8/1362 Private George Wilson, 10/4/1887-22/5/1916.

One of my main sources of information for blogging - at least as a first source, is the Dunedin City Council's cemeteries database. I also use it for images of gravestones - my photos are often for reference and I know there is likely to be a reliably readable epitaph courtesy of the DCC.

When I found the reference to the grave of George Wilson, I immediately noticed that he died in 1916 but was buried in Andersons Bay Cemetery in 1947. Odd.

George Wilson was born in the tiny coal mining town of Shag Point and was a miner at Kaitangata when he signed up for the big adventure in October, 1914. 

He was with the Otago Infantry Regiment on Gallipoli where he received a gunshot wound to his left foot after just over a month in the trenches. It healed but was continually painful when walked on it. He was put onto light duties and eventually invalided home on the troopship "Willochra."

SMALLPOX ON TRANSPORT.

FATAL CASE REPORTED.

COMING TO NEW ZEALAND. 

Press Association WELLINGTON, May 9. The Minister of Public Health (Hon. G. W. Russell) has been advised that a fatal case of smallpox occurred on the troopship Willochra, bound from Fremantle to New Zealand, a man named Fisher dying. 

Arrangements have been made for the quarantine station at Port Chalmers to be put in full working order. The whole of the ship's company is being re-vaccinated. The vessel has been instructed to come along under easy steam, so as to give an opportunity for the results of the re-vaccinated to show themselves.  -Sun, 9/5/1916.

In connection with the smallpox patient on the Willochra, Mr. H. Okey, M.P., last night wired that the man died ashore at Albany on May 6, so that, if no further cases appear, the quarantine limit will have run out before the vessel's arrival in New Zealand. The Minister is expecting a wireless message as to whether there are any fresh developments.   -Taranaki Daily News, 11/5/1916.

Chaplain-Captain D. F. Fisher, of the 17th Mounted Regimental Camp at Wyndham, Southland, received a telegram on Monday afternoon to the effect that his eldest son, Private J. W. Fisher, had died on the Willochra on the voyage to New Zealand. This news was made all the more distressing, owing to the bereaved father having received a letter from his son by the first mail on Monday, stating that he was well and strong. [The wireless reporting the death from smallpox on the Willochra stated that the victim's name was Fisher.]  -Hastings Standard, 13/5/1916.

 HOME FROM THE WAR

WILLOCHRA ARRIVES

ANOTHER SMALLPOX SUSPECT

TROOPSHIP IN QUARANTINE

By Telegraph. -Press Association,

Dunedin, May 11. The Willochra, with 233 soldiers on board, arrived at Port Chalmers yesterday morning, but the medical officers who went on board of her, finding a suspected case of smallpox, the vessel was quarantined for a period - it is understood of 14 days. 

Drs. Valintine, Hope Lewis, Watt, Borne, and Champtaloup, and Captain Thompson (harbourmaster) went out to the steamer, which was anchored in the stream. They found no trace of contagious disease until they came to examine practically the last soldier The local doctors decided that he showed typical symptoms of smallpox, and it was thereupon decided to order the vessel into quarantine. All the doctors who boarded the vessel and also Captain Thompson had to be vaccinated before they returned to Port Chalmers. 

Apart from the suspicious case mentioned, the health of the men appeared to be excellent. One man who was rather seriously ill from a complaint of the kidneys was brought up to Dunedin Hospital, all precautions having been taken to see that there is no fear of any possible contagion. Sixteen other men, ill from ordinary complaints, will be placed on the quarantine island, is far as could be ascertained, a number of men will shortly be received from the Willochra, and the remainder will, it is said, be taken to Quail Island. 

PLACES OF QUARANTINE. 

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. 

The Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) made a statement to a reporter last night as to the precautions to be taken by his Department to isolate the contacts on the Willochra. 

