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Cenotaph record

Thomas Marshall Percy Grace

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Sons of Lawrence Marshall Grace and Te Kahui Grace. S P Andrew Ltd :Portrait negatives. From left: Haami, William Henry, Dr Richard. Ref: 1/1-013938-G. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23135461

Sons of Lawrence Marshall Grace and Te Kahui Grace. S P Andrew Ltd :Portrait negatives. From left: H …

No Known Copyright Restrictions AWMM

Identity

About

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Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    11 July 1890 AWMM Lake Taupo, Taupo AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
    son of Lawrence Marshall Grace and Henerieta Kahui Grace Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 September 2015 - Gisborne Herald report April 17 2015
  • Address before enlistment
    WW1 99 Coromandel Street, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW1 Lawrence Marshall Grace, Native Department, Government Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 16 October 1914 AWMM Single/WWI AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    • 1914-1916 Egypt AWMM
    • 1915-1916 Gallipoli AWMM
    • 1915-1916 Gallipoli AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 10/127 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW1 Civil servant/Civilian AWMM
    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
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Son of Lawrence Marshall Grace and Henerieta Kahui Grace, of 50, Russell Terrace, Wellington.

      Attended Wellington College 1904 - 1908

      2nd Lieutenant Grace commanded the first New Zealand sniper detachment which was formed in response to the Turkish snipers at Gallipoli. AWMM
    • Thomas Marshall Percy (Hami) Grace was born on 11 July 1890 at Pukawa, Lake Taupo. His maternal grandfather was the Ngati Tuwharetoa Paramount Chief Te Heuheu. His paternal grandfather was The Rev. Thomas Grace, of the Church Missionary Society.
      Hami’s father, a civil servant with the Post and Telegraph Department was transferred to Wellington and the family moved to 99 Coromandel Street in Newtown.
      Hami and his younger brother William both attended Wellington College. At college Hami excelled in sport. He played for both the First XV rugby team & First XI cricket team which he captained. His figures of 5 for 66 and 5 for 29 against Wanganui Collegiate remain among the best ever bowling figures in this traditional fixture. He was also a member of the college’s shooting team.
      On leaving college Hami continued to excel at sport playing club rugby for Wellington College Old Boys and representative rugby for Wellington, the North island and New Zealand Maori touring New Zealand in 1911 and Australia in 1914. Hami was a devoted club player. At the end of one rugby season the WCOB senior A players were discussing what club they each were going to as the team had been relegated. When it came to Hami, the star player, he simply stated that he would be sticking with WCOB! He also played first class cricket for Wellington.
      Upon the outbreak of war in 1914, Hami joined the Wellington Regiment. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant under the command of the famous Lieutenant Colonel William Malone.
      At this time their was considerable imperial concern about the use of Maori against European forces and most Maori soldiers were used only to provide labour or garrison duties. This had prompted the minister of defence, James Allen, to write to Major-General Sir Alexander Godley, commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, stating:
      “Although they are a coloured race I think it would be apparent on their arrival that they are different to the ordinary coloured race.”
      As such Hamis commissioning as a second lieutenant in a regular army regiment singles him out as a truly exceptional character. Hami trained in Egypt and fought with the Wellington Regiment at Gallipoli (Where he went ashore on 26 April).
      At Quinn’s Post (above ANZAC Cove) Hami a noted marksman formed sniper teams to ‘hunt’ Turkish sniper teams that were at the time causing huge casualties among NZ troops. The NZ ‘counter’ sniper teams were so effective that NZ casualties dropped dramatically & the resultant morale rose.
      “Malone assigned this task to his very capable Lieutenant Grace, who was well respected among the men as an accomplished marksman - within a few weeks the enemy’s sniping had been so completely suppressed that traffic in the valley went uninterrupted throughout the day.”
      - Bloody Gallipoli: Richard Stowers
      “Grace’s snipers, posted throughout the valley, placed a barrier as impenetrable as any earthwork between the traffic in Monash Valley and the Turks whose trenches overlooked it. They were an elite band you got that good you could shoot the left eye out of a fly.’"
      Gallipoli, the New Zealand story: Christopher Pugsley
      Hami was known for taking a sack full of grenades & sneaking over to the Turkish trenches & causing mayhem by throwing them up and down the trenches. This was a task often given to those with a cricketing background. His actions preceded those of another famous NZ 2/Lt from a later war who with his sack full of grenades crawled his way to the first of his two Victoria Crosses. Hami was awarded a Mentioned in Despatches for his actions attacking an enemy trench on the night of 8/7/1915.
      Hami’s accomplishments at this point were considerable. At a time in our history when many doors were still closed to Maori, Hami had attended Wellington College, played representative rugby and cricket for Wellington and been commissioned as an officer in the NZ Army.
      Sadly Hami Grace was killed during the Wellington Regiment’s legendary assault Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 3 September 2015 - http://www.allteams.co.nz/small-gallery-article/thomas-marshall-percy-(hami)-grace-(1890-1915)/11011/10053/
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    8 August 1915 AWMM
    Age 25 AWMM
    Gallipoli, Turkey AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) Memorial, Chunuk Bair Cemetery, Gallipoli, Turkey AWMM
    • Memorial roll, Wellington College, Wellington, New Zealand AWMM
    • Marlborough War Memorial, 20 Seymour Street, Blenheim, 7201 AWMM
    • Marlborough Great War Memorial, WW1 AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

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  • Thank you for being admirable man to you and your future generations. May your family name live on for the rest of eternity. Loves from Rob and Chels (Taupo).
    Public - Rob - Other relative - 17 August 2022
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  • I am just here to say Rest In Peace great grandad and that you did what’s write and the family misses you x
    Public - Baylee - Other relative - 24 April 2020
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  • Hi, I'm from Clutha Valley school and I am researching Hami Grace in school and I have been looking to see who his brothers were. Respond ASAP
    Public - savana - Researcher - 16 May 2018
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  • I will visit you in May of 2018 e koro. Your sister Makareta is my grandmother.
    Public - Adrian Te Whatapoto - Direct descendant - 27 September 2017
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  • I hope to travel with a team of students from Epsom Girls in 2017. I look forward to paying tribute to you. Nga mihi... Kei wareware tatou!!
    Public - renee - Direct descendant - 26 April 2016
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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
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17 August 2022RobSacramento, California Other relative
12 July 2021Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
24 April 2020BayleeA place Other relative
16 May 2018savanabalclutha, nzResearcher
27 September 2017Adrian Te WhatapotoPorirua NZDirect descendant

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