William Charles Falconer
Born 24 Sept 1893 - Died 8 Aug 1915
- Service number
- WWI 10/777 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM Wellington Infantry Battalion AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- William Charles AWMM
- Surname
- Falconer AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 10/777 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- Presbyterian, Christian AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 24 Sept 1893 Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- Unknown AWMM Eltham, Taranaki, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- L. Falconer, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 10/777 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- —
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 16 Oct 1914-03 Dec 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 7 or HMNZT 10 AWMM Vessel was Arawa or Limerick AWMM Private AWMM Wellington Infantry Battalion AWMM Main Body AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM
- Height, WWI AWMM
5' 11" AWMM - Weight, WWI AWMM
154 lb AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Private AWMM
Wellington Infantry Battalion AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Son of Mr and Mrs L. Falconer, Riwaka, Nelson, New Zealand.
Private Falconer was reported as receiving the first messages in the battle between the Sydney and the Emden in November 1914 when he was on wireless duty on HMNT Arawa. An account appeared in the Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, 16 December 1914, Page 5. AWMM - "On our ship the 'Arawa' there was a young chap called Bill Faulkner (should read Falconer). He used to work in the Post Office at Eltham (Taranaki). He was on on-duty - (because) the wireless officer was asleep - and he (William Falconer) got this message from Cocos Island : the Emden (German Battle Cruiser) had shelled the wireless station (at Cocos Island). So he (William Falconer) woke up the wireless-operator and he (the wireless operator) got in touch with the Minotaur - our Flagship - and they dispatched the (Australian Navy Battle Ship) Sydney. They (Emden and Sydney) had this battle on Cocos Island).
The Sydney had gone over there (Cocos Island). She had got too close to start with. The Emden got a couple of shots into her (Sydney) and she (Sydney) quickly put an end to the Emden and the Emden beached herself to save herself".Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 5 February 2019 - Account by two New Zealand soldiers - Private Jack Moller (Wellington Infantry Battalion) and Private Harvey Johns who were both aboard 'Arawa' when the distress signal - sent from the Cocos Island Wireless Station - was picked up by relief wireless operator Private William Falconer. : As told in publication 'An Awfully Big Adventure' : Author Jane Tolerton : Penguin Books (2013) : Page 41. - Private William Charles Falconer was the brother of Private Lake Falconer - who was born in New Zealand but served with the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF). Private Lake Falconer was killed in action - on 9 August 1915 - at Gallipoli - one day after William was killed in action (8 August 1915) - also at Gallipoli. Refer to Military File of Private Lake Falconer - National Archives of Australia.Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 18 December 2016 - Military file of Private Lake Falconer (AIF Regimental # 623; 2nd Battalion; AIF) : National Archives of Australia : Item ref : B2455 - Falconer L.
- Son of Mr and Mrs L. Falconer, Riwaka, Nelson, New Zealand.
About death
- Death
- 8 Aug 1915 AWMM
- Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Chunuk Bair Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey AWMM
- Eltham War MemorialPublic - Peter - Researcher - 21 October 2017 - NZ History war memorial images on-line
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R21001844
Further Reference - At Sea. Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, 16 December 1914, Page 5
http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=HNS19141216.2.32.8
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/679939/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/679939
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: 221 - NZEF Peter Dennis, UNSW Canberra
- 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. 5: Includes portrait - Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- 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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