Pte
Wilfred Denham Tunks
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 30/09/1895 |
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Place of birth: Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Student |
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: 24/1557 |
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Enlistment date: 07/09/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand |
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Units: — Wellington Regiment, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Winnipeg Farm, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: IV Row: E Grave: 17 |
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
Wilfred Denham Tunks was born on 30 September 1895 in Auckland, New Zealand. He was the son of Charles James and Amy Rose Tunks and was a student before he enlisted. Wilfred joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in September 1915, days before his twentieth birthday. By October 1917 Wilfred served as a private in the Ruahine Company of the 2nd Battalion Wellington Regiment, 2nd New Zealand Brigade, of the New Zealand Division, and fought in the Battle of Broodseinde, a stage in the Battle of Third Ypres.
On the 4th of October 1917, the New Zealand Division advanced with the 1st and 4th Brigades on the slopes of the ‘s Gravenstafel Ridge. The attack of the 1st Brigade, on the left of the divisional front, was carried by the 1st Wellington and 1st Aucklanders; the 2nd Wellington and 2nd Aucklanders were in support. The Brigade had two objectives; the first being the so-called Red Line (‘s Graventafel – Albatross Farm) and the second being the Blue Line (at the foot of the Bellevue Spur). Once the first objective (Red Line) was obtained and consolidated, the 2nd Battalion Auckland- and Wellington Regiment leapfrogged over the leading Battalions and headed to the second objective. The 2nd Wellingtons had just left the Red Line when a German shell landed in the middle of Ruahine Company’s headquarters, killing its commanding officer, Captain Boscawen and his two runners. Notwithstanding this blow Ruahine Company captured the German stronghold at Kronprinz Farm and the 2nd Wellingtons were able to consolidated the Blue Line. In the meantime the 2nd Auckland Regiment had moved through the brick ruins of Korek towards Calgary Grange and finally occupied the German stronghold at Waterloo.
Private Wilfred Denham Tunks was killed in action during the attack on the ‘s Gravenstafel Ridge. He was buried in the field near Winnipeg Farm, close to the jumping-off positions of the 2nd Wellingtons. The 22-year old was buried alongside Captain Boscawen and three other New Zealanders. This may indicate that Private Tunks, a gifted athlete, fell in the early stages of the attack or that he was killed by the same explosion which killed Captain Boscawen.
On the 4th of October 1917, the New Zealand Division advanced with the 1st and 4th Brigades on the slopes of the ‘s Gravenstafel Ridge. The attack of the 1st Brigade, on the left of the divisional front, was carried by the 1st Wellington and 1st Aucklanders; the 2nd Wellington and 2nd Aucklanders were in support. The Brigade had two objectives; the first being the so-called Red Line (‘s Graventafel – Albatross Farm) and the second being the Blue Line (at the foot of the Bellevue Spur). Once the first objective (Red Line) was obtained and consolidated, the 2nd Battalion Auckland- and Wellington Regiment leapfrogged over the leading Battalions and headed to the second objective. The 2nd Wellingtons had just left the Red Line when a German shell landed in the middle of Ruahine Company’s headquarters, killing its commanding officer, Captain Boscawen and his two runners. Notwithstanding this blow Ruahine Company captured the German stronghold at Kronprinz Farm and the 2nd Wellingtons were able to consolidated the Blue Line. In the meantime the 2nd Auckland Regiment had moved through the brick ruins of Korek towards Calgary Grange and finally occupied the German stronghold at Waterloo.
Private Wilfred Denham Tunks was killed in action during the attack on the ‘s Gravenstafel Ridge. He was buried in the field near Winnipeg Farm, close to the jumping-off positions of the 2nd Wellingtons. The 22-year old was buried alongside Captain Boscawen and three other New Zealanders. This may indicate that Private Tunks, a gifted athlete, fell in the early stages of the attack or that he was killed by the same explosion which killed Captain Boscawen.
Sources 2
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Cunningham W.A., Treadwell C.A.L., Hanna J.S., The Wellington Regiment. N.Z.E.F. 1914 - 1919, (Uckfield, The Naval & Military Press, 2003), pg. 213-223. Sources used |
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McCarthy C., Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Uniform, 2018), pg. 112-114. 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/464960 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=59b47b66-d6e5-44be-a6ab-38cb452d2e09 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7184460 |
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Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/c15995 |
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The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=259485 |