Leonard James Shaw
Born 5 Aug 1885 - Died 29 Sept 1918
- Service number
- WWI 7/1323 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM Auckland Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 6th (Hauraki) Company AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Leonard James AWMM
- Surname
- Shaw AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 7/1323 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- Presbyterian, Christian AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 5 Aug 1885 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- Pre 08 May 1915 AWMM 205 The Terrace, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- Mrs J.L. Shaw (sister), Hospital, Thames, New Zealand AWMM
- Mrs W. Osborne (sister), Opuatia, Mercer, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 14 Aug 1915 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
- 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 7/1323 AWMM
- Military service
- Waikato Rifle Club AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- 1914-1915 Star AWMM
- British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
- Victory Medal AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 08 May 1915 AWMM
Age 29 AWMM - WW1 Analyst/Civilian AWMM
- WW1 08 May 1915 AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- Dominion Laboratory, WellingtonPublic - ROBERT KEITH - Other relative - 25 April 2017 - Family oral history
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 14 Aug 1915-19 Sep 1915 AWMM
HMNZT 28 AWMM Vessel was Tofua AWMM Corporal/Military AWMM Canterbury Mounted Rifles AWMM 6th Reinforcements AWMM - WW1 23 Apr 1918-18 Jul 1918 AWMM
HMNZT 102 AWMM Vessel was Willochra AWMM Second Lieutenant AWMM 36th Reinforcements, A Company AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
- WW1 14 Aug 1915-19 Sep 1915 AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
5 feet 10 1/2 inches AWMM - Weight, Unknown Period AWMM
11 stone AWMM - Complexion, Unknown Period AWMM
Dark AWMM - Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
Brown AWMM - Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
Brown AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Wounded in action: 13 July 1916; Admitted 35 General Hospital 14 July 1916; Admitted 2nd London General Hospital 16 July 1916; admitted NZ Convalescent Camp 27 July 1916; Attached NZ Convalescent Depot 7 September 1916. AWMM - Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM
Auckland Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, 6th (Hauraki) Company AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Leonard Shaw was the son of John and Jessie Shaw, Glen Murray, Auckland.
Copy of letter from Leslie Shaw to his brothers and sister telling of death of Leonard J. Shaw (acc. 2002.82.5 -Auckland War Memorial Museum)
"France. 27th October 1918
My dear Brothers and sisters,
It is a hard matter to write of Len's supreme sacrifice as I know how sorrowful you all must be, even now I can hardly believe that such a great loss can really be ours.
I have just received a letter from his captain in which he speaks very highly of the work Len was doing and expressed great regret at not having met him as he was away in leave during the short time Len was with the battalion. It has been hard to get any particulars. All the officers in the Haurakis that day are casualties and there are few left who went over with him. But I was fortunate enough to meet one of the lads who was with him at the last and this is what he told me. The Haurakis were advancing in the side of the village but had to wait on the Wellingtons (on their right) who were held up by machine gun fire. The Wellingtons sent across for assistance and Len volunteered to go. The chap who gave me this account asked Len if he could go too and several of them crossed under fire from a rise where the Germans were putting up their stand. They had to advance over flat ground that gave no cover, the higher ground occupied by the Germans giving them direct fire into the shell holes that would otherwise would have afforded some protection. Len, this chap and another rushed into a shell hole from which a Wellington machine gunner was firing and did a little sniping til the Wellington was wounded in the knee. Len then took the machine gun but had only fired about 5 rounds when a bullet struck in his neck.
Though this account is brief we can see how nobly Len was playing the game and feel sure Captain Montcrief meant his words when he wrote that Len was doing splendid work and was one of the most liked promising officers. Since it was decreed that he should lay down his life, we can be thankful that he did not have to suffer. The men of course had to go in but on the 9th, the day I met the chap he had gone back over the same ground to see if there was anything he could do. Len had been buried in the vicinity, by a small village, Beaulateause, a place you will not find unless you can procure a very detailed map. This is about 12 miles on the right of Cambia, somewhat in advance will give you the idea of the locality. Some few yards from the spot they found Len's batsman who had evidently been killed by a shell while trying to get away. By him on the ground they found Len's pocket book and binoculars.
These they gave to me and I have sent the pocket book to Bella, intending to do the same with the binoculars when safe means offer. They can't be sent by post.
We are now many miles in advance of this village, but when the smallest opportunity offers I shall go back to Len's grave and shall then do all that is possible, attending to the making and naming of the monument as befitting. I am writing to the Padre to find out what has already been done. This is all I can tell you as yet. I am posting this to Mary as it would take some time to go from me to the others and I cannot write to you all if you perhaps some you could copy it and send the copy to the others.
Ever from your loving brother,
Leslie Shaw
SuppNom: Ex 6th Reinforcements.
Next of Kin: Mrs W. Osborne, Opuatia, Raglan (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 2)) AWMM - The following Cenotaph note has been reported:
"An old friend of mine, Tony Woolhouse, died recently while on a cycling holiday in the South Island. He was a scientist at the Ferrier Institute, Victoria University, Wellington. He started his career at the DSIR and after restructuring was with Industrial Research Ltd, Callaghan Innovation and finally the Ferrier institute. When DSIR was disestablished he rescued from the dump bin two framed photographs of DSIR staff, who had died while on active service overseas. One was of '2nd Lt L.J. Shaw Killed in Action, France 29.7.1918'. Tony's grandfather was also a Gallipoli veteran and his father served in WW2 I had promised to help locate the descendants of Leonard James Shaw so that the framed photograph could be returned to them. Tony is no longer with us but I have been given this photograph, by his daughters, to fulfil this promise. I look forward to hearing from descendants."
The reason given was:
I'm a 1st cousin 1 x removed of James Leonard Shaw commonly known as Len. I' m in the progress of writing the Shaw Family Book and would be able to put this photo to good use, a copy would be very much appreciated. we are very pleased to learn the photo has been rescued. The loss of Len was not the only tragedy his family had to bear, Len's mother died when he was seven years of age, thus leaving his father John with a family of 11 children to care for. Len was a keen footballer and was among the Victoria University Wellington reps when toured Australia.
Reported by:
Estelle ShawPublic - Estelle - Other Relative - 25 April 2015 - Family knowledge
- Leonard Shaw was the son of John and Jessie Shaw, Glen Murray, Auckland.
About death
- Death
- 29 Sept 1918 AWMM
Age 32 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Grevillers (New Zealand) Memorial, Grevillers British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France AWMM
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7816231
Further Reference - Other military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7880826
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/1738861/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1738861
Further Reference - Powles, C.G. (Ed). (1928). History of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles 1914-19. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20210315175255/http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1CMRi-t1-body.html
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 656 - New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume IV. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
81: 3 - 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. 2: Includes portrait - Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
- Burton, O. (1922). The Auckland regiment : being an account of the doings on active service of the First, Second and Third Battalions of the Auckland Regiment. Wellington, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Powles, C.G. (Ed). (1928). History of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles 1914-19. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- HMNZT 102. The port light : N.Z.E.F. 36th Reinfs. : H.M.N.Z.T. Willochra, at sea. [1918]. Auckland, New Zealand: G. Malcolm, printed & bound Abel Dykes Ltd.
- The Surcingle : official organ of the Silent Sixth Rfcts, New Zealand Expdy Force. [At sea] : [Magazine Committee], 1915.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
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