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Cenotaph record

Charles William Melvill

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Portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Melville. Image sourced from Imperial War Museums' 'Bond of Sacrifice' collection. ©IWM HU 125546

Portrait of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Melville. Image sourced from Imperial War Museums' 'Bond of S …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Charles William AWMM
  • Surname
    Melvill AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWI 15/35 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    5 September 1878 AWMM Bournemouth, England AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) AWMM
      CB citation: "For exceptionally good leadership on the 5th of April, 1918, at La Signy Farm in the Colincamps Sector, when, on his own initiative, he carried out with his Brigade a most successful attack, thereby securing all the high ground overlooking the British lines. This attack secured our defensive positions, and reduced casualties to a minimum during the following months. Throughout the Autumn Advance he handled his Brigade with great judgment and skill." (London Gazette, 3 June 1919, p6790, Rec No 3401) AWMM
    • Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) AWMM
      CMG citation: "This Officer commanded his Brigade, 1st N.Z. Infantry Brigade, at the taking of Gravenstafel Ridge, 4th October 1917. His work as a commander has been very good, and is well deserving of recognition." (London Gazette, 3 June 1918, p6454, Rec No 1939) AWMM
    • Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
      DSO citation: "For conspicuous ability and good work since the arrival of the Division in France in April. When the trenches around Armentieres, he organised and planned a very successful raid against the German trenches. His Battalion at all times has shown great keenness in their work and the credit of this is due to a large extent to his own example. During the advance and capture of Flers on the 13th September, Colonel Melvill again showed conspicuous ability and considerable military knowledge. After his Battalion had captured their objective and seeing the Battalion ahead of him held up, he at once sent forward a Company to assist and so enabled the trench to be captured. Throughout the operations he had a thorough grasp of the situation, and used his command with skill and judgement, sending up reinforcements at the critical moment." (London Gazette, 1 January 1917, p29, Rec No 358) AWMM
    • Queen's South Africa Medal AWMM
    • 1914 Star (5th Aug-22nd Nov 1914 clasp) AWMM
    • British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
    • Victory Medal with oak leaf AWMM
    • Officier de l'Ordre de la Couronne (Belgium) AWMM
      Order de la Couronne (Officer) (Belgium) citation: "For personal gallantry in leading his Battalion in thet attack on Messines on June 7th 1917. His battalion fought their way through and cleared the greater part of the Village with great success under his personal Command." (London Gazette, 24 September 1918, p9862, Rec No 1018) AWMM
    • Croix de Guerre (Belgium) AWMM
      Croix de Guerre (Belgium) citation: "For distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign." (London Gazette, 11 March 1918, p3097) AWMM
    • Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) Five Times AWMM
      1st MID citation: London Gazette, 4 January 1917, p262. 2nd MID citation: London Gazette, 28 May 1918, p6204, Rec No 2769. 3rd MID citation: London Gazette, 31 December 1918, p15230, Rec No 2769. 4th MID. citation: London Gazette, 11 July 1919, p8836; 5th MID citation amended: London Gazette, 12 January 1920, p531. AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • 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 Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
    Meningitis AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant with South Lancashire Regiment in 1897.

    Served in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).

    Captain and Adjutant in 1906.

    Went to France with South Lancashire Regiment in 1914.

    Wounded in France, 1914.

    Promoted to Major General and appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the New Zealand Forces, 1924-25.

    A Private Herbert Dooley of the NZEF Main Body was assigned the same serial number, 15/35, as Melvill. This was most likely a clerical error as Melvill did not enlist in New Zealand. AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    15 September 1925 AWMM
    Age 47 AWMM
    Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of Disease AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Karori Cemetery, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember Charles William Melvill by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Charles William Melvill

Leave a note

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  • I always heard you were a great soldier and will think of you when I visit the Somme this spring, 100 years after you were there. R.I.P. Great-Uncle Charles.
    Public - Shona - Other relative - 29 March 2017
    Report 
  • I did not meet you. R.I. P. Great-Uncle.
    Public - Jill Veronica Mahinaarangi - Other Relative - 18 April 2015
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Taylor, A. (1998). The New Zealand roll of honour : New Zealanders who have served their country in peace and war : 150 years, 1845-1995. Auckland, N.Z.: Roll of Honour Publications. 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
    • McDonald, W. (2001). Honours and awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. Napier, N.Z.: Helen McDonald. AWMM
    • Papers Past 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. 3: Includes portrait AWMM
    • Stowers, R. (2009). Rough riders at war : history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 and information on all members of the 10 New Zealand contingents. Hamilton, N.Z.: R. Stowers. AWMM
    • Harper, G., Clements, C., & Johns., R. (2019). For King and Other Countries: The New Zealanders Who Fought in Other Services in the First World War. Auckland, New Zealand: Massey University Press. AWMM
      p. 30-33, 63 AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
29 March 2017ShonaDillon, CO, USAOther relative
19 May 2015Te PapaWellington, New ZealandOther
18 April 2015Jill Veronica MahinaarangiWaihi, NZOther Relative

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