7/260 Lieutenant Arthur Comyn Pigou 1/2/1893-12/12/1918

ROLL OF HONOR.

PERSONAL NOTES

Mrs J.M. Gregg, St Andrew's, has been advised that her husband, Private J. M. Gregg, who was recently wounded in the head and suffering from influenza effects, was transferred to Hornchurch Convalescent Camp, England, on December 7. A pathetic loss has been sustained by Mr and Mrs R. Pigou, Rapaura, in the death from influenza of their eldest son, Lieut. Arthur G. Pigou, on Gallipoli on December 12th. The deceased officer was a member of the 10th Mounted Rifles on the outbreak of war, and enlisting he left New Zealand, with the Main Body as a sergeant in the Canterbury Mounted Regiment. He saw service on Gallipoli and was invalided to England, where he remained for several months. On his return to Egypt he was promoted to the rank of regimental-sergeant-major and was returned to New Zealand to gain a commission. After a short furlough he proceeded abroad again as officer in charge of the mounted section of the 26th Reinforcements, and subsequently he saw considerable service in the Palestine operations. Apparently he was a member of the Anzac draft sent to Gallipoli for garrison duty on Turkey's withdrawal from hostilities. The late Lieut. Pigou who was only 25 years of age, was very popular in this district. In pre-war days he was a prominent member of the Moutere Football Club, and he represented Marlborough on the Rugby field in 1913 and 1914 with success. He was a grandson of the; late Major-General Pigou, of the Imperial Forces. His death will be widely regretted, and it is an event invested with particular sadness in view of his lengthy services for King and country and the fact that hostilities have ceased.  -Marlborough Express, 17/12/1918.

From the Official History of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles:

CHAPTER X. 

Leaving the Jordan Valley for the Last Time.

The 5th, 6th and 7th of October were spent down by Jericho and on the 8th the Brigade began its last march out of the valley. The next few days were spent at Jerusalem and on the 14th October the Brigade arrived in its old camping ground at Richon-le-Zion.

Here equipment and clothing were overhauled and the men indulged in a good rest, though a certain amount of training was always carried on.

On October 13th the Canterbury Mounted Rifles left Ludd without their horses, for service overseas. The 7th L.H. Regiment from the 2nd L.H. Brigade went also, the destination of both regiments being the Gallipoli Peninsula.

On the 27th of November with a strength of 25 officers, 464 other ranks and 81 horses the Regiment sailed from Kantara in the transport Huntscastle and disembarked at Chanak and camped at Camburnu near Kilid Bahr in an old Turkish hostel with the 10th Squadron at Maidos. Very bad weather was experienced on the voyage over, the transport was quite unsuitable, and many men were down with influenza.

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The Regiment came under the orders of the 28th Division by whom they were treated as honoured guests. In conjunction with the 7th Light Horse Brigade the Regiment carried out a reconnaissance of the whole of the southern part of the Peninsula to report as to how the Turks were carrying out the terms of the Armistice.

A great deal of time was spent in identifying the graves of those New Zealanders who had died on the Peninsula; and the studying of the Turkish position gave an immense amount of interest to the old hands who had been through those strenuous days at Anzac.

The sudden change from the heat of Palestine to the cold and wet weather of Gallipoli caused much sickness. Four officers and 106 other ranks were evacuated to hospital and one officer and 10 other ranks died and were buried in the English cemetery at Chanak.

Tuamarina Cemetery, Marlborough.