| Full Name: |
James Archibald Pirrit |
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| Rank Last Held: |
Corporal |
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| Forename(s): |
James Archibald |
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| Surname: |
Pirrit |
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| Also Known As: |
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| War: |
World War I, 1914-1918 |
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| Serial No.: |
13/2893 |
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| Gender: |
Male |
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| Date of Birth: |
3 October 1889 |
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| Place of Birth: |
Whangarata, Franklin, New Zealand |
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| Religion: |
Presbyterian |
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| First Known Rank: |
Trooper |
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| Occupation before Enlistment: |
Farmer |
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| Next of Kin: |
James Russell Pirritt (father), Kiwitahi Road, Morrinsville, New Zealand |
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| Marital Status: |
Single |
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| Enlistment Address: |
Kiwitahi Road, Morrinsville, New Zealand |
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| Physical Description: |
- Height: 5 foot 10.5 inches
- Complexion: Fair
- Hair: Brown
- Eyes: Grey
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| Enlistment Date: |
19 October 1915 |
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| Age on Enlistment: |
26 |
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| Body on Embarkation: |
New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
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| Embarkation Unit: |
9th Reinforcements Auckland Mounted Rifles, A Squadron |
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| Embarkation Date: |
8 January 1916 |
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| Place of Embarkation: |
Wellington, New Zealand |
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| Transport: |
HMNZT 37 |
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| Vessel: |
Maunganui |
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| Destination: |
Suez, Egypt |
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| Nominal Roll Number: |
21 |
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| Page on Nominal Roll: |
3 |
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| Other Units: |
Auckland Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion |
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| Campaigns: |
Western Front |
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| Military Awards: |
- British War Medal (1914-1920)
- Victory Medal
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| Wounds and Diseases: |
New Zealand General Hospital, Cairo - Influenza 4 March 1916 |
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| Last Unit Served: |
Auckland Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 6th (Hauraki) Company |
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| Place of Death: |
Somme, France |
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| Date of Death: |
15 September 1916 |
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| Age at Death: |
26 |
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| Year of Death: |
1916 |
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| Cause of Death: |
Killed in action |
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| Memorial Name: |
- Caterpillar Valley (New Zealand) Memorial, Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories
- Pukekohe Intermediate School, WW1, Memorial stones & loving memory roses
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| Biographical Notes: |
- James Pirrit was the son of James and Agnes J. Pirrit, of Kiwitahi, Morrinsville, Waikato. He was the 2nd son in a family of 12 children.
- James Pirrit was killed in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette.
- His brothers, Blair Joseph Pirrit (54775) and David Andrew Pirrit (33600) also served in France 1917-1918.
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| Description of Image: |
- Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1916
- Pukekohe Intermediate School, WW1, Memorial stones (photo J Halpin September 2010)
- Pukekohe Intermediate School, WW1, Memorial stones long view 1 (photo J Halpin September 2010)
- Pukekohe Intermediate School, WW1, Memorial stones long view 2 (photo J Halpin September 2010)
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| Additional Information: |
Surname listed as Pirritt in the Nominal Rolls |
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| Archives NZ source: |
Military personnel file |
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| Further References: |
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| Sources Used: |
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission. URL: http://www.cwgc.org
- Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1917
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| Previous Military Experience: |
Pukekohe Mounted Rifles |
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| Click on an image for a larger view |
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