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

Cenotaph record

William John Christian

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    William John AWMM
  • Surname
    Christian AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    49533 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    6 September 1914 Noel Smith Research Project
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Unknown AWMM 29 Moore Avenue, Wanganui, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs P.H. Christian (wife), 74 Gonville Avenue, Wanganui, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Unknown AWMM Married AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›
  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
    Italy AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    49533 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

Contribute ›

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

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

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

Contribute ›

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
  • Son of Edwin John David and Ruby Christian AWMM

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    15 December 1944 AWMM
    Age 30 AWMM
    Italy, Europe AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Forli War Cemetery, Italy AWMM VI. A. 23. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember William John Christian by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of William John Christian

Leave a note

Contribute ›
  • I am the daughter of Doreen who is William John Christian's sister. Doreen had a special place in her heart for her brother, she worked in his "London Pie Shop" in Wanganui before the war. She had two other brothers who went to WW2, they were Jimmy and Syd. They returned home but have since passed away. Mum is 93 now, and still tells stories of her special years with Uncle Bill (William) When myself and my family were on a trip around Europe many years ago we went to Forli in Italy to visit Uncle Bill's grave, it was in a beautiful area and kept beautifully. Photos and the story of this visit was special as we were the first family to visit. Uncle Bill had a daughter Kaye, she lives in Australia.
    Public - Beverley June - Direct descendant - 25 October 2016
    Report 

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›
  • External links
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2206814
    Sources Used
  • References
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1942). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 8 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1942 to 30th June, 1942). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 8: WW2 9 AWMM
    • Henderson, J. (1958). 22 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • This record was partially completed by information provided by Noel George Smith (2020-2021). AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
15 December 2021Ian Banks Taumarunui New ZealandResearcher
25 October 2016Beverley JuneAucklandDirect descendant

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.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.