John Fleming left his job on an East Taieri orchard and enlisted early in 1917. He was posted to "B" Company, 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade. His unit was involved in the liberation of Le Quesnoy in early November - the last New Zealand action of the Great War.
I have no precise information about John's death but here are some portions of the Official History of the NZ Rifle Brigade which are relevant to his unit:
The orders read: "The New Zealand Rifle Brigade will mop up Le Quesnoy," but Le Quesnoy was objecting strongly to being mopped up; as our men put it, the garrison "hadn't got the war news up
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to date."
As part of the attempt to take Le Quesnoy without flattening it (and, more importantly, its population) with artillery, a message was dropped to the garrison by plane:
"To the Commandant of the Garrison of Le Quesnoy:"The position of Le Quesnoy is now completely surrounded. Our troops are far east of the town. You are therefore requested to surrender with your garrison. The garrison will be treated as honourable prisoners of war.
"The Commander of the British Troops."
The official communique from HQ proving ineffective, a number of attempts were made to negotiate by the sending of prisoners into the town. All that was gained by that was the news that, while the German troops were happy to surrender, their officers were not. John's unit, "B" Company, 2nd Battalion, continued their advance.
Closer approach had been made by the 2nd Battalion on the north. All three companies had pushed patrols forward into the sunken road close up to the moat. "B" Company, at first in reserve, but now holding the centre of the line, succeeded in getting a patrol of four men across the moat to the outer ramparts at about 8 a.m. Here they held on for a time, but were finally driven back by machine-gun fire, though not before they had taken and thrown down into the moat one of the German guns. The attempt was repeated shortly afterwards by a platoon from the same company, who, covered by a platoon of "D" on the right, forced their way into the moat; but intense fire caught the covering platoon in their exposed position and not only compelled their withdrawal, but also pinned the advanced platoon down till late in the afternoon. At 9.30 a.m. the Factory, where the enemy, now within our lines, had stubbornly held out since daybreak, was cleared, yielding seventy-five prisoners. Half an hour later, a party from "C" Company, on the left, under 2nd Lieut. J. H. Boles, moved eastward to attempt to approach the ramparts by means of the road-bridge over the railway. The bridge had been mined by the enemy, but the Engineers attached to the battalion, working under heavy and sustained fire, safely withdrew the charges, and Boles and his men seized the bridge and a section of the road beyond. The German machine-gunners, however, had this prominent position well commanded; the fire proved to be too hot, and further forward movement was blocked. At 1 p.m. another small party from this company, under 2nd Lieut. B. Kingdon, secured the Orsinval cross-roads close up to the moat, and a prisoner they held was sent into the town with a demand for surrender. It was now considered possible to rush the northern gate, for the bridge leading to it was found to be intact. All available men were concentrated about the cross-roads for this effort at 1.45 p.m., but, when everything was ready for the assault, the enemy blew up the span nearer the gate. A dash was essayed, however, and one man actually made his way across by means of a plank,
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reached the gate, and shot one of the garrison, but this forlorn hope was otherwise without result. The hostile machine-gun fire from this quarter continued to be intense, though the effect of the steady fire from our Lewis guns and from the Stokes mortar at the railway triangle was becoming more and more marked. One of the mortars was now brought round to a position opposite the gate, and at 3.30 p.m. fire was opened upon the ramparts on either side. From this moment the hopes of the 2nd Battalion men rose as rapidly as the volume of hostile machine-gun fire diminished; but it was getting late in the day, and the persistent efforts of the 4th Battalion on the western side were beginning to bear fruit.
John was one of the 43 men from the 2nd Battalion who was killed in action on that day. It was the day after his 24th birthday.
Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.
FLEMING.—On November 4, 1918, killed in action in France, Private John S. Fleming (37th Reinforcements), eldest son of Mr J. S. and Mrs Fleming, Braeview crescent, Maori Hill.
Jesus Is all the world to me,
I want no better friend,
I trust Him now, I’ll trust Him
when life’s fleeting days shall end.
Beautiful life with such a friend, beautiful life that has no end
Eternal life, eternal joy, he’s my friend -Otago Witness, 27/11/1918
FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE.
IN MEMORIAM. FLEMING.—In loving memory of Rifleman J. S. Fleming, N.Z.R.B., who was killed in action at Le Quesnoy on November 4, 1918; aged 24 years; eldest son of J. S. and the late Alice Fleming, “Braeview,” Maori Hill.
Just when his days seemed brightest,
Just when his hopes seemed best,
God called him from amongst us
To that home of eternal rest.
Only a memory of bygone days,
And a sigh for o face unseen;
But a constant feeling that God above
Knows best what might have been.
—Inserted by his loving father, sister, and brother. -Otago Daily Times, 5/11/1923.
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