32613 Sergeant Ernest Matthew Belesky, 2/7/1895-28/2/1923.

Ernest Belesky was a farmer of Polish descent when he joined the Otago Infantry Regiment in 1916.  His enlistment was held over and he was one of a list of 28 men whose dental issues delayed service until the were treated by the camp dentists at Trentham.

He was promoted through the ranks to "temporary sergeant" in late 1917, probably part of the reorganisation of the Regiment after the heavy casualties of the Battle of Passchendaele.  At the end of that year he was sent to a "school of instruction" to train him for his new role in command of other soldier.  His rank was made up to Lance Sergeant on his return to the Otagos.

Ernest was tragically wounded in the early days of the German spring offensive of 1918.  His records show he was wounded on the 24th but they may have been inaccurate.  The Official History reports the following regarding his Battalion, the 1st: "The 1st Battalion continued in support positions in the locality of Colincamps until April 27th, On the 25th the area occupied by 10th Company was subjected to a bombardment with 5.9in. and 4.2in. howitzer shells, presumably intended for batteries in that locality, and a few casualties were sustained."  

It would not be unreasonable to assume that Ernest was one of the "few casualties."  His condition was recorded in the post-war records of New Zealand soldiers suffering from permanent disability due to their war service, prosaically and concisely recording "G.S.W. (gunshot wound) fract. lumbar vertibrae, paraplegia."

Three days after being wounded, Ernest was promoted to the rank of sergeant.  A month after that he was placed on the "dangerously ill" list.

At the end of July, 1918, Ernest sailed from Marseilles in the Hospital Ship "Marama," still on the "seriously ill" list.  He lived with his mother at Selwyn St, North East Valley, Dunedin, until his death five years later.  His records show an assessment of 100% disability.  I do not know whether he was bedridden or mobile with a wheelchair or similar during those five years.  Of one thing I am sure - it would be no life for a returning hero.

DEATH.

FOR KING AND COUNTRY.

BELESKY. —On February 26th. at his residence, Sclwyn street, North-east Valley, Sergeant Ernest M. Belesky, No. 32613, second son of Mrs E. Belesky: aged 25 years. R.I.P.—The Funeral will leave the residence To-morrow (Wednesday), the 28th inst., at 2 p.m., for the Anderson’s Bay Cemetery.— Hope and Kinaston, undertakers.  -Evening Star, 27/2/1923.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin.  DCC photo.

Ernest's older brother, Alfred Morris Belesky, also went to the Great War, surviving wounds suffered on Gallipoli which saw him invalided home.  His record shows "gsw left calf, dysentery."  In the Second World War, Alfred served as a guard at the POW and civilian detention camp at Cowra, NSW, and died of  phlegmonous gastritis and alcoholic degeneration of the liver in 1941.