Dannevirke: Delving into heroes' history

Ian Barnett (left), of Dannevirke's MenzShed, and Tim Delaney, head of the World War I committee, with the life-size replicas of William Cammock and Ephram Urquhart which remain at the Dannevirke News office. Mr Cammock died of his injuries at the battle of Chunuk Bair and Mr Urquhart was wounded and returned home, only to drown in 1925. Photo / Christine McKay

When Vikki Fuller read of Dannevirke's tribute to our Chunuk Bair heroes, she noticed something wasn't right.

"I was reading We Remember Them With Pride, in Hawke's Bay Today on Friday, August 14, when I realised a family member Percy Searle's name wasn't on the roll of honour in the photo.

"Percy was working as a shepherd in the Whetukura/Te Uri district when he joined the Wellington Mounted Rifles in 1914. He died of his wounds on August 10, 1915, at the 13th casualty clearance station at Anzac Cove."

Vikki said all the information she had about Percy came from his army records.

"He came from Norton, near Malton, in Yorkshire, and as far as I can work out he was born on November 14, 1889, the eighth child in a family of 11. He was the fifth of nine sons and his parents Henry and Margeret (nee Young) were grocers or provisions merchants."

Archives New Zealand lists a Percy Searle, born in 1889, who, aged 18, was a draper who arrived in Wellington on August 12, 1907. "His aunt, Louisa Chadwick (nee Searle), lived at Moastone in Whetukura/Te Uri and presumably this is where he went," Vikki said. "When he joined up he was working as a shepherd over the valley on Glen Elg for Thomas and Amy Ellingham (nee Chadwick). Amy was his first cousin.

"My great-grandparents, James (Jim) Ellingham and Ettie Ellingham (nee Chadwick) farmed next door at Bywell, where I grew up.

"Yes, two Ellingham brothers married two Chadwick sisters.

"Unfortunately, I have no photos, mementos, diaries or letters from Percy."

Rob McDonald, author of A Small Community and a Great War: The Dannevirke District and WWI, has Percy listed in the book he spent 1500 volunteer hours compiling on behalf of the Dannevirke World War I committee.

"I suspect what I did was to note only Percy's date of death which was after New Zealand's involvement was over but I missed that he had been wounded on August 9, 1915 when the Wellington Mounted Rifles were still engaged."

Mr McDonald said he was pleased Vikki had contacted the Dannevirke News to point out the omission.

"Others from the mounted rifles were also present and engaged particularly in the operation to capture the foothills prior to the capture of the heights at Chunuk Bair and deserve to be mentioned but I have so far been unable to find documentary evidence," he said. "These include my grandfather, Donald Allardice, who was in the D Squadron of the Wellington Mounted Rifles along with a number of other men from the district. The search continues."

Meanwhile, Tim Delaney, head of Dannevirke's World War I committee, is planning to print a supplement to go with Mr McDonald's book.

"There is probably another 35 pages of research Rob is working on. He's done a wonderful job and, like all research, it never ends."

The committee is also planning an official launch of the book at the Dannevirke Library, with a date in November likely.

And while most of the life-size Chunuk Bair soldier replicas have moved from businesses around town, the Dannevirke News retains two, William Cammock and Ephram Urquhart, who have sparked many conversations as they stand vigil in our office.

They are a reminder of our heroes who walked our streets, went to our schools and worked on farms, in businesses and taught in schools before heading off to war to ensure we too could enjoy that same freedom.