Cpl
Robert Paisley (a.k.a. Johnston)
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 15/02/1889 |
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Place of birth: Ranfurly, Otago, New Zealand |
General information
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Profession: Miner |
Army information
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Country: New Zealand |
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Force: New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Corporal |
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Service number: 8/3931 |
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Enlistment date: 18/11/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand |
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Units: — Otago Regiment, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 12/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Bellevue 's, Graventafel, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 28 |
Memorial
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Tyne Cot, New Zealand Apse Panel: 3 |
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
Lance Corporal Andrew Kerr Paisley served in the 10th Company, 1st Battalion of the Otago Regiment, of the New Zealand 1st Brigade, part of the New Zealand Division. His battalion took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917.
The New Zealand Division attacked with two brigades, the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the left and the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right. The 1st Otago was allotted to the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right of the divisional front and was to attack with the 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, the 1st Bn. Otago Regiment and the 1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment. The 2nd Bn. Canterbury Regiment was in reserve. Three objectives were allotted in this order, the first being the Red Line (approx. Friesland Farm – Source Wood), the second being the Blue Line (approx. Graf Farm – Goudberg Copse) and the final being the Green Line (approx. Exert Copse - Vocation Farm).
At 5.25 a.m. the attack began with the 2nd Otago’s positioned at the front and thus leading the assault. The 1st Otago was to take the second objective, with the 10th (Otago) Company on the left flank of the Battalion. Tragedy stuck, however, when the friendly barrage that had to support the advance of the 2nd Otago’s came down short. The assembly line of the 1st Battalion Otago Regiment was hit, killing a number of men from the 10th Company.
On their right was the Ravebeek, that could be used as a guideline to reach Passchendaele. But shortly after, they got into difficulties because of uncut wire entanglements that lay in front of the jumping off line. The only gap in the wire was at a single point on the sunken Graventafel Road, which proved a death trap German machine guns concentrated fire on this position. The area of the Bellevue Spur was overloaded with German defences and pillboxes. The other battalions faced the similar problems and failed to reach the Red Line. At 3:30 p.m. orders were received that the 2nd Brigade was to consolidate their current positions and had to organize a defensive position in depth. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Otago Regiment held the front line, with the 1st holding the position from the Graventafel road to the Ravebeek on the right.
The 12th of October 1917 will be remembered as one of the most unsuccessful days in the history of the New Zealand Army. Lance Corporal Andrew Kerr Paisley was reported killed on that day. His grave was identified after the war and located at V.28.c.4.1.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/491947/paisley,-andrew-keir/
"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 128-132.
"The Official History of the Otago Regiment N.Z.E.F. in the Great War 1914-1918", Byrne A.E., Dunedin, Wilkie & Co Ltd., pg. 207 - 228.
Corporal Robert Paisley (also known as Robert Johnston) was a former miner that served in the 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment, part of the 2nd New Zealand Brigade, New Zealand Division. His battalion took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917.
The New Zealand Division attacked with two brigades, the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the left and the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right. The main goal of the attack was to capture the northern outskirts of the Passchendaele village. The jump-off line of this last Brigade was located between the Ravebeek on the right and Peter Pan on the left. The 2nd New Zealand Brigade consisted of the 2nd Battalion of Otago, the 1st Battalion of Otago and the 1st Battalion of Canterbury. The 2nd Battalion of Otago was to lead the attack and capture the Red Line (the first objective) which ran from the Ravebeek across Bellevue Spur.
Reaching the jump-off line south of Peter Pan along the Ravebeek was difficult due to the muddy ground conditions and enemy fire. At 5.25 a.m. the opening barrage commenced, and the 2nd Battalion of Otago advanced. The right struggled up from Marsh Bottom while the left flank was held up by uncut wire. The combination of uncut wire and machine gun fire from pillboxes on the crest of Bellevue spur made further advancement impossible. The surviving attackers were told to dig in where they were, which was southwest of Laamkreek. The other battalions faced similar problems.
Corporal Robert Paisley was reported killed in action on the 12th of October 1917. His grave was not recovered after the war. Corporal Paisley is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.
