 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Need Help? click here to read the tips on searching. |
click here to search other Collection Databases. |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Record Detail |
 |
|
| Full Name: |
Private 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 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Click on an image for a larger view |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |