Gordon Gerald Harper
Born 15 Feb 1885 - Died 12 Aug 1916
- Service number
- WWI 7/516 AWMM
- Also known as
- Gerald Gordon Harper AWMM
- George Gerald AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM Canterbury Mounted Rifles AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 15 Feb 1885 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM 10 Gloucester Street, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- WW1 George Harper, Hereford Street, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 7/516 AWMM
- Military service
- —
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM
Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM): For conspicuous gallantry between the 21st and the 30th August, 1915, at Kaiajik Aghala (Dardanelles), when in charge of machine guns. He invariably displayed great bravery and devotion to duty. London Gazette 11 March 1916, p2746. AWMM - Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
Mentioned in Despatches (MID): in connection with operations described in General I. Hamilton's despatch dated 11 December 1915. London Gazette 28 January 1916, p1210. AWMM - Victory Medal AWMM
- British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
- Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 Unknown AWMM Sheep farmer/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 16 Oct 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 4 or HMNZT 11 AWMM Vessel was Tahiti or Athenic AWMM Trooper AWMM Canterbury Mounted Rifles AWMM Main Body AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM
Canterbury Mounted Rifles AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- He was the sixth son of Mr George Harper of Christchurch, Barrister-at-law.
On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the New Zealand Mounted Rifles' Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry and left New Zealand with the Main Body New Zealand Expeditionary Force in October, 1914.
He saw much service in Gallipoli with the Machine-gun section of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, was wounded during the operations following Suvla Bay landing in August, 1915, and was sent to hospital in England.
For his services during these operations he was awarded the D.C.M. and at about the same time, received his commission as machine-gun officer. After recovering from his wound he returned to Egypt in December 1915 and saw service in the operations on the Suez Canal up to the time of his death.
The Museum Library has a copy of 'Letters from Gunner 7/516 and Gunner 7/517' by Barbara Harper (Ref. D640) This is an edited edition of the letters written by these two soldiers during World War 1.
He died at Cairo on 12 August 1916 from wounds received at the fighting at Romani, Egypt.
Listed incorrectly as George Gerald in the Nominal Rolls AWMM
About death
- Death
- 12 Aug 1916 AWMM
Age 31 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- Died of wounds AWMM
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt AWMM M. 133. AWMM
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Sources
- External links
- Powles, C.G. (1922). The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs. Digitised copy on NZETC site.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH1-Sina.html
Sources Used - Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R16791830
Further Reference - Other military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7880121
Further Reference - SCRoll profile (South Canterbury Roll of Honour)
https://museum.timaru.govt.nz/explore/scroll/profile?id=1561
Further Reference - A Street Near You record
https://astreetnearyou.org/person/112766/-
Further Reference - Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/112766
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 - Diaries and transcript
http://tapuhi.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/spydus/FULL/GLOBAL/OPHDR/848/107949,60Public - Victoria - Researcher - 12 September 2015 - Alexander Turnbull Library
MS-Papers-1444-4
- Powles, C.G. (1922). The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs. Digitised copy on NZETC site.
- 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.
- Boyack, N. (1989). Behind the lines : the lives of New Zealand soldiers in the First World War. Wellington, N.Z.: Allen & Unwin/Port Nicholson Press.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 304 - Alexander Turnbull Library MS Papers 1444; Letters 1914-15; Diary May-August 1915.
- The Christchurch Press
10 May 2014 - 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. 1: Includes portrait - Information kindly provided by family
- Powles, C.G. (Ed). (1928). History of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles 1914-19. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
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