Harry Frederick Hall

Born 29 May 1888 - Died 9 Jun 1917

Service number: WWI 12/3343 AWMM
Also known as: —
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Second Lieutenant AWMM Auckland Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion AWMM
War: World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Harry Frederick Hall — Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1917 - No known copyright restrictions No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Harry Frederick Hall was born in Auckland on 29 May 1888, the son of Henry and Louisa Elizabeth Hall. His parents had emigrated from England to New Zealand in 1878. The family lived at Beaconsfield Road, Devonport, before later residing at 71 Park Road, Auckland, the address recorded for his father in the Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914–1918. Hall attended Auckland University College, was regarded as a native of Remuera, and worked as an assistant master at Epsom School before World War I. Before enlisting for overseas service, he had served with the New Zealand Territorial Force.

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira holds the War diary and letters of Harry Frederick Hall (MS-2002-72). The collection includes a copy of his diary covering 9 October 1915 to 19 December 1916, transcripts of letters written to his sister Vera between 1915 and 1917, and related material compiled by Christopher “Kit” Withers. Examples of the letters are available to view digitally through Pou Kanohi New Zealand at War.

Hall’s diary and letters document his transition from schoolteacher to soldier. While training at Trentham and Tauherenikau camps, he wrote to Vera about route marches, rifle practice, night exercises and the issue of military equipment. When he received his service number, he commented that the men would no longer be known by name at headquarters: “Sounds like prison doesn’t it.” Despite the demands of training, he also described concerts, dances and a piano installed in the men’s hut.

After arriving in Egypt, Hall was stationed at Zeitoun Camp. He visited the pyramids and the Sphinx on Christmas Day 1915 and celebrated New Year’s Eve with other soldiers using tin cans, plates, whistles and drums to welcome 1916.

After arriving in France, Hall served with the Auckland Infantry Regiment on the Western Front. His letters describe the heavy equipment carried by infantrymen, the importance of mail from home and the routines of cooking, washing clothes and finding moments of rest between military duties.

By May 1916 he was serving in trenches about 150 yards from the German positions. He described repeated gas alarms and named the trench under his charge Beaconsfield Road, after his family’s Devonport address. It measured approximately 20 feet long and accommodated Hall and seven other men.

His correspondence also records the physical conditions of trench warfare. He wrote of going days without washing or shaving, exchanging lice-infested clothing for clean garments at a former brewery converted into bathing facilities, and sleeping among rats. Looking at the surrounding landscape, he reflected:

“I often think when I look at the grass and trees around what a damnable thing this war is. The trees more than get knocked about, but the grass seems to flourish.”

Hall led fatigue parties gathering material to strengthen dugouts. In June 1916 he described removing posts and rafters from a shell-damaged church. Among the ruins he found a small French edition of the Gospel of St Matthew, which he kept as a souvenir.

After a period of leave in Britain, Hall returned to France early in 1917. His final surviving letter, dated 16 May 1917, referred to recent losses and the strain of active service. He also questioned whether he could return to his former life:

“No, I shall never settle down to the old game if I return. It will be too slow and crawling.”

Hall was killed in action in Belgium on 9 June 1917, aged 29, during the Battle of Messines. His body was not recovered or identified, and he is commemorated on the Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial to the Missing. He is also commemorated on the Devonport War Memorial, the Holy Trinity Church roll of honour, the Marivare Reserve Memorial Arch and in the World War I Hall of Memories at Auckland War Memorial Museum. AWMM

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Harry Frederick Hall