Herbert Ernest Hart

Born 13 Oct 1882 - Died 5 Mar 1968

Service number: South African 7449 AWMM
WWI 10/133 AWMM
Also known as: —
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: WW1 Brigadier/Military AWMM General Headquarters, Middle East Command AWMM
War: South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Portrait, Brigadier-General Herbert Ernest Hart from Austin W. (1924) facing page 352, - No known copyright restrictions No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Son of William Hart and Mary Ann Reid.

Served in Anglo-Boer War and both World Wars.

Commissioned with NZ Volunteers, 29 October 1907.

Went to South Africa with the 9th Contingent in 1902 but did not see any action before the war ended on 31 May 1902.

Hart married Minnie Alma Eleanor Renall, daughter of a local Carterton farmer, in Carterton, 8 April 1903. They had three daughters, one of whom died in infancy, and one son.

Qualified as a barrister & solicitor in 1907 and began practicing with Thomas Maunsell in Carterton.

Enlisted 1 NZEF, 5 August 1914, as a Major and 2i/c (second-in-command) of the Wellington Battalion.

After being wounded at Gallipoli, Hart spent several months in 1915 recovering in England before being promoted Lt Colonel and returning to Gallipoli as CO (Commanding Officer) of Wellington Regiment. Upon promotion to Lt Col, Hart wrote to his wife, saying it would increase the pension she would receive 'if I happen to go out'. (DNZB)

"In March 1917 he was made a temporary brigadier general and given command of the 4th New Zealand Infantry Brigade, which was being raised from reinforcements in England. Hart directed its training, and under his leadership it quickly developed into a highly efficient unit. The brigade performed particularly well during the New Zealand Division's successful attack on Gravenstafel Spur during the third battle of Ypres (Ieper) in October 1917. Hart was profoundly disappointed by the decision in January 1918 to disband his brigade as part of a reorganisation of the New Zealand Division." (DNZB)

CO (Commanding Officer) of 2 NZ Infantry Brigade, February 1918. A few days after the appointment, "he and virtually all his staff were badly gassed. In early April 1918 he took charge of the New Zealand reserves at Sling Camp in England. Well aware of the 'waste and destructiveness' of the bloody struggle in which he was engaged, he became cynical about the honours and awards received by senior officers. In June 1918, after being made a CMG, he wrote: 'It has been remarked that awards are now served out as rations; be it so no one likes being without his rations'." (DNZB)

CO of 3 NZ Rifle Brigade, France, July 1918.

After being discharged in May 1919, Hart established a new legal firm in Masterton and Carterton. "He was the first president of the Masterton Rotary Club and received the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association's highest honour, the Gold Badge, for his work on behalf of former soldiers." (DNZB)

CO of 2 NZ Infantry Brigade, NZ, June 1920 - May 1925.

Administrator of Western Samoa, 1931-35. Although not everyone regarded his service in Samoa as successful, in June 1935 Hart was made a KBE for his work in the islands.

NZ Representative and Deputy Controller, Imperial War Graves Commission, 1936-43. From his base in Jerusalem, he organised cemeteries and memorials in Egypt, Palestine, Salonika, Gallipoli, Iraq and Iran. Between 1940-42, he served as CSO (Chief Staff Officer) of GHQ (General Headquarters), Middle East Command and was responsible for managing the British Army's grave registration service in East Africa and the Middle East.

Father was named William Hart. AWMM

Sources

External links: Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R16792490
Further Reference
Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q12790910
Further Reference
Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q12790910
Further Reference
References: Haigh, J., Polaschek, A. (Eds.). (1993). New Zealand and the Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, N.Z.: Authors.
New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
Vol1: 308
Unknown photographer. (1914 - 1918) [Battles at Ypres and Messines]. Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tamaki Paenga Hira. PH-ALB-195.
Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 2: Includes portrait
Stowers, R. (2009). Rough riders at war : history of New Zealand's involvement in the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 and information on all members of the 10 New Zealand contingents. Hamilton, N.Z.: R. Stowers.
McDonald, W. (2013). Honours and Awards to the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, 1914-1918. (3rd ed.). Hamilton, N.Z.: Richard Stowers.
The Le Quesnoy Campaign research was undertaken by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists as part of the development of New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata (Le Quesnoy France). This research project was led by CJ Barbour (NZSG), BI Silvester, HH Farrant (NZMHS) with the support of NZSG volunteers (2022). The individuals included in this research dataset were identified as potentially having served in or around the wider Le Quesnoy campaign. Their presence at Le Quesnoy has not been individually verified in every case.
Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
Austin, W. (1924). The official history of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade (The Earl of Liverpool's Own). Wellington, N.Z.: L T Watkins.

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Herbert Ernest Hart