James Rankin

Forenames

James AWMM

Surname

Rankin AWMM

Service number

WWI 2/1252 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Birth

31 Jan 1888 AWMM

Address before enlistment

Unknown AWMM View Road, Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

John Rankin (father), View Road, Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

Pre 14 Feb 1915 AWMM Single AWMM

War

World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Campaign

• 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM
• 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
• Battle of the Somme AWMM
• 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWI 2/1252 AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM
  06 Sep 1915 AWMM
  For conspicuous gallantry on 6th August, 1915, near Lone Pine (Dardanelles). While his battery was bombarding the position the telephone line was cut. Gunner Rankin Avent out voluntarily under heavy and continuous fire and laid another wire over the broken section, enabling the Battery Commander to resume control within half an hour of the communications being broken, thus materially assisting our fire effect. His bravery and good work have been consistently shown since the landing on 26th April. [Source: The Edinburgh Gazette, 1 December 1915, Issue 12878, p1826] London Gazette, 29 November 1915, p11900 AWMM
• 1914-1915 Star AWMM
• Victory Medal AWMM
• British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM

Enlistment

WW1 15 Dec 1914 AWMM
Age  26 AWMM
Coach-Smith/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

• WW1 14 Feb 1915-26 Mar 1915 AWMM
  HMNZT 17 or HMNZT 18 or HMNZT 19 AWMM Vessel was Maunganui or Tahiti or Aparima AWMM Gunner/Military AWMM New Zealand Field Artillery AWMM 3rd Reinforcements AWMM
• Vessel was Maunganui (Troopship No.17) and left Wellington Sunday February 14th.
  Public - Kirsten - Other relative - 14 September 2016 - Jim's personal diary

Medical notes

• Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
• Height, WWI AWMM
  5 ft 6 in AWMM
• Weight, WWI AWMM
  9 stone 10 lbs AWMM

Last rank

WW1 Acting Sergeant/Military AWMM
New Zealand Field Artillery AWMM

Son of John and Margaret Rankin of Normanby Road, Mount Eden, Auckland

Next of Kin: Mr J, Rankin, Normanby Rd, Mt Eden (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 2)) AWMM

Death

20 Sept 1916 AWMM
Age  28 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed in Action AWMM

Cemetery

Thistle Dump Cemetery, High Wood, Longueval, Somme, France AWMM C 24 AWMM

Memorial name

• St David's Church, 68 Khyber Pass Road, Grafton, Auckland 1023 AWMM
• Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
• 500 South Titirangi Road, Titirangi, Auckland AWMM
• 500 South Titirangi Road, Titirangi, Auckland AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R20804146
  Further Reference
• A Street Near You record
  https://astreetnearyou.org/person/545201/-
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/545201
  Further Reference
• born in Rockhampton Queensland Australia in 1889. James was my great uncle.
  Public - Graham Wayne Mckay - Other Relative - 7 September 2015 - Queensland births deaths and marriages

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.
  Page No: 602
• Edinburgh Gazette
  1 December 1915, Issue:12878 Page:1826
• Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
  Vol. 4: Includes portrait
• The parting of the ways : a souvenir record of the triumphs, tribulations and maritime musings of returning draft H.M.N.Z.T No. 217, 'Zealandic'. January 18th, 1919 to February 26th, 1919.
• Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
• Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
• Byrne, J.R. (1922). New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914 - 18. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.