The Thames High School Memorial - World War I

‍Private Sydney Samuel AGNEW 70149 Died 3 May 1921 Thames. NOK: Mrs A. Agnew (mother), Hape Rd, Thames.

AGNEW C.S.
Probably Sydney Samuel AGNEW above.

Rifleman Frederick ALLEY 25/1196 KIA 13 Dec 1917 Ypres, Belgium. NOK: Alfred Alley (father), Hikutaia, Thames.

Corporal Errol Lyndon BRENAN KIA 4 Oct 1917 Belgium. NOK: Son of Joseph (James) and Amy Frederica Brenan, Paeroa, Thames.

Second Lieutenant Edwin George ELLIS 25992 KIA 4 Oct 1917 Ypres, Belgium. NOK: Son of Richard Henry and Cecelia Ellis of Tararu, Thames.

Private Benjamin Arthur HAWKINS 64502 Died 29 Nov 1918 France. NOK: Harvey Hawkins (father), Kauaeranga Valley, Thames.

Gunner Reginald Augustine JUDD 42942 Died 5 Nov 1918 France. NOK: James Charles Judd (father), Iron-foundry, Thames.

Trooper Louis Henry LOWE 12679 Died 15 Nov 1917 Palestine. NOK: Only son of Henry and Sarah Lowe, Mary St, Thames.

Private John William LYES 27921 KIA 3 Dec 1917 Ypres, Belgium. NOK: Joshua Lyes (father), Irish Town, Thames.

Lance Corporal Edward James McCONNELL 11506 Died 1 Aug 1917 Belgium. NOK: Son of John and Emily Jane McCONNELL,Turua, Thames River.

Driver Hugh Francis POLAND 10659 Died 4 Oct 1917 Ypres, Belgium. NOK: Son of Hugh and Ellie Poland, Paeroa, Thames. Thames Star 26 Oct 1917

Sergeant Lindsay STEVENSON 3/819 Died 20 Dec 1917 Taihape, New Zealand. NOK: Son of Robert Stevenson, Pollen St, Thames. Buried in the Shortland Cemetery, Thames.

Rifleman Charles Sidney THORBURN 25651 KIA 28 Mar 1918 Somme, France. NOK: Mrs Lucy Thorburn (mother), 9 Martha St, Thames.
Newspaper clipping

Corporal Charles Philip WHITEHOUSE 21129 Died 25 Nov 1916 Belgium. NOK: Mrs E. E. Whitehouse (mother).

Rifleman Herbert Oscar WISELY 24/329 KIA 15 Sept 1916 Somme, France. NOK: Mrs A. Wisely (mother).

Corporal Alfred William ALLEY M.M. 9872 Died 20 April 1917 Belgium. NOK: Mrs Clara Alley (aunt), Hikutaia, Thames.

Corporal Leslie Harold ANDERSON 25/709 Died 16 Dec 1918 France. NOK: J.P. Anderson (father), MacKay St, Thames.

Private Thomas Joseph CORBETT 31951 Died of wounds: 2 Sept 1918 France. NOK: Mrs T. Corbett (mother), Hikutaia, Thames.

Corporal Theophilus John GEMMING 12/1956 KIA 8 Aug 1915 Gallipoli. NOK: Son of Charles W. G. and Agnes C. Gemming of MacKay St, Kopu, Thames.

Private Sydney Carl JORDAN 24/482 KIA 12 Oct 1917 Belgium. NOK: Son of Mr and Mrs James Jordan, Thames.

Sergeant John Thomas KENDALL 8/3304 Died 5 Apr 1918 France. NOK: Son of Henry and Sarah E. Kendall, Tararu Rd, Thames.

Private Albert Leslie LOWSON 64084 KIA 2 Oct 1918 France. NOK: Son of George William and Margaret Lowson, Beach Rd, Thames.

Corporal William David MAXWELL 48796 KIA 8 May 1918 France. NOK: Son of Peter and Mary Jane Maxwell, Grey St, Thames

Lance Corporal James Coutts PAUL 23760 KIA: 8 June 1917. NOK: Son of Matthew and Margaret Paul, Galbraith St, Waihi.

