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Record Detail |
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| Full Name: |
Rifleman Edward Vazey |
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| Rank Last Held: |
Rifleman |
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| Forename(s): |
Edward |
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| Surname: |
Vazey |
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| Also Known As: |
Eddie Vazey |
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| War: |
World War I, 1914-1918 |
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| Serial No.: |
26718 |
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| First Known Rank: |
Rifleman |
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| Occupation before Enlistment: |
Stereotyper |
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| Next of Kin: |
E.H. Vazey (father), 12 Edwin Street, Newton, Auckland, New Zealand |
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| Body on Embarkation: |
New Zealand Rifle Brigade |
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| Embarkation Unit: |
8th Reinforcements 4th Battalion, H Company |
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| Embarkation Date: |
23 September 1916 |
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| Place of Embarkation: |
Wellington, New Zealand |
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| Transport: |
HMNZT 65 |
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| Vessel: |
Pakeha |
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| Destination: |
Devonport, England |
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| Nominal Roll Number: |
41 |
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| Page on Nominal Roll: |
39 |
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| Military Awards: |
Military Medal (MM) |
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| Award Circumstances: |
MM. London Gazette, 16 August 1917, p. 8430 |
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| Last Unit Served: |
New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 4 Battalion |
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| Place of Death: |
Belgium |
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| Date of Death: |
22 June 1917 |
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| Age at Death: |
19 |
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| Year of Death: |
1917 |
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| Cause of Death: |
Killed in action |
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| Memorial Name: |
- Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial, Messines Ridge British Cemetery, Belgium
- Family grave memorial, Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland
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| Biographical Notes: |
- Son of Edward Henry Vazey, of Newton, Auckland, and the late Julia Vazey.
- Edward Vazey was related to Edward H. Vazey, Serial Number A/1821, who died when the Neptune sank in the Mediterranean in 1941, during World War 2.
- H Company formed part of the 8th Reinforcements to the 4th Battalion. It left New Zealand in two drafts. The first draft left on 23 September 1916, aboard the Pakeha; the second draft left two days later on 25 September 1916, aboard the Devon.
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| Description of Image: |
- Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1917
- Gravestone at Waikumete Cemetery commemorating 26718 Edward Vazey (image provided by Sarndra Lees)
- Gravestone at Waikumete Cemetery commemorating 26718 Edward Vazey (image provided by Sarndra Lees)
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| Further References: |
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| Additional Information: |
- New Zealand Rifle Brigade lost 157 killed during June 1917 at Messines in France. Edward Vazey was one of these. The New Zealanders were part of a move forward at Ploegsteert Wood together with the 3rd Australian Division around mid June. On 12 June, following investigative patrols along the enemy front line, several posts previously occupied by Germans were taken over. Because of the broken nature of the new line taken up, patrolling was a feature of the utmost importance. It was necessary both to ascertain definitely the enemy's positions and also to keep vital communication links between our own posts. Three runners got special mention for having performed extraordinary feats in the open country under fire whilst on these vital missions. They were Riflemen E. Vazey, S.N. Managh and S.E. Johns.
- The fighting centred around the Sugar Refinery and other buildings on the Lys. By active patrolling the troops of the 4th Brigade pushed their front forward to the west bank of the Lys and as the advancement of posts was equally successful along the rest of the army front the British line was brought in close contact with the strong German defensive system known to us as the 'Warneton Line'. By 18/19 June the Brigade had moved to the Messines-La Basse Ville Road and had encountered strong enemy opposition, including heavy shelling and being drenched with gas. The action around 22 June is recorded by W.S. Austin: 'Brigade Headquarters moved from Nieppe to Brune Gaye and the Brigade immediately commenced digging continuous front and support lines and by bold patrolling gained control of the whole of the ground in front as far forward as the River Lys'. During this activity Vazey was killed.
- Some H Company sailed on the Devon
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| Sources Used: |
- Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1917
- McDonald, H. (2001). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. Napier, The Author.
- Austin, W. (1924). The official history of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool's Own). Wellington, L T Watkins. Digital copy URL: http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-NZRi.html
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