condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white
Alert!

Auckland Museum is temporarily closed

Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum is currently closed to the public in step with our country’s efforts to limit the transmission of the COVID-19 Coronavirus. Find out more. 

Cenotaph record

John Vaille Douglas Aitken-Connell

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait of Trooper J.Connell. Image has no known copyright restrictions.
Portrait of Trooper J.Connell. Image has no known copyright … Read more

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    John Vaille Douglas AWMM
  • Surname
    Aitken-Connell AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Connell AWMM
  • Service number
    South African 119 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    1876 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 6 October 1899 AWMM Paerata, Pukekohe, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs Mary Aitkin Connell (mother), Paerata, Pukekohe, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 21 October 1899 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›
  • War
    South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    South African 119 AWMM
  • Military service
    Private military training, College Rifles AWMM
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

Contribute ›

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›
  • Military training
  • Enlistment
    South Africa 6 October 1899 AWMM
    Age 23 AWMM
    Shorthand writer/Civilian AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

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

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    • Height, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 feet 9 inches AWMM
    • Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
  • Attended Auckland Grammar

    Taught at the Mount Eden School where a memorial brass tablet was placed in the classroom where he worked.

    Trooper Connell had been a shorthand teacher in Harle Giles' Business Training College. He was popular with his company and was thought highly of by his officers. Trooper Connell was shot through the heart during the charge of New Zealanders under Captain Maddocks at Slingsfontein. Buried at Slingersfontein.

    Surname variously Connell or Aitken-Connell. Listed at Archives New Zealand as Aitken-Connell.

    Son of Mary (nee Jones) and John Aitken Connell AWMM
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    15 January 1900 AWMM
    Age 23 AWMM
    Slingersfontein, Northern Cape 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
    New Zealand Herald, 23 February 1900 AWMM
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name
    • Memorial plaque, Mount Eden School, Mt Eden, Auckland AWMM
    • Ranfurly Veterans' Home, 539 Mount Albert Road, Three Kings, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
    • Memorial plaque, Auckland Grammar School, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Roll of Honour

Remember John Vaille Douglas Aitken-Connell by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of John Vaille Douglas Aitken-Connell

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
  • Documents
    • Stowers, R. (2002). Rough Riders at War: history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer war 1899-1902 and information on all members of the ten New Zealand contingents. Author: Hamilton, N.Z. AWMM
    • Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand. AWMM
      Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 1900. H.6. Nominal Roll AWMM
    • 1st New Zealand Mounted Rifles. Company Roll Book and Field note-book 1899-1901. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 368. AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
      Account of death. (1900, February 24). New Zealand Herald. AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
      Invitation to past and present pupils of Mount Eden School to subscribe to the memorial brass. (1900, May 8). New Zealand Herald. AWMM
    • The New Zealand Herald AWMM
      New Zealand Herald, 23 February 1900 AWMM
    • First New Zealanders to the Boer War 1899: history of the First Contingent of New Zealand Mounted Rifles in the Boer War 1899-1902, followed by a description of each member AWMM
    • Bulletin (New Zealand. Army. New Zealand Mounted Rifles, First) AWMM
      Death notice: 1st New Zealand Mounted Rifles Association Bulletin, No 54 May 1933 AWMM
    • St Clair Inglis, A. (c1902). Souvenir Album of the first New Zealand Contingent South African War. Auckland, N.Z.: Arthur Cleave & Co. AWMM
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.