Registered envelope, WW1

Envelope used to send medals of 13/537 Trooper Victor Albert Olen, Auckland Mounted Rifles, NZEF, to next-of-kin, Mrs F. Olen of Taneatua.

Victor Albert Olen, son of Edward and Annie Olen, was born at Blackall, Queensland, Australia, on 7 May 1886.At the time of his enlistment with the 11th North Auckland Squadron, Auckland Mounted Rifles, he was employed in Whangarei as an assistant surveyor for the Public Works Department, and his parents were living at Taneatua, near Whakatane.

He arrived on Gallipoli on 12th May 1915, and was killed in action on Chunuk Bair on 8th August 1915. His body was never found and his file states: "Missing in action. Reasonable to suppose dead." His death is commemorated on the Chunuk Bair Memorial.

"According to Trooper Stevens, Troopeers Champney, Mason, Olen and Palmer were particularly active in throwing back Turkish bombs. Olen and Palmer were both killee, Mason badly wounded when shot through the face and Champney wounded. "

Quoted from Bloody Gallipoli, by Richard Stowers, with reference from Trooper Stevens, Maungatapere: A history and reminiscence.