Rfn
William John McAughern
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 27/12/1881 |
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Place of birth: Kells, Ballymena, Antrim, Ireland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Last known residence: Porangahau, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand |
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Profession: Farmer |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
Army information
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Country: New Zealand |
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Force: New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Rifleman |
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Service number: 41344 |
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Enlistment date: 18/11/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand |
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Units: — New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 21/08/1917 |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 35 |
Cemetery
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La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery Plot: III Row: C Grave: 24 |
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 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place |
My story
William John McAughern was the son of Andrew and Hannah McAughern of Kells, Ballymena, Northern Ireland. He moved to New Zealand around 1910 and joined the army in Napier in November 1916. He joined the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4th Battalion. In March 1917, he departed from Wellington for the battlefields of the First World War.
After the Mine Battle of Messines, the battalion went off Waasten in August 1917. The weather and condition of the trenches at that time caused an increasing number of sick. Artillery and air activity was high during that month. So much so that the New Zealanders' German pilots were called “trench inspectors”. In response to the German attacks, the Allies in turn carried out heavy artillery shelling of Waasten and destroyed German machine gun towers with artillery. In the month of August, the New Zealand Rifle Brigade counted 66 killed, 358 wounded and 3 missing.
William, 35, was killed on 21 August 1917, two days before the relief of his unit. He was buried at Ration Farm, a logistical hub behind the lines, also known as La Plus Douve Farm (28.T.12.a.4.4). Today William John McAughern is buried at La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery in Plot III, Row C, Grave 24.
After the Mine Battle of Messines, the battalion went off Waasten in August 1917. The weather and condition of the trenches at that time caused an increasing number of sick. Artillery and air activity was high during that month. So much so that the New Zealanders' German pilots were called “trench inspectors”. In response to the German attacks, the Allies in turn carried out heavy artillery shelling of Waasten and destroyed German machine gun towers with artillery. In the month of August, the New Zealand Rifle Brigade counted 66 killed, 358 wounded and 3 missing.
William, 35, was killed on 21 August 1917, two days before the relief of his unit. He was buried at Ration Farm, a logistical hub behind the lines, also known as La Plus Douve Farm (28.T.12.a.4.4). Today William John McAughern is buried at La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery in Plot III, Row C, Grave 24.
Sources 3
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Austin W.S., The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (Naval & Military Press Ltd, East Sussex) 225-226. Sources used |
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Census of Ireland 1901 (The National Archives of Ireland, Dublin (NAI)). https://www.nationalarchives.ie/ Sources used |
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New Zealand Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives New Zealand, Wellington (ANZ), Box48, Record 0071257). https://www.archives.govt.nz/ Sources used |
More information 5
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The NZEF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://nzef.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=161931 |
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Online Cenotaph (Auckland Museum) https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C9104 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=121c6e6f-3285-42ba-b737-8772d20b55dc |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7178462 |
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/444790 |