Thomas Ward was a sawmill hand when he enlisted and was with the Canterbury Infantry regiment at Paesschendaele in September of 1917. He took a bullet in the chest in that battle and spent time recovering in England. He was back in France at the end of the month. A Medical Board gave him a "C" classification, which meant he was fit enough for garrison service but not active service in the field.
At the beginning of 1918 he was back in an English hospital, suffering from hernia. This English stay lasted until September, 1918 and at the beginning of October he was in the field with the 13th Company, 2nd Battalion of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment. They were involved in the flanking and encircling movement around the town of Le Quesnoy, hoping to persuade the German garrison to acknowledge the hopelessness of its situation and surrender. As well as the Germans, the French occupants of the town were in residence - a full-scale assault with artillery was not being considered.
The CIR's Official History describes the action on that day: "The 2nd Canterbury Battalion had moved from its bivouac area just before daylight, and advanced through the forest in close support to the 1st Battalion. At 2 p.m. the Brigadier, having not yet received the report that the 1st Battalion's final objective had been taken, ordered the 2nd Battalion to pass through and continue the advance on the left flank. In the meantime, the 1st Battalion had already passed beyond its objective, and was approaching the clearing near the eastern edge of the wood.
"Owing to the density of the wood, and the length of the front, the companies of the 2nd Battalion found difficulty in keeping in touch with battalion headquarters, which was continuously changing its location as the battalion advanced. The leading companies were therefore in better touch with the 1st Battalion companies than with their own battalion headquarters, and were earlier in hearing of the 1st Battalion's advance beyond its final objective than was the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion.
"When the orders to go through the 1st Battalion reached the leading companies, the 1st Battalion had already advanced to take the objective assigned by the Brigadier to the 2nd Battalion. It was not until the 1st Battalion had been held up, and Major Wilson had come forward to confer with Major Stitt, that the position was cleared up. The two Commanding Officers then arranged that the 2nd Battalion should relieve the 1st, which was to leave one company to protect the left flank.
"By 4 pm. the relief was complete, and the 2nd and 12th Companies of the 2nd Battalion were holding the western edge of the clearing, with the 1st Company on the northern edge of the wood, on the left flank. The 13th Company and battalion headquarters were half a mile further back. Patrols were sent out, and the enemy was reported holding the other side of the clearing, while no touch could be gained with either of the Otago Battalions on the right flank. Later on, it was reported that the 2nd Otago Battalion had cleared the wood on the right, and a fighting patrol sent out by the 2nd Company established a post on the road on the eastern edge of the forest. The enemy, however, was still holding in strength part of the wood on the left of and behind this post, and was also reported to be three hundred yards east of the edge of the wood. It was now quite dark, and no further advance could be attempted.
"The brigade was relieved during the night by a brigade of the 42nd Division. The 1st Canterbury Battalion marched at 8 p.m. direct to the barracks at Le Quesnoy; but the 2nd Battalion was not relieved till after midnight, and so halted at dawn at Herbignies for a hot meal. Rain had begun to fall early on the morning of the 5th, and continued all day, so that everybody was very wet, and the going through the forest was very difficult. Altogether, the 5th/6th was one of the most exhausting days of the last phase of the war; for the advance in the rain all day — long though it was — was shorter than the march back to Le Quesnoy. Both battalions were dead tired when they reached Le Quesnoy, but there they found comfortable billets, with fires to warm themselves and dry their clothes."
From October 23 to the end of the war, the 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment's losses were 2 officer, 24 men killed and 8 officers, 116 men wounded. Thomas Frederick Ward was merely one of the replaceable tools of warfare. His loss to his family can be judged by the newspaper notices posted until at least 1931.
FALLEN SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL.
UNVEILING AT GLENOMARU.
Notwithstanding a cold rain and bad roads, about 200 persons gathered on Saturday afternoon to take part in the ceremony in connection with the unveiling of the memorial to the soldiers from the Glenomaru-Otekuri district who fell in the Great War.
The memorial consists of a substantial granite monument, raised on a concrete pedestal, with an iron railing, erected at the junction of the Glenomaru-Owaka-Ahuriri Flat roads. Mr W. Blackie, the owner of the property adjoining the junction, kindly donated a site, and the same has been levelled and fenced and several yards around the monument have been concreted, and later on will probably receive another coating of cement. The memorial is a substantial one, and does credit to the district.
