Reginald Gillon Christophers
Born 8 Aug 1882 - Died 13 Oct 1918
- Service number
- WWI 60286 AWMM
- Also known as
- Reg AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM Otago Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
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- Forenames
- Reginald Gillon AWMM
- Surname
- Christophers AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
- Reg AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 60286 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
- Church of England, Christian AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 8 Aug 1882 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
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- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
- WW1 Mrs R.G. Christophers (wife), care of J.C. Woodward' Westbourne Road, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- 8 Aug 1907 AWMM Married AWMM
Alice Mildred Vyner (married in Monterey California) AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
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- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 60286 AWMM
- Military service
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- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
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Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
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Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW1 11 Jun 1917 AWMM
Age 34 AWMM
Civil Engineer/Civilian AWMM - Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 05 Jun 1918-31 Jul 1918 AWMM
HMNZT 105 AWMM Vessel was Remuera AWMM Second Lieutenant AWMM 38th Reinforcements, Specialists Company AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM
- Height, WWI AWMM
5 feet 11 1/2 inches AWMM - Chest measurement, WWI AWMM
34 1/2 inches AWMM - Chest, WWI AWMM
37 1/2 inches AWMM - Weight, WWI AWMM
160 lbs AWMM - Complexion, WWI AWMM
Medium AWMM - Hair colour, WWI AWMM
Brown grey AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM
Otago Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion AWMM - Last rank
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Biographical information
- Reginald Christophers was the son of Anthony and Juliet Christophers, of 258, Tweed St., Invercargill; husband of Alice Mildred Christophers, of 10, Centre St., Invercargill, New Zealand. Born at Dunedin.
One of four brothers to serve in the First World War: Herbert (Bert) Henry Christophers (24/7), Julian Anthony Christophers (45998), Victor James Christophers (9/549). They all attended Southland Boys High School and are commemorated in the 2010 novel "Poppy Boys" written by Lynley Dear, the Southland Boys High School Archivist.
"2ND-LIEUTENANT R. G. CHRISTOPHERS.
Entered camp in June 1917, joining the 34th N. C. O. class. From October to January, he had charge of a platoon, in the 34th Rfts. Early in February, he was appointed officer commanding the 38th Specialists Coy. Under his direction the Specialists have acquitted themselves with more than usual credit. Both a t musketry and machine gun practice at Papawai, the 38th Specs, under this officer, established records. In the latter practice the high standard of 9 8 p. c. was reached by his company. Lieut. Christophers comes from a family, who have indeed answered the call, three brothers having paid the extreme sacrifice, in their country’s cause. Gunner V. J. Christophers machine gun section was the first of the is fighting family to fall, he being killed a t Gallipoli. Next Capt. H. H. Christophers, of the rifle brigade 2nd Battalion, was killed at Armentieres. Private J. A. Christophers, of the 1st Canterbury Battalion was killed in Flanders. Owing to the latter ’R death Lieut Christophers’ departure , was delayed from the 34th’s until the 38th." HMNZT 105 - The Remuerian : being a record of the voyage en route of the 38th Reinforcements (p.23).
Next of Kin: Mrs A. M. Christophers, Invercargill (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 1)) AWMM
About death
- Death
- 13 Oct 1918 AWMM
Age 36 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
- New Zealanders were just over the Cambrai St Quentin Canal near the village of Crevecouer. 8th Oct.Public - Herb - Direct descendant - 6 October 2018 - Family papers
Extract from Rev Ronald Watson's letters. Presbyterian Pastor. - Cause of death
- Died of wounds AWMM
- Death notes
- At about 4.30am the attack started and very shortly afterwards I saw your son brought in badly wounded carried by 4 German prisoners, on a stretcher
Extract from Rev Ronald S Watson's letter Presbyterian PastorPublic - Herb - Direct descendant - 6 October 2018 - Extract from Rev Ronald S Watson's letter Presbyterian Pastor - Extract from Rev Ronald Watson's letters. Presbyterian Pastor.
"....On the 8th of October, at about 4.30 am, the attack started and very shortly afterwards I saw your son brought in badly wounded carried by four German prisoners, on a stretcher.
Sunday 13th October 1918
Buried near Beaulencourt in the British Cemetery Bapaume District France. Plot 1 Row B Grave No 40"Public - Herb - Direct descendant - 6 October 2018 - Family papers
- At about 4.30am the attack started and very shortly afterwards I saw your son brought in badly wounded carried by 4 German prisoners, on a stretcher
- Cemetery
- Beaulencourt British Cemetery, Ligny-Thilloy, Pas-de-Calais, France AWMM I. B. 1. AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
- Yes I was awfully sorry to hear that poor Reg Christophers died. He went through the class with me at Sling Camp & when our training was only partially finished he applied to be sent to France as he could not be bothered with the continual training.
Once, while we were having a spell during a hard days training he said to me “What do you think of all this tommy rot Spear?” and I agreed with him that it was tommy rot for we were doing slow march & turnings work that we had already done in NZ.
He replied that he would get out of it “go out to France” which he did a few days later. Some weeks afterwards while I was at Bapaume I met an officer I knew & he told me he had just been up to see the last of Christophers. He died the following day & the officer who told me of it was blown to pieces about 3 weeks later.
Christophers was waiting an opportunity to hop over the top with his men one day, & while a lull in the bombardment occurred he said “Righto boys into them” & over they went & shortly afterwards he was shot in the throat. He lingered for some days before death relieved him of his sufferings.
H.W. Spears
38th ReinforcementsPublic - Herb - Direct descendant - 6 October 2018 - H.W. Spears
38th Reinforcements
Holly was posted to the 38th Reinforcements of the New Zealand Division Ist NZEF in 1917. He sailed to England aboard the RMS Remuera (Troopship 105) and served in France on the Somme. Following the armistice he signed on with the British Army of Occupation in Germany. He was finally discharged in 1919.
Transcribed and compiled by:
W O (Bill) Harrington
Christchurch NZ
March 2013
woharrington@xtra.co.nz - Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
- Roll of Honour, Northern Wairoa RSA, Dargaville AWMM
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM
- Invercargill War Memorial
Southland Boys High SchoolPublic - Herb - Direct descendant - 6 October 2018 - Site visits
Related objects
Related Serviceperson
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21894160
Further Reference - Other military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7879734
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/564560/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/564560
Further Reference - New Zealand War Graves Trust
https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume IV. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
83: 13 - Dear, L. (2010). Poppy boys : an interpretation. Invercargill, N.Z.: Craigs.
- 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 Fields of Remembrance Trust: Brothers Field, Auckland Museum (Armistice, 2018)
- Scadden, J. (2018). Broken branches : New Zealand families who lost three or more children in the Great War.
- Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
- Byrne, A. E. Official History of the Otago Regiment, NZEF in the Great War, 1914–1918. Dunedin: J. Wilkie, 1921.
- HMNZT 105 - The Remuerian : being a record of the voyage en route of the 38th Reinforcements. Cardston, Owen, editor. Whitlock, W.A. (William Arthur), editor. Robinson, A.C. (Alwyn Clifford), editor. Croll, Donald George, artist. -- At sea : [Magazine Staff] Engraved and printed at Halifax, Canada by the Royal Print & Litho Limited : 1918.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume IV. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
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