Le Quesnoy

The orders: “The New Zealand Rifle Brigade will mop up Le Quesnoy”

ZERO Hour: 05.30

A hot meal was served during the early hours of the 4th.

Attack was launched in the morning. The outer wall was stormed, and while the guns were breaching the inner citadel some of the New Zealand battalions swept around the outskirts of the town and charged the enemy guns. An aeroplane dropped a message summoning them to surrender, and a New Zealand officer entered the breach, and by word of mouth invited the German garrison to come out.

The taking of Le Quesnoy was the last major action of the New Zealand Division.

A week later the Armistice was signed and the war was at an end.

Taken altogether the 4th of November was probably the most successful day for the New Zealand Division during the war.

This list includes those who are buried at Le Quesnoy Communal Cemetery and Romeries Communal Cemetery Extension in addition to others identified as being involved in the conflict.

The 194 records that include a reference to "NZEF CASUALTIES - LE QUESNOY", as noted in the Appendix of Dr Christopher Pugsley’s book: Le Quesnoy 1918: New Zealand’s Last Battle, was compiled by Richard Stowers and Herb Farrant, and added to by Christopher Pugsley. Please forward any additional names and details to the author through Oratia Media. The portion of the list covers period 1–7 November 1918 and those who died after from wounds received in this period.

The Le Quesnoy Campaign research was undertaken by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists as part of the development of New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata (Le Quesnoy France). This research project was led by CJ Barbour (NZSG), BI Silvester, HH Farrant (NZMHS) with the support of NZSG volunteers (2022). The individuals included in this research data set were verified as serving in Le Quesnoy.

Sources:

The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade by W.S. Austin, 1924.

"The Capture of Le Quesnoy", New Zealand War Graves Project.

Armistice Day. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 6 November 2015.

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

Pugsley, C. (2018). Le Quesnoy, 1918 : New Zealand's Last Battle. Auckland, New Zealand : Oratia.

Results

Record ID	Family name	First names	Force	Wars	Service #
C105492	Abbott	Victor	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69561
C37110	Adams	Alfred Michael	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	23/986
C54	Adamson	Frank Vernon	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	24/336
C60	Addis	John Foxcroft	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	54798
C35394	Agnew	Sydney Samuel	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	70149
C76	Aherne	Timothy	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	65092
C88	Aitchison	William Alexander	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69046
C97	Aitken	John	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	6/3979
C105	Aiton	Alexander	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	70211
C36195	Alderman	Walter William	Army	Regular Military Service, World War I, 1914-1918	15/5
C37235	Alderson	Sidney Martin	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	10/2055
C105334	Aldridge	George	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69664
C128	Alexander	Frederick James	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	26/45
C105335	Allan	Albert Charles	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69452
C163	Allan	William	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69744
C35542	Allardice	James Simpson	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69180
C105336	Allen	Harry	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69393
C181	Allen	Henry Stafford	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	33995
C36196	Allen	Robert Candlish	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	12/3538
C202	Allfrey	George Alexander	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	70923

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The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.