Henry Rae Vercoe

Title

Major

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military record

Forenames

Henry Rae AWMM

Surname

Vercoe AWMM

Also known as

• Henry Te Reiwhati Vercoe AWMM
• Harry Ray AWMM
• Henry Ray & HENRY TE REIWHATI VERCOE
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military record

Service number

• WWI 16/161 AWMM
• South African 4102 AWMM
• South African 8168 AWMM
• SA War: # 4102 = 7th Cngt; # 8168 = 9th Cngt; WWII N/N
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Gender

Male AWMM

Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe

• Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
• Te Arawa, Waka o Ngā Iwi, Ngā Iwi, Māori AWMM

Birth

• 21 Jul 1884 AWMM
• 21 Jul 1884 Public Source

Date of birth

21 July 1884

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record - research shows that he gave the false age of 21yrs 2mths when enlisting for the 7th Contingent in 1901

Place of birth

Tauranga, NZ

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Birth notes

son of Henry Vercoe & Ngahuia Te Ahoaho

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Address before enlistment

• Unknown AWMM Rotorua, New Zealand AWMM
• Pre SA War: Tauranga
  WWI: Ohinemutu, Rotorua
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Post war occupation

post SA War: Farmer; post WWI: the rehabilitation of returned Maori soldiers

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Next of kin

• Mrs Aver Vercoe (wife), Ohinemutu, Rotorua, New Zealand AWMM
• SA War: father Henry Vercoe of Tauranga
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Relationship status

• Pre 14 Feb 1915 AWMM Married AWMM
• Pre SA War: single
  married 1905 Mary Aver Barnett
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

War

• World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
• South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
• SA War: 1899-1902
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Campaign

• 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
• SA War: Transvaal & Orange Free State; WWI: Egypt, Gallipoli, Mudros & Western European
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Armed force / branch

• Army AWMM
• WWII: NZ Territorials - Home Guard
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record
• SA War: 7th & 9th Contingents; WWI: NZ Pioneer Btn & Auckland Regt
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Service number

• WWI 16/161 AWMM
• South African 4102 AWMM
• South African 8168 AWMM
• SA War: # 4102 = 7th Cngt; # 8168 = 9th Cngt; WWII N/N
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Military service

SA War: 1901-1902; WWI: 1914-1919; WWII: 1941-1946

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

SA War: Sergeant; WWI: Captain; WWII: Major

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Medals and Awards

• Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
  London Gazette 26/07/1918 AWMM
• Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) AWMM
• Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) Twice AWMM
  London Gazette 28 January 1916, p1209 | London Gazette 31 December 1918, p15231 AWMM
• Victory Medal AWMM
• British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
• 1946 - NZ War Service Medal
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - biography was written by Whakahuihui Vercoe and was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyVolume 3, 1996
• 1901-1902 SA War Medals & clasps
  WWI: British War & Victory Medals
  DCM - Distinguished Conduct Medal
  1918 - DSO Medal - for acts of gallantry in the field
  1953 - OBE in Coronation Honours
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Records & Research

Military training

Pre SA War: Tauranga Mounted Rifles

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Records

Enlistment

• WW1 Unknown AWMM
• SA War: 13 Mar 1901 at Auckland
  WWI: 21 Oct 1914
  WWII: 1 Aug 1941
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Records

Age on enlistment

SA War: 21 yrs (actually 18-19 yrs); WWI: 30yrs; WWII; 55yrs

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Records

Occupation before enlistment

Pre SA War & WWI: Farmer

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Embarkation details

• WW1 14 Feb 1915-26 Mar 1915 AWMM
  HMNZT 20 AWMM Vessel was Warrimoo AWMM Sergeant AWMM B Company AWMM 1st Maori Contingent AWMM
• 6 April 1901 on the troopship 'Gulf of Taranto' (7th Cngt)
  Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/soldier/henry-ray-vercoe

Medical notes

1918 - VERCOE, Capt H R, Auckland – Distinguished Service Order for acts of gallantry in the field

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - Military Record

Player in the 1914 Maori All Blacks. He also played in the Pioneer (Maori) Battalion rugby team.

His father was named Henry Vercoe. AWMM

Date of death

23 March 1962

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - biography was written by Whakahuihui Vercoe and was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyVolume 3, 1996

Age at death

77 yrs

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - biography was written by Whakahuihui Vercoe and was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyVolume 3, 1996

Place of death

Rotorua, NZ

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - biography was written by Whakahuihui Vercoe and was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyVolume 3, 1996

Cemetery

Otaramarrae Maori Cemetery AWMM

Obituary

After a lifetime of service to his people, Henry Te Reiwhati Vercoe died at Rotorua on 23 March 1962. He was survived by both wives, four sons and two daughters. He laid in state at Houmaitawhiti marae, Rotoiti, and received a full military funeral attended by thousands.

Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 13 August 2015 - biography was written by Whakahuihui Vercoe and was first published in the Dictionary of New Zealand BiographyVolume 3, 1996

Related objects

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22020598
  Further Reference
• Military Personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24044605
  Further Reference
• Whakahuihui Vercoe. 'Vercoe, Henry Te Reiwhati', from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 19-Mar-2014 URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/biographies/3v5/vercoe-henry-te-reiwhati
  http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/3v5/vercoe-henry-te-reiwhati
  Further Reference
• Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
  https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20201108000000/https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-CowMaor.html
  Further Reference

References

• 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.
• New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  Page No: 744
• New Zealand. Army. 1st Maori Contingent. Scroll of the 1st New Zealand Maori Contingent, 1915. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-624.
• McGibbon, I.C. & Crawford, J. A.B. (c2003). One flag, one queen, one tongue : New Zealand, the British Empire and the South African War, 1899-1902. Auckland University Press, Auckland, N.Z.
• Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
  Vol. 1: Includes portrait
• 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.
• Soutar, M. (2019). Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!: Maori In the First World War. New Zealand: David Bateman Ltd.
• Cowan, J. (1926). The Maoris in the Great War. Auckland, N.Z.: Maori Regimental Committee by Whitcombe & Tombs.
• Pugsley, C. (1995). Te Hokowhitu a Tu : the Maori Pioneer Battalion in the first World War. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed.
• Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.