Armoury - New Zealanders at WarTe Kakano - Pacific Resource CentreLibrary Catalogue - Written & PictorialWebsite - Learn MoreLibrary Resources - Websites and DatabasesNatural History Information Centre
Click to go to the Book Of Rememberance
Click to go to the Advanced Search
View the complete list of Names
Click here for other Electronic Resources
 
Cenotaph Record
Refine Search Search Tips
Full Name
Philip Felton McRae
Rank Last Held
Captain
Forename(s)
Philip Felton
Surname
McRae
War
World War I, 1914-1918
Serial No.
24/15
Gender
Male
Place of Birth
Palmerston North, New Zealand
First Known Rank
Lieutenant
Next of Kin
George R. McRae (father), Wellsford, North Auckland, New Zealand
Marital Status
Single
Enlistment Address
Wellsford, North Auckland, New Zealand
Military District
Auckland
Body on Embarkation
2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Embarkation Unit
B Company
Embarkation Date
9 October 1915
Place of Embarkation
Wellington, New Zealand
Transport
Vessel
Maunganui or Tahiti or Aparima or Navua or Warrimoo
Destination
Suez, Egypt
Nominal Roll Number
Vol1
Page on Nominal Roll
475
Campaigns
Battle of Passchendaele
Last Unit Served
New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 2nd Battalion
Place of Death
Ypres, Belgium
Date of Death
12 October 1917
Age at Death
26
Year of Death
1917
Cause of Death
Killed in action
Cemetery Name
Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Grave Reference
XXXIX.A.12.
Memorial Name
  • Family grave memorial, Hoteo North Cemetery, 623 Wayby Station Rd, Hoteo North, Rodney District
  • Wellsford War Memorial, Wellsford, New Zealand
  • Wellsford War Memorial Library, Wellsford, New Zealand
  • Roll of Honour, WW1 & WW2, Wellsford War Memorial Library, Wellsford, New Zealand
  • Roll of Honour, Wellsford RSA, 1 Olympus Road, Wellsford
Obituary
  • "Captain Phillip [sic] Felton McRae, Rifle Brigade, was the eldest son of Mr. G. R. McRae, and was born at Palmerston North, and educated at Tokomaru school and Palmerston High School. He came north to Hoteo six years ago, with his parents. He was posted to the 15th, North Auckland, Regiment, and took a keen interest in his military duties, riding five miles to drill, often through rain and mud, at night. He rapidly rose through all grades, finally gaining his commission as first lieutenant. He left New Zealand on October 9, 1915. He was promoted captain in June, 1916. He has been through all the fighting with the New Zealanders, and was never wounded or sick. After the Somme battle he had his first leave to England. He was 26 years old, and was a grandson of the late Phillip R. McRae, Blairich Run, Marlborough, and also of the late John Felton Heighway, mining engineer, Thames." (Auckland Weekly News, 15 November 1917, p. 21)
  • "McRAE. On October 12, killed in action in France, Philip Felton McRae (Captain, 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade), the eldest dearly-beloved son of George Richard and Winnie McRae, and grandson of the late John Felton Heighway, of Thames; aged 26 years. Deeply regretted." (Auckland Weekly News, 15 November 1917, p. 30)
Biographical Notes
  • Son of George Richard and Mary Anne McRae, of Wellsford. Native of Tokomaru, Manawatu. New Zealand.
  • Gained Lieutenant's commission on 1 October 1915 (Studholme 1928).
  • Promoted to Captain on 30 June 1916 (Studholme 1928).
Description of Image
  • Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1917
  • WW1 memorial plaque presented to the family by Government and later embedded in the family plot in Hoteo North Cemtery (photo John Halpin, 2011)
  • Family grave memorial, Hoteo North Cemetery (photo John Halpin, 2011)
  • Wellsford War Memorial (photo J. Halpin November 2010)
  • Wellsford War Memorial, WW1 name panel (photo J. Halpin November 2010)
  • Roll of Honour, WW1 & WW2, Wellsford War Memorial Library (photo J. Halpin November 2010)
  • Wellsford Memorial Library, front (photo John Halpin November 2010)
  • Wellsford Memorial Library, side (photo John Halpin November 2010)
  • Roll of Honour, Wellsford RSA (Photo J. Halpin 23 April 2011)
  • Roll of Honour, detail, Wellsford RSA (Photo J. Halpin 23 April 2011)
  • Wellsford RSA (Photo J. Halpin 23 April 2011)
Additional Information
Listed as F McRae on the Wellsford Memorial
Archives NZ source
Further References
Sources Used
  • Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume I. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1914-1919
  • Studholme, J. (1928). Record of personal services during the war of officers, nurses and first-class warrant officers and other facts relating to the N.Z.E.F. Unofficial but based on official records. Wellington: Government printer.
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission. URL: http://www.cwgc.org