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Cenotaph record

Walter Halstead Stevens

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Image of Gravestone at Purewa Cemetery supplied by Paul Baker December 2013 - No known copyright restrictions

Image of Gravestone at Purewa Cemetery supplied by Paul Baker December 2013 - No known copyright res …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Walter Halstead AWMM
  • Surname
    Stevens AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWI 5/866 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs S.T. Stevens (mother), York Street, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
    1914-1919 Western Front AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 5/866 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 Unknown AWMM Farmer/Civilian 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

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Walter Stevens was the son of Alfred George and Susannah Tippen Stevens (nee Clark), 7 York Street, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand.

      Walter Stevens is commemorated on the Matakana District war memorial. The inscription reads: 'This monument was erected by public subscription as a thanksgiving to almighty God for peace and victory and in memory of the men of this district who fell in the Great War 1914-1918. Their Duty Nobly Done. December 1919' AWMM
    • ============================================================================
      Walter was born 11 August 1878 in Cecil Cottages, Henniker Road Stratford, England, 3rd son of Alfred & Susannah Stevens. In 1885 the family immigrated to New Zealand on the "Duchess of Argyle" and settled in Parnell, Auckland. They were a prominent family in Parnell and Walter was one of 12 children.

      Walter arrived in Matakana around 1909 and worked as a farm labourer on Tongue Farm. By 1913 he was able to purchased 52 acres of farmland at the junction of Matakana & Wrights Road.

      At the outbreak of WW1, Walter and four of his brothers enlisted for active duty. First was Trooper Ralph Benjamin Stevens (13/138) of the 3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles, followed by Driver Walter Halstead Stevens (5/866) of the New Zealand Army Services Corps 10th reinforcements, then Private George Gordon Stevens (2477) of the Australian Imperial Force, 5th Reinforcements and finally Rifleman Harold Dixon Stevens (54054) NZ Rifle Brigade 3rd Battalion.

      Walter arrived on the French battlefield June 1916. Physically unfit to join the infantry he was assigned to the Army Services Corps and trained as a driver for the NZ Field Ambulance Service. However by mid December 1916 he was seriously ill with chronic Bronchitis and severe Haemoptysis and his prognosis of survival was bleak. He spent the next few months in Hospital and was invalided back to NZ in late April 1917.

      For the next two years Walter was unable to work and gradually declined physically and by December 1918, he was so seriously ill that he was admitted to Auckland hospital and died on 21 April 1919 with his family by his side.

      All four on the Stevens brothers returned from the War, however within a few years, 3 of them had died from illness contracted while on active duty.

      Walter is buried in Purewa Public Cemetery and remembered on the Matakana War Memorial.

      Lest we forget. Public - Matakana War - Researcher - 12 August 2018 - Family archives, Military records and Papers Past.
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    21 April 1919 AWMM
    Age 40 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium, Meadowbank, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM Block A, Row 23, Grave 50. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Matakana War Memorial (King George war memorial statue), Matakana Wharf Reserve, Matakana Road, Matakana, New Zealand AWMM
    • St Mary's Cathedral Church. Parnell, Auckland 1052 AWMM
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM

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Sources

Sources

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Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
12 August 2018Matakana WarMatakanaResearcher
01 March 2016Matakana War MemorialMatakana, North Auckland, New ZealandResearcher

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