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Cenotaph record

Joseph Gordon Coates

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Portrait of Captain Joseph Gordon Coates, Archives New Zealand, AALZ 25044 6 / F575 22. Image is subject to copyright restrictions.

Portrait of Captain Joseph Gordon Coates, Archives New Zealand, AALZ 25044 6 / F575 22. Image is sub …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Joseph Gordon AWMM
  • Surname
    Coates AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Gordon AWMM
    • Joe AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 27687 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    2 February 1878 Military personnel file Matakohe, Northland Military personnel file
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW1 Dargaville, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
    Politician/Civilian AWMM
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW1 Mrs Marjorie Grace Coates (wife), Dargaville, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 15 November 1916 AWMM Married AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Cross and bar (MC*) AWMM
      Citation for Military Cross (MC):"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on two occasions. He displayed the utmost ability at a critical moment, when a determined hostile raid was made upon his company's sector, getting his men into safety and saving many casualties by his coolness and presence of mind. He reinforced his front line, and personally re-established two posts which had been driven in. He afterwards commanded his company with great skill and energy in a raid upon the enemy, and his fine leadership was largely responsible for the success of the entire operation." (London Gazette, 9 January 1918, p. 661) Citation for Bar to Military Cross (MC):"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He brought his company after five days' strenuous marching with little rest in perfect order into action, and by pushing forward exploiting platoons during the night enabled a more advanced line to be consolidated, securing 20 prisoners. Next day, when several of his men were killed or wounded under heavy fire, he showed complete indifference to danger, attending to the wounded and carrying men to safety. His willingness to sacrifice himself for others was an inspiration to all his men." (London Gazette, 26 July 1918, p. 8768, Rec. No. 2105). AWMM
    • British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
    • Victory Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 Farmer/Civilian 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

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Joseph Gordon Coates was the son of Edward and Eleanor Kathleen Coates (née Aickin) of Ruatana, Kaipara. He married Marjorie Grace Coles on 4 August 1914, at St. Peters Church, Willis Street, Wellington. They had five children.

    Promoted to Captain on 11 November 1916 (Studholme 1928).

    Promoted to Major on 1 October 1918 (Studholme 1928).

    Independent Liberal Party Member of Parliament for Kaipara from 14 December 1911, until his death at his desk in Parliament Buildings in 1943. Served as Prime Minister from 30 May 1925 to 10 December 1928.

    Laid the commemorative foundation stone for the Auckland War Memorial Museum on the 1 August 1925

    Known by his name Gordon AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    27 May 1943 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Matakohe Cemetery, Matakohe, Kaipara District, New Zealand AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    Gordon Coates memorial, SH1 intersection with SH12 (Brynderwyn), Maungaturoto, Northland, New Zealand AWMM

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Studholme, J. (1928). New Zealand Expeditionary Force record of personal services during the war of officers, nurses, and first-class warrant officers, and other facts relating to the N.Z.E.F. : unofficial but based on official records. Wellington, N.Z.: Government Printer. AWMM
    • McDonald, W. (2001). Honours and awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. Napier, N.Z.: Helen McDonald. AWMM
    • New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      45: 4 AWMM
    • Studholme, J. (1928). New Zealand Expeditionary Force record of personal services during the war of officers, nurses, and first-class warrant officers, and other facts relating to the N.Z.E.F. : unofficial but based on official records. Wellington, N.Z.: Government Printer. AWMM
      Studholme, J. (1928). p. 81. AWMM
    • McDonald, W. (2001). Honours and awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. Napier, N.Z.: Helen McDonald. AWMM
      McDonald, H. (2001). pp. 63-4. AWMM
    • Barr, John Manson. Materials collected for a biography of Joseph Gordon Coates. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library- Tāmaki Paenga Hira. MS-1737. AWMM
    • Barr, John Manson. Further papers relating to Joseph Gordon Coates. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library- Tāmaki Paenga Hira. MS-94-28. AWMM
    • Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications AWMM
      Vol. 2: Includes portrait AWMM
    • The Le Quesnoy Campaign research was undertaken by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists as part of the development of New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata (Le Quesnoy France). This research project was led by CJ Barbour (NZSG), BI Silvester, HH Farrant (NZMHS) with the support of NZSG volunteers (2022). The individuals included in this research data set were verified as serving in Le Quesnoy. AWMM
    • McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers. AWMM
    • Sloane, K. (2014) Living With High Explosives, the 1st NZ Light Trench Mortar Battery, 1916-1918. Public - Keith - Researcher - 4 May 2015 - Military History

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
04 May 2015KeithAucklandResearcher

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