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Cenotaph Record
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Full Name
William Arthur Ham
Rank Last Held
Private
Forename(s)
William Arthur
Surname
Ham
War
World War I, 1914-1918
Serial No.
6/246
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
14 April 1892
Place of Birth
Ireland
Religion
Anglican
First Known Rank
Private
Occupation before Enlistment
Labourer
Next of Kin
William E. Ham (father), Motueka, Nelson, New Zealand
Marital Status
Single
Enlistment Address
Pokororo, New Zealand
Physical Description
  • Height: 5 feet 10 inches
  • Weight: 10 stone 8 pounds
  • Eye colour: Blue
  • Hair colour: Brown
Enlistment Date
15 August 1914
Age on Enlistment
22
Military District
Canterbury
Body on Embarkation
Main Body
Embarkation Unit
Canterbury Infantry Battalion
Embarkation Date
16 October 1914
Place of Embarkation
Wellington, New Zealand
Transport
Vessel
Athenic
Destination
Suez,Egypt (3 December 1914)
Nominal Roll Number
Vol1
Page on Nominal Roll
295
Campaigns
Egyptian
Military Awards
  • 1914-15 Star
  • British War Medal
  • Victory Medal
Last Unit Served
Canterbury Infantry Battalion
Place of Death
Egypt
Date of Death
5 February 1915
Age at Death
22
Year of Death
1915
Cause of Death
Died of wounds
Cemetery Name
Ismailia War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
Grave Reference
A.113.
Memorial Name
Ngatimoti War Memorial, Tasman District, New Zealand
Biographical Notes
William Ham was killed when the New Zealand Infantry Brigade helped repulse a Turkish attack on the Suez Canal. According to his family he was the first New Zealand soldier killed in the First World War.
Description of Image
  • Portrait, Private William Arthur Ham. (Courtesy of Lisa Ham)
  • Gravestone of his stepfather, Private Cyril Montague Bartlett who was married to William's mother (Courtesy of Lisa Ham)
Further References
Sources Used
Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume I. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1914-1919
Previous Military Experience
12th Nelson Regiment