Palmerston North war veteran Fred Cutler’s grave now marked

Fred Cutler was posted to Namaka Camp in Fiji during World War II. Photo / Supplied

When Ian Bailey was cleaning graves in the services section at Kelvin Grove Cemetery earlier this year, he came across an unmarked plot.

Cemetery records told him the ashes of Frederick William Samuel Cutler had been interred there in 1969.

Bailey, a former Palmerston North RSA president, appealed for Cutler’s relatives to get in contact so a plaque could be added to the plot.

Family came forward and the bronze plaque was unveiled last month.

Cutler was a member of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force and served in Fiji and New Caledonia during World War II.

He enlisted in July 1941 and was discharged in December 1944. The highest rank he held was warrant officer class two. He also did two years pre-war territorial service in the Wellington Regiment.

Cutler was born on May 10, 1907, in Palmerston North.

Fred Cutler's parents, Billy and Milly Cutler on their wedding day in 1906. Photo / Manawatū Heritage

His niece, Mary Dean of Whanganui, says he was the eldest child of Milly and Bill Cutler. The family lived in Ada St and Cutler attended College Street School and Palmerston North Boys’ High School where he was given the nickname Mouse.

“He was the only one who knew the significance of this name and said the secret would die with him which it did,” Dean writes.

“Two of his younger brothers were also given the name Mouse when they attended PNBHS. They never knew why but one of the wives fondly referred to her husband as Mouse.”

On leaving school Cutler went to Teachers’ College in Wellington and then embarked on a teaching career. This included headmaster jobs in Hastings, Dannevirke, and Stratford. He retired aged 59 in 1966 having completed his 40 years of service and returned to Palmerston North to live.

“Fred was a talented musician who could play any tune by ear on his violin,” Dean writes.

“He had a great love of cricket and football and was always very involved with these sports, especially at the schoolboy level. Scouting was another passion and he became involved in this wherever he went. Fred loved the outdoors, especially the South Island where he spent many years teaching.”

Cutler never married. His 12 nieces and nephews recall the wonderful Christmas presents he gave them.

His mother died in 1968 and he died unexpectedly on August 11, 1969, aged 62.

Fred Cutler's grave at Kelvin Grove Cemetery is now marked. Photo / Supplied

Dean says no one in the family was aware that Cutler’s grave lacked identification.

Cutler collected cuttings and memorabilia to do with his life and pasted them into scrapbooks. These scrapbooks, which document his war service, teaching career and Scouting involvement, have been given to Ian Matheson City Archives.