A slight delay occurred in connection with the erection of the memorial, due to the shortage of masons. Some time ago, at a meeting of residents held at Ahuriri Flat, a committee was appointed to secure a fallen soldiers' memorial for the Glenomaru, Otekura and Ahuriri School districts. Mr R. C. Kerr was appointed Chairman and Mr D. W. M. Burn secretary, and to the untiring energy of these gentlemen is due much of the success of the movement. In a short time donations amounting to £l30 were received, and Mr Blackie's offer of a site being considered the most suitable was accepted, and a contract let to a Dunedin firm of monumental masons. In addition to money donations, labour to the value of £l8 was given by settlers. In this connection special thanks are due to Mr Blackie. He assisted at all times by carting and lending vehicles to the workmen, and did much to help on the work. The site has been surveyed and vested in Messrs R. C. Kerr, 'A. Mclntosh and G. S. Wilson as trustees. The committee made every attempt to get the names of all fallen men in the district, and it is probable another name will be added after further inquiries have been made. The inscription on the monument reads: "The Great War, 1914-1918. Lance-corporal James Wilson, Private George Huntley Hay, Private Joseph Whyte Lindsay, Private Christopher Owen Randall, Private Thomas Frederick Ward. 'Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.' "
Shortly after 1 p.m. on Saturday the Glenomaru School children, bearing beautiful wreaths and floral emblems, marched to the site, where about 30 to 40 Territorials and Cadets had already paraded ready to take part in the ceremony, which, owing to the rain, was curtailed.
Mr Kerr detailed the steps taken to erect the memorial. Apologies were received from Mr A. S. Malcolm, M.P., and Rev. A. Chisholm, C.F. Other persons had been invited to take part, but had been detained at the last minute. As chairman of the committee, he thanked all who had assisted in the movement, and those who were present that day.
Under the conductorship of Lieutenant M. T. Jackman the gathering joined in singing the Old Hundredth Psalm.
Lieutenant-colonel R. R. Grigor addressed those present, speaking as one who had served with those who had fallen, and whose memory they were honouring. A soldier felt that by giving his life for his homeland he was doing something worth while. Many of them went away bright young chaps, strong and singing, and they gave their all — they gave themselves for their country. He reminded his hearers of the sacrifice of these men, and urged them to carry on the good work that had been broken. The fallen men would have them to remember the women and their country. He declared that our Empire must be ready for the next war, and had our nation been prepared there would not have been such slaughter in the Great War.
Mrs Kerr pulled the cord and the Union Jack that had been wrapped around the column fell to the base, the people standing with bared heads, while Mr M. Low sounded "The Last Post." The children and others filed up and placed a large number of beautiful wreaths at the foot of the monument.
Rev. J. Cawley read a few verses of scripture and gave an address, basing his remarks on the death of 'Absalom'. He pointed out that "the fortune of war had changed little since Bible times. They all sympathised with the bereaved in their loss. People were apt to forget the gain in thinking too much about their loss. The sacrifice of the young men whose memory they were honouring should encourage those who were left behind. The memorial told of duty done, and their spirit should be caught by others, who must practise what they admired in these young men. No gain could come without sacrifice, and Mr Cawley spoke of the Resurrection of Christ and the power of His Gospel.
A prayer was offered by Mr Cawley, after which the hymn, "A Sunny Land," was sung. Mr A. North (Clutha County councillor) expressed sympathy with the bereaved, and expressed his pleasure at being present to take part in honouring the memory of the fallen from that district. He explained the . attitude taken up by his son in relation to going to the war.
Mr T. Maginness (Clutha County Council) congratulated the district on the number of young men who went to the front. He was glad to see so many children taking part in that day's proceedings and paying a tribute to those who had fallen to make a happier and better future for them.
Mr D. W. M. Burn, secretary of the Memorial Committee, upon being called upon to speak, said he had put his thoughts into verse, and recited a short poem he had written for the occasion, copies of which were distributed as a memento.
Mr Kerr thanked the visitors who had travelled through the rain to be present, the speakers, and all who had assisted in any way.
A verse of the National Anthem brought an impressive ceremony to a close. -Clutha Leader, 10/8/1920.
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