William Arthur Birkett

Forenames

William Arthur AWMM

Surname

Birkett AWMM

Service number

WWI 4/600 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Place of birth

Christchurch, NZ

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 8 May 2023 - Military Record

Birth notes

Son of R. E. F. and Annie Birkett, of "Rosewell," Collins St., Gisborne

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 8 May 2023 - Military Record

Address before enlistment

356 Clifford Street, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

R.A.F. Birkett (father), 356 Clifford Street, Whatapoko, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

Pre 14 Dec 1914 AWMM Single/WWI AWMM

War

World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWI 4/600 AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Military Medal (MM) AWMM
  28 Jan 1918 AWMM
  In the operations at Bellevue Spur on 12 October, Sergeant Birkett was with the 3rd (Rifle) Brigade Forward Signalling Party. After the Party came under heavy fire and was split up, Sergeant Birkett collected as many of the Party as he could. Seeing that the advance was not sufficent to enable him to establish the forward situation, he reported back to Advanced Brigade Headquaters at about 7 hours after zero in an exhausted condition. Finding on arrival that all the linesmen at HQ had been wounded he immediately commenced laying lines to the new Battallion headquarters and continued this work untill after daybreak on 13 October. He completed this action on a slope exposed to enemy machine gun fire. His gallantry, perserverance, and endurance maintained communication through to the Battallion at a time when it was especially vulnerable owing to the disorganisation. Sergeant Birkett's gallant conduct has been conspicuous on several previous occassions, both in Gallipoli and France. London Gazette. AWMM
• Cross of Karageorge, 1st Class with Swords (Serbia) AWMM
  15 Feb 1917 AWMM
  For distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign. London Gazette. AWMM
• British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
• Victory Medal AWMM

Enlistment

WW1

Embarkation details

WW1 14 Dec 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 13 or HMNZT 14 or HMNZT 15 AWMM Vessel was Verdala or Willochra or Knight of the Garter AWMM Sapper AWMM New Zealand Field Engineers AWMM 2nd Reinforcements AWMM

Medical notes

Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

WW1 Sergeant AWMM
New Zealand Engineers, Divisional Signals Company AWMM

Son of Mr R.A.F. Birkett (father) and Annie Birkett of "Rosewell", Collins Street, Gisborne

Next of Kin: Mr R. E. F. Birkett, Gisborne (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 1)) AWMM

Death

28 Mar 1918 AWMM
Age  24 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed in Action AWMM

Cemetery

Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France AWMM III A 2 AWMM

Obituary

BIRRETT - In loving Memory of our dear Willie, Sergeant W: A. Birkett, M.M. and Cross of Kara George, who was killed in action in France on March 28th, 1918.
His sun was set while it was yet day.
Oh! for the touch of a vanished hand,
For the sound of a voice that is still
— Inserted by .his loving parents and brothers

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 19 June 2023 - POVERTY BAY HERALD, VOLUME XLVI, ISSUE 14872, 28 MARCH 1919, PAGE 4

Memorial name

Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22311438
  Further Reference
• A Street Near You record
  https://astreetnearyou.org/person/524484/-
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/524484
  Further Reference
• New Zealand War Graves Trust
  https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
  Further Reference

References

• McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers.
• New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  Vol1: 56
• Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
• Annabell, N. Official History of the New Zealand Engineers during the Great War 1914–1919. Wanganui: Evans, Cobb & Sharpe, 1927.