Pte
Ernest John Quinton
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 09/06/1877 |
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Place of birth: Nelson, Nelson Bay, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Farmer |
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: 49740 |
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Enlistment date: 11/01/1917 |
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Units: — Auckland Infantry Regiment, 3rd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 30/12/1917 |
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Place of death: Polderhoek Château, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 40 |
Cemetery
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Polygon Wood Cemetery Plot: Unknown Row: G Grave: 18 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 1
| #1 | Place of birth |
My story
Ernest Quinton was born in Nelson, New Zealand, on 9 June 1877, son of Harry and Elizabeth Quinton. He had two brothers, Arthur Charles (born 1880) and Allan (born 1885).
By 1914 Ernest’s parents were both dead. He was farming at Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. He had previously been a farmer at Stratford, Taranaki.
He enlisted on 11 January 1917 but did not go into camp until 12 March 1917, into the 27th Reinforcement, service number 49740, training at Trentham and Featherston camps.
Ernest embarked on the troop ship Tahiti from Wellington on 12 June 1917, arriving at Devonport on 16 August . During the voyage he spent three weeks in the ship’s hospital with measles. He was in Sling Camp for just over a month before sailing to France on 27 September 1917. He was at Etaples for a week before being posted to 3 Company, 3rd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment on 9 October 1917. Ernest’s brigade, the 4th NZ Infantry, was not involved in the fighting during the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October although many served as temporary stretcher-bearers.
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.
Soon after Ernest joined 3rd Auckland Battalion, it went into the line at Noordemdhoek, north-east of Polygon Wood. On 22 November the battalion went back to Half-way House near Zillebeke, being used for work parties. It again went the line on 14 December at Noordemdhoek, shortly before snow and frost struck the battlefield. On 22 December It repeated the withdrawal to Half-way House to supply labour. It was at the front again from 29 December to 2 January 1918 and it was in this period of service that Ernest Quinton was killed. The regimental history does not give much detail for this period so it is difficult to say how Quinton died.
He is buried in Polygon Wood Cemetery, Row G, Grave 18.
By 1914 Ernest’s parents were both dead. He was farming at Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. He had previously been a farmer at Stratford, Taranaki.
He enlisted on 11 January 1917 but did not go into camp until 12 March 1917, into the 27th Reinforcement, service number 49740, training at Trentham and Featherston camps.
Ernest embarked on the troop ship Tahiti from Wellington on 12 June 1917, arriving at Devonport on 16 August . During the voyage he spent three weeks in the ship’s hospital with measles. He was in Sling Camp for just over a month before sailing to France on 27 September 1917. He was at Etaples for a week before being posted to 3 Company, 3rd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment on 9 October 1917. Ernest’s brigade, the 4th NZ Infantry, was not involved in the fighting during the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October although many served as temporary stretcher-bearers.
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.
Soon after Ernest joined 3rd Auckland Battalion, it went into the line at Noordemdhoek, north-east of Polygon Wood. On 22 November the battalion went back to Half-way House near Zillebeke, being used for work parties. It again went the line on 14 December at Noordemdhoek, shortly before snow and frost struck the battlefield. On 22 December It repeated the withdrawal to Half-way House to supply labour. It was at the front again from 29 December to 2 January 1918 and it was in this period of service that Ernest Quinton was killed. The regimental history does not give much detail for this period so it is difficult to say how Quinton died.
He is buried in Polygon Wood Cemetery, Row G, Grave 18.
Sources 6
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"The Auckland regiment N.Z.E.F. : Being an account of the doings on active service of the first, second and third battalion", Burton O.E., Withcombe & Tombs Ltd., Auckland 1922, page 182 - 185 Sources used |
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Auckland cenotaph https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C12723?n=Quinton%2049740&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/480058/quinton,-ernest-john/ Sources used |
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NZEF project https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=210951 Sources used |
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Service Records http://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE11395966 Sources used |
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The long, long Trail https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army Sources used |