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Cenotaph record

William Charles Colvin

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Portrait, oval in civilian clothes, depicts New Zealand flag and wreath of flowers from a memorial card - No known copyright restrictions.

Portrait, oval in civilian clothes, depicts New Zealand flag and wreath of flowers from a memorial c …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    William Charles AWMM
  • Surname
    Colvin AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    785 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    29 April 1881 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Westport Public - Pamela Vinsen-Thomas - 17 October 2016 - DEATH OF A NEW ZEALANDER- Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10743, 24 August 1900 (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM)
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    James Colvin (1844-1919) M.H.R represented the Buller electorate in the House of Representatives 1899-1919 Public - Pamela Vinsen-Thomas - 17 October 2016 - DEATH OF A NEW ZEALANDER- Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10743, 24 August 1900 (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) . WESTPORT, August 23. A letter received in town from Major Jowsey states that W. C. Colvin, son of Mr Colvin; M.H.R., died at Johannesburg on June 10th. A memorandum from the officer commanding the 2nd Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment seems to indicate that Colvin was attached to the regiment.
  • Relationship status
    Father Public - Pamela Vinsen-Thomas - 17 October 2016 - JAMES COLVIN M.H.R m Kate Goodyer 10.01.1877 in Westport.
    He was born in 1844 in Donegal, Ireland and emigrated to Victoria, Australia in 1861 and then to NZ in 1862 to join the Otago Gold Rush and the Wakamarina Valley goldfields before settling in Westport. He served on numerous boards and committees: Buller County Council (1885–89), Westport Harbour Board (Chairman 1890), and was Mayor of Westport 1898 -1900.
    Colvin, a supporter of Richard Seddon, stood as an Independent Liberal candidate in the 1899 Buller electorate He represented the electorate in the House of Representatives for 20 yrs until his death in 1919. Colvin served as the Chairman of Committees from 1910-1911. He was Minister of Mines in 1912 in the Mackenzie cabinet.
    Colvin was killed at 10 pm on 29.10.1919 by a tram as he left Parliament House. Parliament was still sitting, and the news reached the debating chamber within 15 mins, which resulted in the immediate adjournment of proceedings. (Wikipedia)

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    South Africa 17 February 1900 AWMM Farrier/Military AWMM
    Lyttelton, Christchurch 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
    Died of Sickness, Cause of Death AWMM
    Enteric fever AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Colvin died of enteric fever and was buried at Johannesburg Cemetery. His grave was registered and marked with an iron cross with an engraved brass plate erected by members of the 3rd Contingent

    Before World War I, enteric fever, or typhoid fever, was the scourge of armies, and in the Anglo-Boer War killed more soldiers than enemy action. It is caused by a bacteria entering the body via contaminated food or water. Early symptoms include high fever, headaches and lassitude. Follicles along the intestinal walls later become inflamed, often leading to perforation and haemorrhaging. Other complications include gall bladder, pneumonia or heart failure. At the time of the Boer War, there were no antibiotic remedies for the disease.

    Father was named Jacob Colvin. AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    12 June 1900 AWMM
    Johannesburg, South Africa AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of Sickness AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Johannesburg Cemetery, Johannesburg, South Africa AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Ranfurly Veterans' Home, 539 Mount Albert Road, Three Kings, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, South African War Memorial 1899 - 1902 AWMM

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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
17 October 2016Pamela Vinsen-ThomasNelson NZOther

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