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Cenotaph record

Ian Lambert Bonifant

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Ian Lambert AWMM
  • Surname
    Bonifant AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    20041 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Church of England Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    3 March 1912 AWMM Ashburton, Canterbury AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Unknown AWMM C/o Dalgety and Company Limited, Methven, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mr John Bonifant (father), Ashburton, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Unknown AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and bar (DSO*) AWMM
      DSO: NZ Gazette, 21 September 1944. Citation: "Lt Col I.L. Bonifant commanded his battalion in the assault on the Miteiriya Ridge on the night 23/24 October 1942 with noteworthy skill and resolution. During the thirtysix [sic] hours following the capture of the ridge, his unit was heavily shelled and mortared and during this period his cheerful bearing was an inspiration to all ranks. Although wounded in the head with a bomb splinter, he refused to leave his battalion when he heard that it would have to carry out another attack. Only when that attack had been successfully copmleted under his command and he knew that his unit was to be relieved from its forward position was he willing to be evacuated for his wound to be operated on; his courage throughout was outstanding." DSO Bar: NZ Gazette, 30 April 1946. Citation: "For great skill and personal gallantry as commander of an Infantry Brigade during the crossing of the Rivers Senio, Santerno, Idice, Reno, Po and Adige. This officer was a constant and never failing inspiration to all under his command, and his skill, courage and resolute determination was a decisive factor in the brilliant operations of his brigade. His personal contact with his forward troops and his quick and able decisions brought about a constant acceleration of our advance and so surprised and disorganised the enemy that they were driven quickly and in disorder from well prepared and naturally formidable defences. His skilful and resolute direction of the heavily contested assault crossing of the Senio, Santerno and Idice Rivers was a decisive factor in these most successful operations." AWMM
    • 1939-1945 Star AWMM
    • Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
    • Italy Star AWMM
    • Defence Medal AWMM
    • War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
    • New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
    • Efficiency Decoration (ED) AWMM

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
    Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM
    Wounded 24 October 1942. AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Retired to Australia AWMM
    • Transferred with Dalgetys ex Gisborne NZ to Adelaide, South Australia 12 August 1957
      Further transferred with Dalgetys to Perth Western Australia December 1962
      Further transferred with Dalgetys to Brisbane, Queensland June 1969
      Finally Transferred with Dalgetys to Sydney 1971
      Retired from Dalgetys at age 65 March 1976 to Sydney suburb Killara
      Became Secretary Australian Simmental Society to 1981
      Became proprietor of Bayview Real Estate company at Sydney suburb Mona Vale, residing at Whale Beach. Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family knowledge
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    1994 AWMM
    Age 82 AWMM
    Sydney, New South Wales AWMM
  • Date of death
    9 May 1994 Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family knowledge
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
    Sydney suburb Bilgola Plateau Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family knowledge
  • Cause of death
    Heart disease Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family knowledge
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
    Cremated at Sydney suburb Ryde Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family knowledge
  • Grave reference
    Ashes scattered into the sea at Whale Beach Public - David John - Child - 6 August 2015 - Family knowledge
  • Obituary
    Press, 11 May 1994

    Evening Post, 19 May 1994 AWMM
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Puttick, E. (1960). 25 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • Puttick, E. (1960). 25 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
      WW2 2: WW2 21 AWMM
    • Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors. AWMM
    • The Christchurch Press AWMM
      Press, 11 May 1994 AWMM
    • The Evening Post AWMM
      Evening Post, 19 May 1994 AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 2 (Embarkations to 30th June, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.21 AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.12 AWMM
    • Loughnan, R. (1963). Divisional Cavalry. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • The Maltameter [edited by W.H. Gummer] H.M.A.T. 17 "Malta" October and November 1918. AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
06 August 2015David JohnROBINA Queensland AustraliaChild

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