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Cenotaph record

English Māori

Donald May

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Nominal Roll Vol 1, Page: 495 - No known copyright restrictions

Nominal Roll Vol 1, Page: 495 - No known copyright restrictions

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Donald AWMM
  • Surname
    May AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWI 23/823 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Houston, Gorge Road, Southland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Robert Kay (brother), 6 Lorne Street, Campbelltown, Scotland AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 9 October 1915 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 23/823 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 Otago, New Zealand AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Donald May was the brother of Robert May, of 6 Lorne St., Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland. AWMM
    • Donald O'May was born on October 3, 1881, in Campbelltown, Argyll, Scotland to Donald Alexander O'May and his wife Margaret McKay May (nee Houston). His paternal grandparents were Alexander O'May and Janet Jessie (nee Campbell), and his maternal grandparents were Robert Houston and Susan (nee McNeill). Donald was the youngest of 15 children - he had 8 brothers and 6 sisters. In 1911, he emigrated to New Zealand aboard the SS Tongariro, travelling from London to Wellington and arriving on the 8th of December. In NZ, he used the name Donald O. May. He worked on his cousins' dairy farm on Gorge Road, west of the Mataura River in Southland. He was well known in the small community, as he was always quick to sing Scottish ballads during local concerts. As a labourer, he was a fit young man - carrying 143lb (about 65kg) on his 5'7" frame. Donald had blue eyes and dark brown hair, and a "fresh" complexion. He never married. On May 29th, 1915, he enlisted at Bluff, keen to do his duty. His next of kin was his older brother Robert Houston O'May, who was raising several children with his wife Agnes back home in Campbeltown, Scotland. Robert was sent Donald's posthumous medals after he was killed in action in Somme, France, on September 20th, 1916. Public - Melissa - Researcher - 18 October 2019 - Birth Certificate from Scotland's People. Scotland Census, NZ Electoral Rolls & NZ Army WWI Records via Ancestry. Anecdotal evidence from the Otago Witness Issue 3270 via PapersPast.
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    20 September 1916 AWMM
    Age 36 AWMM
    Somme, Northern France 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

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    Caterpillar Valley (New Zealand) Memorial, Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France AWMM

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
18 October 2019Melissa Auckland, New ZealandResearcher
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