the 4th Brigade on the night of 15/16 December; In this, the 3rd Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment replaced the 1st Canterbury. It was during this period that Arthur Ellis was killed. His burial was reported by Rev C Jones, attached to the 3rd Canterbury Battalion.
He is now in a special memorial grave at Buttes New British Cemetery at Polygon Wood, Plot IX, Row AA, Grave 15.
Sources 4
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Archives New Zealand https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ Sources used |
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Auckland Weekly News http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/dbtw-wpd/heritageimages/ Sources used |
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Ferguson David, The history of the Canterbury Regiment, NZEF 1914-1919, (Auckland, Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd, 1921), pg. 218-223. Sources used |
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New Zealand births deaths marriages https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search 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/480207 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=7c5992db-0f08-4fcf-a2c5-97e63d858542 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7174117 |
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The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=75651 |
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Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/c4471 |