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Cenotaph record

Edward John Wills

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Portrait - No known copyright restrictions

Portrait - No known copyright restrictions

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Edward John AWMM
  • Surname
    Wills AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Ted AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 29119 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 28 June 1916 AWMM 662 Gloucester Road, Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    E.J. Wills (father), 662 Gloucester Street, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 16 October 1916 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    1914-1919 Western Front AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 29119 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Medal (MM) AWMM
      London Gazette, 17 December 1917, p13202, Rec No 1305 states as follows: 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty, at Gravenstafel on 4/10/1917. During the advance he led his section in the attack and just before reaching the objective had his arm blown off. With a splendid determination he refused all assistance, ordered his men to push on and by coolness and courage, he steadied them at a trying period. He has always shown a fine devotion to duty.' - 'London Gazette'- 17/12/1917 AWMM
    • British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
    • Victory Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 28 June 1916 AWMM
    Age 20 AWMM
    Printer/Civilian AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • 05 Oct 1917 {Age 21} AWMMHeight, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 feet 9 inches AWMM
    • Weight, Unknown Period AWMM
      139 pounds AWMM
    • Complexion, Unknown Period AWMM
      Medium AWMM
    • Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Brown AWMM
    • Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Brown AWMM
    • Other, Unknown Period AWMM
      Normal health and fit for service AWMM
    • Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM
    • Height, WWI AWMM
      5' 9" AWMM
    • Weight, WWI AWMM
      139 lb AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Son of Edward John and Kate Eliza Wills of Christchurch

    Printer with the Lyttelton Times, Christchurch

    Wills died at Gravenstafel on 5 October 1917 as a result of wounds recieved during battle. He received a Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty during this engagement.

    Embarked Wellington, 16 October 1916; disembarked Plymouth, England, 29 December 1916, and marched in to Sling Camp.
    Joined 3rd Bn, Auckland Infantry Regiment, and posted to 15th Company, Codford, 24 April 1917.
    Proceeded overseas to France, 28 May 1917.
    Appointed Lance Corporal, 17 June 1917; appointed Temporary Corporal, 18 June 1917; promoted Corporal, 1 August 1917.
    Wounded in action, 4 October 1917 (gun shot wound, right arm; compound fracture), and admitted to No 3 NZ Field Ambulance; transferred to No 3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, 5 October 1917.
    Died of wounds, 5 October 1917.
    Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal

    Parents: Edward John and Kate Eliza Wills, 662 Gloucester Street, East Christchurch AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    5 October 1917 AWMM
    Age 21 AWMM
    Belgium, Europe AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of wounds AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium AWMM II E 2 AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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

Roll of Honour

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Leave a tribute or memory of Edward John Wills

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  • I am the Grandson of CPL E J Wills Brother... Ronald.

    I visited the gravesite of CPL Wills in Aug 2013.

    Today (5th October - NZ Time) 4th October in Belgium is the 100 year anniversary of the battle in which Ted received his wounds, and subsequently died the following day... and is buried at Nine Elms Cemetery, near Poperinge.

    Least we forget... We will remember them....
    Public - David - Other relative - 5 October 2017
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • 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. AWMM
    • New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      43: 32 AWMM
    • NZEF Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 3: Includes portrait AWMM
    • NZWGT: Information supplied by the New Zealand War Graves Trust as part of the New Zealand War Graves project. This project was established in 2006 to record in text and photographs the 31,758 New Zealanders who have been identifed as serving with New Zealand or Allied forces, and who died in conflicts from the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) up to the present day and in peacekeeping operations. AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM
    • Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2. AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
05 October 2017DavidWellington, New ZealandOther relative

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