Biographical information: Prior going to the first world war he was a boiler maker not a boot maker. He was not born in Auckland but in Port Albert, Wharehine. As a small child he returned to England with his family. At the age of 9 he was sent to NZ by his mother on his own on a sailing ship. He lived with his uncle. He did not return to the UK or see his mother again until he served in the first world war as an adult. My personal tribute, I am the daughter of his youngest child Claire, Claire was born to his second wife Kate some time after the first world war. "To my grandfather, who died when I was 10 years old, you were 80 when I was born, I remember you as a very erect, nut brown man, who did not speak very often, kept to himself with very intense blue eyes. You were a very up right almost rigid man. Those that lived with you found you unpredictable, from reading your war record