The New Zealand Division attacked with two brigades, the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the left and the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right. The 1st Otago was allotted to the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right of the divisional front and was to attack with the 2nd Bn. Otago Regiment, the 1st Bn. Otago Regiment and the 1st Bn. Canterbury Regiment. The 2nd Bn. Canterbury Regiment was in reserve. Three objectives were allotted in this order, the first being the Red Line (approx. Friesland Farm – Source Wood), the second being the Blue Line (approx. Graf Farm – Goudberg Copse) and the final being the Green Line (approx. Exert Copse - Vocation Farm).
At 5.25 a.m. the attack began with the 2nd Otago’s positioned at the front and thus leading the assault. The 1st Otago was to take the second objective, with the 10th (Otago) Company on the left flank of the Battalion. Tragedy stuck, however, when the friendly barrage that had to support the advance of the 2nd Otago’s came down short. The assembly line of the 1st Battalion Otago Regiment was hit, killing a number of men from the 10th Company.
On their right was the Ravebeek, that could be used as a guideline to reach Passchendaele. But shortly after, they got into difficulties because of uncut wire entanglements that lay in front of the jumping off line. The only gap in the wire was at a single point on the sunken Graventafel Road, which proved a death trap German machine guns concentrated fire on this position. The area of the Bellevue Spur was overloaded with German defences and pillboxes. The other battalions faced the similar problems and failed to reach the Red Line. At 3:30 p.m. orders were received that the 2nd Brigade was to consolidate their current positions and had to organize a defensive position in depth. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Otago Regiment held the front line, with the 1st holding the position from the Graventafel road to the Ravebeek on the right.
The 12th of October 1917 will be remembered as one of the most unsuccessful days in the history of the New Zealand Army. Lance Corporal Andrew Kerr Paisley was reported killed on that day. His grave was identified after the war and located at V.28.c.4.1.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/491947/paisley,-andrew-keir/
"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 128-132.
"The Official History of the Otago Regiment N.Z.E.F. in the Great War 1914-1918", Byrne A.E., Dunedin, Wilkie & Co Ltd., pg. 207 - 228.
Corporal Robert Paisley (also known as Robert Johnston) was a former miner that served in the 2nd Battalion Otago Regiment, part of the 2nd New Zealand Brigade, New Zealand Division. His battalion took part in the First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917.
The New Zealand Division attacked with two brigades, the 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the left and the 2nd New Zealand Brigade on the right. The main goal of the attack was to capture the northern outskirts of the Passchendaele village. The jump-off line of this last Brigade was located between the Ravebeek on the right and Peter Pan on the left. The 2nd New Zealand Brigade consisted of the 2nd Battalion of Otago, the 1st Battalion of Otago and the 1st Battalion of Canterbury. The 2nd Battalion of Otago was to lead the attack and capture the Red Line (the first objective) which ran from the Ravebeek across Bellevue Spur.
Reaching the jump-off line south of Peter Pan along the Ravebeek was difficult due to the muddy ground conditions and enemy fire. At 5.25 a.m. the opening barrage commenced, and the 2nd Battalion of Otago advanced. The right struggled up from Marsh Bottom while the left flank was held up by uncut wire. The combination of uncut wire and machine gun fire from pillboxes on the crest of Bellevue spur made further advancement impossible. The surviving attackers were told to dig in where they were, which was southwest of Laamkreek. The other battalions faced similar problems.
Corporal Robert Paisley was reported killed in action on the 12th of October 1917. His grave was not recovered after the war. Corporal Paisley is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Andrew Keir Paisley
Nephew |
Sources 5
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 128-132. Sources used |
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"The Official History of the Otago Regiment N.Z.E.F. in the Great War 1914-1918", Byrne A.E., Dunedin, Wilkie & Co Ltd., pg. 207 - 228. Sources used |
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Auckland Cenotaph https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C64811?n=8%2F3931&w=World%20War%20I%2C%201914-1918&ordinal=0&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/848033/paisley,-robert/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |