Forenames

Ronald AWMM

Surname

Third AWMM

Service number

WWII 22152 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Date of birth

b. 1920

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - NZ BDM Birth records

Place of birth

Gisborne

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - NZ BDM Birth records

Birth notes

Son of Ronald & Florence THIRD of Gisborne

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - NZ BDM Birth records

Address before enlistment

WW2 care of Post and Telegraph Department, Blenheim AWMM

Next of kin

Mrs F THIRD of Gisborne

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - News Reports

Relationship status

Single

Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - No Marriage Record

War

World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWII 22152 AWMM

Military service

Coastwatcher AWMM

Medals and Awards

Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
08 Nov 1945 AWMM
For exemplary conduct in coast-watching and communication duties in the Gibert Islands area in the face of the enemy, despite overwhelming odds and the knowledge that relief or escape was impossible. AWMM

Enlistment

WW2 Cadet, Post & Telegraph Department/Civilian Ballot List

Capture details

WW2

Medical notes

Killed or died while a Prisoner of War, Cause of Death AWMM

Last rank

WW2 Sergeant AWMM
New Zealand Signals Corps AWMM

Served as a Coastwatcher on Ocean Island as part of the Gilbert Group. AWMM

Death

15 Oct 1942 AWMM

Cause of death

Killed or died while a Prisoner of War AWMM

Obituary

• GISBORNE MAN’S DEATH MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES A member of the communications group attached to the NZ coast-watching organisation sent to the Gilbert & Ellice Islands in 1941, Sergeant Ronald Third, whose award of posthumous mention in dispatches was announced on Wednesday, was born & educated in Gisborne. The son of Mrs. F. Third, Gisbotne, Sergeant Third was one of 6 men left behind on Ocean Island, in ihe Gilbert & Ellice group, when the white civilians & servicemen were evacuated in August. 1941, on the approach of the Japanese landing forces. A wireless expert, both on the technical & operational side, he was a leading member of the communications section & volunteered to remain on the island after the last of the servicemen were evacuated A man of his knowledge & experience was required to maintain communication for as long as possible & he volunteered for this duty, despite the realisation that relief or escape was impossible. 5 other men remained on the islands. They were civilians & representatives of a mining company on the island. There has been no official advice as to how Sergeant Third met his death, but a short while a native who escaped from the island & was 7 months’ adrift in a small boat before being rescued reported that there were no white inhabitants left on the island. It was known that 3 of the other Europeans on the island were taken by the Japanese to hospital on the grounds of giving them treatment to combat tropical disease. These men never left the hospital.
  Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXXII, ISSUE 21872, 16 NOVEMBER 1945, PAGE (Part 1)
• No word other than this has been received by Mrs. Third, who only knew of her son’s death this year after he had been on the presumed a prisoner of war list for over 3 years. Sergeant Third was educated at the Gisborne Central School & matriculated at the Gisborne High School. His one interest in life was radio & he joined the staff of the Post & Telegraph Department at Gisborne. While here he was closely associated with a group of young radio enthusiasts who formed their own club, & Sergeant R Third was president of the club before being transferred to Auckland & later to Blenheim & Invercargill, He was not 21 years of age when he went overseas as a volunteer for the. communications & coast-watching organisation. His brother, Private James Third, returned to NZ recently after 4 years’ service with the Second N Z.E.F.
  Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 7 September 2023 - GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXXII, ISSUE 21872, 16 NOVEMBER 1945, PAGE 6 (part 2)

Memorial name

• Bourail Memorial, Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery, New Caledonia AWMM
• Tarawa Coastwatchers Memorial AWMM
• Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2187502
  Sources Used
• Warren, Geraldine and Pine, Madison. Our Coastwatchers. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tāmaki Paenga Hira. First published: 21 April 2020
  https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/coastwatchers
  Further Reference

References

• New Zealand, World War II Ballot Lists, 1940–1945. [Extracted from the New Zealand Gazette.] CD-ROM. Ravensbourne, Dunedin, New Zealand: Colonial CD Books, n.d.
• Personnel - Medals and decorations - Awards to Pacific Coast watchers (1942-1946), Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R21465310)
• Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139.