condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white

Cenotaph record

Gordon Gerald Harper

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait of Second Lieutenant Gerald Gordon Harper. Image sourced from Imperial War Museums' 'Bond of Sacrifice' collection. ©IWM HU 122917_A

Portrait of Second Lieutenant Gerald Gordon Harper. Image sourced from Imperial War Museums' 'Bond o …

Identity

About

Contribute ›
  • Title
  • Forenames
    Gordon Gerald AWMM
  • Surname
    Harper AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Gerald Gordon Harper AWMM
    • George Gerald AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 7/516 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion
    Catholic, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

Contribute ›
  • Birth
    15 February 1885 AWMM Christchurch, Canterbury AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    WW1 Unknown AWMM 10 Gloucester Street, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    WW1 George Harper, Hereford Street, Christchurch, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 16 October 1914 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

Contribute ›
  • War
    World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    WWI 7/516 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

Contribute ›
  • Medals and Awards
    • Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM
      Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM): For conspicuous gallantry between the 21st and the 30th August, 1915, at Kaiajik Aghala (Dardanelles), when in charge of machine guns. He invariably displayed great bravery and devotion to duty. L.G. 11 March 1916, p2746. AWMM
    • Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
      Mentioned in Despatches (MID): in connection with operations described in General I. Hamilton's despatch dated 11 December 1915. L.G. 28 January 1916, p1210. AWMM
    • Victory Medal AWMM
    • British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM

Training and Enlistment

Contribute ›

Embarkations

Contribute ›

Prisoner of war

Contribute ›
  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

Contribute ›
  • Medical notes
    Died of wounds, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

Contribute ›

Biographical information

Biographical information

Contribute ›
  • He was the sixth son of Mr George Harper of Christchurch, Barrister-at-law.

    On the outbreak of war he enlisted in the New Zealand Mounted Rifles' Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry and left New Zealand with the Main Body New Zealand Expeditionary Force in October, 1914.

    He saw much service in Gallipoli with the Machine-gun section of the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, was wounded during the operations following Suvla Bay landing in August, 1915, and was sent to hospital in England.

    For his services during these operations he was awarded the D.C.M. and at about the same time, received his commission as machine-gun officer. After recovering from his wound he returned to Egypt in December 1915 and saw service in the operations on the Suez Canal up to the time of his death.

    The Museum Library has a copy of 'Letters from Gunner 7/516 and Gunner 7/517' by Barbara Harper (Ref. D640) This is an edited edition of the letters written by these two soldiers during World War 1.
    He died at Cairo on 12 August 1916 from wounds received at the fighting at Romani, Egypt.

    Listed incorrectly as George Gerald in the Nominal Rolls AWMM
Read more

Death

About death

Contribute ›
  • Death
    12 August 1916 AWMM
    Age 31 AWMM
    Egypt, North Africa AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of wounds AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt AWMM M. 133. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

Contribute ›
  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

Remember Gordon Gerald Harper by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Gordon Gerald Harper

Leave a note

Contribute ›

Sources

Sources

Contribute ›

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
02 September 2016AllanRotoruaResearcher
12 September 2015VictoriaWellingtonResearcher

The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

Creative Commons LicenseOnline Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.