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Cenotaph record

Silila Purcell

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Silila AWMM
  • Surname
    Purcell AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWII 46064 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    Apia, Western Samoa AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW2 Unknown AWMM 110 Riverslea Road, Hastings, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW2 Mrs S. Purcell (mother), Maleala, Alaitata, Samoa, Pacific Islands AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Unknown AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWII 46064 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards

Training and Enlistment

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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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    • Son of Targa Purcell and Sapi Purcell of Apia, Samoa. AWMM
    • Uncle Silila is the son of Taagamanusina Tevaseu and Sapi Mose Tulia Purcell, both of Western Samoa Public - Honey McIsaac-Paora - Other relative - 18 November 2015 - Birth certificate. Family genealogy papers.

Death

About death

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  • Death
    24 October 1942 AWMM
    Age 22 AWMM
    Western Desert, North Africa AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt AWMM VI. A. 6. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember Silila Purcell by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Silila Purcell

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  • SILILA PURCELL IS THE BROTHER OF MY FATHER, BERTIE ULUVALU TAAGAMANUSINA PURCELL. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT THE AGE OF 22YEARS. TAKEN TOO EARLY. HE WAS THE FIRST SAMOAN TO BE KILLED IN ACTION.
    Public - Honey TM - Other Relative - 4 July 2015
    Report

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2211286
    Sources Used
  • Documents
    • Puttick, E. (1960). 25 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      Military Service Record AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1942). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 5 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1941 to 30 September, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 5: WW2 173 AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
18 November 2015Honey McIsaac-PaoraWhangaruru, Whangarei, NewZealandOther relative
04 July 2015Honey TMWhangaruru, New ZealandOther Relative
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