Private Harold Vivian RAMSAY 18080 KIA: 2 April 1918. NOK: Son of John Ramsay, Warkworth. Thames Star 17 Dec 1915; Thames Star 24 Apr 1918; Thames Star 24 Apr 1918

Corporal Victor John Huia TAYLOR KIA: 5 Oct 1918. NOK: Son of William Huia Taylor and Eliza Taylor of Hill St., Paeroa.

Private Walter Edward TORRENS 1458
KIA 25 June 1917, Belgium. Australian Imperial Forces Born Whakatete Bay, Thames. NOK: Hugh Thomas Torrens (father).

Private Stanley Robert Earl WILLIAMS 38471 KIA: 24 Aug 1918. NOK: Son of Kate Susan and Samuel Edward Williams, Auckland.
Stanley R.E. Williams attended Thames High School in 1915.
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THAMES WAR MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS THE UNVEILING CEREMONY.
From the New Zealand Herald 2 April 1923.

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Thames High School Roll of Honour 1914-1918.

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ABBOTT R.N.
ADAMS K.E.
ALLEY E.K.
ALLEY C.
ALLEY C.
ALLOM O.B.
BAKER H.J.
BANKS C.A.
BAYLDON J.
BAYLDON T.
BEALE L.K.
BENNETT W.C.
BOLES H.R.
BOWDEN J.T.
BROWN R.L.
BUCHAN G.S.
CARTWRIGHT J.T.
CHRISTIE S.E.
CLARK G.S.
CLARK J.P.
CLIMO B.P.
CROPP W.H.
DALDY F.
DANBY A.W.
DANBY S.L.
DOIDGE O.J.
DOWNES P.G.
DRIVER K.
ELLIS F.A.
ENSOLL J.R.
GARDINER T.
GARRY G.
GIBSON F.E.
GODKIN T.E.
GRIGG M.N.
HALL V.J.
HUDSON A.B.
HUDSON C.R.
JENKINS R.M.
JOHNSON L.D.
MACMILLAN C.
MAY L.
McCARTHNEY C.A.
McCORMICK A.
AGNEW C.S.
ALLEY A.W.
ALLEY F.
ANDERSON L.H.
BRENAN E.
CORBETT T.J.
ELLIS E.G.
GEMMING T.G.
HAWKINS B.A.
JORDAN S.C.
JUDD R.A.
KENDALL J.T.
LOWE L.H.
LOWSON L.A.
LYES J.W.
MAXWELL W.D.
McCONNELL E.J.
POLAND H.F.
PAUL J.C.
RAMSAY H.V.
STEVENSON L.
TAYLOR V.J.H.
THORBURN C.S.
TORRENS W.E.
WHITEHOUSE C.P.
WILLIAMS S.R.E.
WISELY H.H.O
McNIECE P.
MELHOSE F.F.
MELHOSE L.R.
MOYLE A.E.
MOYLE H.L.
MORESBY FORT.
MORESBY FX.
NICHOLLS R.W.
PEARCE W.
POLAND J.J.
POLAND W.R.
POOLE G.T.
PRICE A.C.
PRICE J.L.
PRICE H.W.
QUINN W.J.
RICKIT C.
ROWE H.
ROYAL H.
ROYAL R.
SHAND A.L.
SIMMONDS M.
SMITH R.H.
SMITH R.T.
SPRY L.A.
STEPHENSON C.O.M.
STEWART A.B.P.
STEWART M.
STEWART J.F.
TETLEY G.C.
TORRENS T.H.
TOWERS L.W.
TOWERS L.J.
WATENE G.
WATSON D.
WATSON W.
WHITEHEAD H.G.
WHITEHEAD S.
WHITEHEAD L.
WIGGINS H.
WIGGINS E.
WILD J.L.
WILKES T.
WILSON C.D.
WRIGHT O.

MONTAGES OF THAMES HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS WHO SERVED IN WWI

Many past pupils of Thames High School prior to about 1980, remember a series of photo montages of pupils who served in WW1 hanging in the old brick 'A' Block, near the Headmaster's office. These appear to have been removed when the block was demolished and replaced, during the 1980s.

Around 2007, a search was conducted to see if we could locate the montages, as a source of photos for the Treasury WW1 web page. Initially, the search was unsuccessful and the matter went into abeyance until the WW100 project commenced in 2013. Another search was undertaken, and this time, the montages were located in a sports store near Mackay St. After discussions, the School agreed to donate the montages to the Treasury and this was done. Thanks to a small grant from the national WW100 project, two montages have been professionally restored. The above four photographs are a small sample of the high quality photographs of THS pupils from these montages. The third montage was badly water damaged and was going to be discarded. However, a big effort has resulted in replacements being found for nearly half the photos, and the montage is now almost as good as new!

