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 #
C38381	Bennett	Philip Henry George	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	10/274
C68873	Bennington	Francis Taylor	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	12339
C1079	Berg	Frank Lewis	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	33679
C38421	Bernard	Victor Raymond	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	1/306, 21/42
C83203	Berry	Benjamin	Army	World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945	12900, 801668
C105341	Berry	William Leonard	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	69757
C1119	Bettridge	Walter	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	68104
C87568	Bibby	Edward Stuart	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	39937
C105171	Bielawski	Francis	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	59590
C105503	Bigham	Selwyn	Army	World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945	64937, 32314, 502278
C1145	Billesdon	John William	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	72614
C38523	Billington	Arthur John	Army	World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945	24/357, 800522
C87971	Birch	Charles	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	36944
C76502	Birch	Cyril William	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	24305
C35514	Birnie	George	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	60290
C1197	Bisphan	William Charles	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	68590
C100229	Black	Clarence Alexander	Army	World War I, 1914-1918, World War II, 1939-1945	59865, N/N
C1210	Black	Cyril Lloyd Phipps	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	45031
C1232	Blackburn	James Joseph	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	29728
C38627	Blackburne	Harold	Army	World War I, 1914-1918	23/73

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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.