Geoffrey Wilson was the son of William Alfred and Elizabeth Emily Wilson (née Crawcour), of St. Breock, Vicarage Road, Woodford Bridge, Essex, England.

Period of Service:

New Zealand: 134days.

Overseas: 2 years 4 days.

Total Service: 2 years 138 days.

Recorded as Geoffrey Cracow in the Nominal Rolls

"A hardworking military man: Rifleman Geoffrey Crawcour Wilson

An English-born farmer from Rotokohu, 21 year old Rifleman Wilson volunteered for service in 1915. He served in the New Zealand Army for a period of 2 years and 138 days.

Serving with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade during the Egyptian Campaign of 1915-1916, he was wounded twice in 1916 and subsequently hospitalised in France.

In late 1916, Rifleman Wilson’s battalion moved to the Western Front, for the last phase of the Battle of the Somme, and the Battle of Messines before eventually moving to Passchendaele.

The 3rd Battle of Ypres had begun in July 1917, and by the time the New Zealand battalions were engaged at Passchendaele in early October initial successes had faded with heavy rain and artillery fire turning the battlefield into a quagmire.

On the morning of the 12th October, the 2nd Battalion advanced across open ground towards Bellevue Spur on the Passchendaele Ridge, which unknown to them had been fortified with German concrete pillboxes armed with machine guns. Many soldiers, including Wilson, were killed as they pressed on against heavy opposition.

Following Wilson’s death, his family in England were presented with his 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, in addition to the 'death penny' given to each bereaved family.

This single tag was returned to his family, along with his 16th Waikato collar badge engraved with the motto: “Ka Whawhai, Tonu, Ake Ake”. Excerpt from Coombe, Sophie. 'Faces of Passchendaele', Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira, Published: 12/10/2018. AWMM