All three monatges will now be cared for permanently in the climate-controlled facilities at The Treasury and can be viewed on request. Our efforts should ensure that the photographs in the montages will survive undamaged for the next 100 years and beyond.

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THAMES CENTRAL SCHOOL MEMORIAL GATE.

THAMES SOUTH SCHOOL

This memorial was originally a drinking fountain.

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6th HAURAKI REGIMENTAL BAND ROLL OF HONOUR

THAMES STAR 21 Oct 1918:
The unveiling of the 6th Hauraki Regimental Band Roll of Honour took place at Victoria Reserve yesterday afternoon before a good muster of people.

A procession of the band, returned soldiers, High School Cadets, Cadets, firmen, and members of the Thames Old Boys' Association left the Brian Boru corner at 2.45 p.m. and marched to the park, where the Hauraki Brass Band was also in attendance.

The Mayor, Mr H. Lowe, unveiled the Roll of Honour bearing 28 names, three of whom have made the supreme sacrifice, and several have been wounded. Mr Lowe said it gave him very great pleasure to be present on such an occasion, and paid tribute to the patriotism of all those who had answered the call, some having gone in the early part of the war, and others following as they came of age. While the Mayor unveiled the Roll, the 6th Hauraki Regimental Band played the National Anthem.

Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., the Revs. Taylor, Jones and Milne also spoke on similar lines.

The proceedings terminated by the buglers sounding The Last Post.

The names on the Roll are:
H. ALEXANDER
H. BRIEN
H. BURRETT
E. CHALLIS
A. CONWAY
T. COXHEAD
W. CROSBY
H. DASH (accidentally killed)
D.H. FRASER
C. GRAHAM
A. HANCOCK
H. HENDERSON
R. HENDERSON
W. JOHNSTONE
V. McCARTHY
R. McFARLANE
J. O'SULLIVAN
T. PASCOE
R. PEARSON (killed)
T. PENK
A. RATCLIFFE
E. SAUNDERS
G. SHAND
T. SIMPSON (killed)
F. SNOWLING
H. TAYLOR
J. WATERHOUSE
W. WHITE

They Died:

Private Herbert Lloyd DASH 79735 Accidentally killed while training, New Zealand. Late of Thames. NOK: Miss L. Dash (sister) NSW, Australia.
Thames Star 21 October 1918

Gunner Rupert Leslie PEARSON 50560
Died of wounds 19 Apr 1918 Belgium. NOK: Son of Agnes E. Pearson, stepson of Peter Pearson, Sealey St, Thames.
Thames Star 2 May 1918; Thames Star 3 May 1918; Thames Star 21 October 1918

Trooper James Thomas (Tom) SIMPSON 11/1596
KIA: 25 Nov 1917 Palestine. NOK: Son of Joseph F. and Beatrice Simpson, Karaka Rd, Thames.
Thames Star 28 July 1915; Thames Star 5 Jan 1918; Thames Star 7 Jan 1917; Thames Star 25 Apr 1918; Thames Star 21 October 1918

REFERENCES

1. THE COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION.
2. The New Zealand WW1 Service Personnel and Reserves Index. CD published by the St Johns Branch of the NZ Society of Genealogists 2002.
3. THE AUCKLAND WAR MEMORIAL MUSEUM Cenotaph Database.
4. Australian War Memorial
5. WW1 Soldiers' photos.
6. ARCHWAY, Archives New Zealand for WWI Military Records.
7. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour.
8. All newspaper clippings are from The Thames Star or The Ohinemuri Gazette, both of which can be searched online at PapersPast
9. Thames Cemetery Search.
10. Coromandel Memorials.
11. Waihi Casualties from WWI
12. The New Zealand Tunnelling Company.
13. New Zealand WW100: Remembering WWI - 100 years on.

Information for this webpage compiled by Kae Lewis from photos by David Wilton. Assistance from Althea Barker is much appreciated. If you can help to identify any of these soldiers, correct any errors or provide copies of photos and more information on any soldier, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact The Treasury.