"Owing to another case of smallpox having developed to-day on the Willochra on the arrival of the ship at Port Chalmers, the ship has been quarantined," said Mr. Russell. "There are 236 convalescent soldiers on board and 97 of a crew. I have no special information with regard to nurses, but there must be some on board. The smallpox case was at once taken to Quarantine Island, as well as 14 cot cases, none of whom, however, are severely ill. One serious case was taken to Dunedin Hospital. The total accommodation available on Quarantine Island is sufficient for not more than 150 men. It is necessary, therefore, to accommodate some of the men elsewhere, and the ship will go on to Lyttelton to leave the remainder of tho men to be accommodated on Quail Island. There are a number of invalids already occupying the buildings at the Quarantine Station at Port Chalmers, and these will be removed from there to a place of safety, the exact locality of which has not yet been definitely settled.

"I have not received up till the present any description of the patient affected. On the discovery of the first case of smallpox on board the ship just before she reached Albany, orders were at once given for the revaccination of all the soldiers and the crew. Some of the crew, however, refused to be revaccinated. Instructions were, therefore, given that upon the arrival of the ship, whatever might be the condition of the men generally, these men were to be held in quarantine until all danger of infection had disappeared." 

The Defence Minister stated last night that he was advised that the disinfection of the ship would occupy only a few days, and that this untoward occurrence (the outbreak of smallpox) would not delay the sailing of the next reinforcements.   -Dominion, 15/5/1916.

QUARANTINED

TROOPSHIP WILLOCHRA ARRIVES. 

SUSPECTED CASE OF SMALLPOX. 

MEN TRANSFERRED TO THE ISLAND. 

The troopship Willochra, with 193 invalided soldiers aboard, entered Otago Heads yesterday morning at 8 o'clock flying the yellow flag, and anchored at the quarantine grounds off Pulling Point. It was not, however, until more than five hours later that her fate was known. 

At 1.35 the official launch which had gone out with the Health authorities soon after the arrival of the ship was seen making a fast passage towards the wharves. Her party confirmed the fears of those ashore — the vessel was to be quarantined. 

Later on more detailed news leaked out; it was not given officially. The official party, consisting of Colonel Valintine (Chief Health Officer), Dr Champtaloup (Government Bacteriologist), Dr M. Watt (District Health Officer), Dr P. Borrie (Health Officer at Port Chalmers), and Colonel Hope Lewis (consulting physician for the military forces, Wellington) boarded the vessel and conducted a systematic inspection. Everyone aboard was examined thoroughly, and the last man to be examined proved to be a strongly suspected case of smallpox. It was thereupon decided to quarantine the vessel. As regards the health of the rest of the men aboard, no trace of contagious disease was found, but some had to be revaccinated owing to previous vaccination not being effective. Apart from the suspected smallpox case — he is a member of the Otago Infantry, but his next of kin reside at Carterton — there is one rather serious ease, that of a man suffering from kidney trouble. It was intended to have him removed to Dunedin Hospital yesterday afternoon, but the weather proved too cold, and his removal had to be postponed until to-day. Thirteen other men would, it is understood, be cot cases for immediate removal to hospital. The general health of the rest of the men is said to be excellent. The military authorities had had arrangements made for dealing with the men should pratique have been granted, but as things turned out they could only announce that the vessel had been quarantined — probably for a fortnight — and the next of kin would be notified in due course as to what was happening to the men.

As to accomodating the men, it was understood that an endeavor would be made to land as many as possible at Quarantine Island, and send the remainder to Quail Island, Lyttelton; but this morning arrangements were made to accommodate all the soldiers at Quarantine Island. The master and crew will remain aboard the Willochra, which will be anchored in the stream. 

It is stated that a number of patients already in quarantine will be transferred elsewhere. 

The vessel, which went outside the Heads overnight, re-entered early this morning, and later on came up near the wharves in order that the work of transferring the men to the island might be carried out. 

It is stated officially that the man who died at Albany had not been vaccinated. The suspected case is a vaccinated case. The party who boarded the ship yesterday took no risks. Before returning they were all vaccinated, and on landing they had to be sprayed with formalin. 

As has been already indicated, considerable difficulty was experienced yesterday in obtaining information from the proper quarter. Colonel Valintine, when asked if he would make some official statement, appeared somewhat reluctant to do so, but finally made a statement to the effect that as a result of the inspection by the Health authorities a suspected case of smallpox had been discovered. He therefore considered it would not be wise to allow the men to land, and had decided to quarantine the vessel. Surely, in view of the fact, that over 200 men aboard the transport have relatives and friends all over the Dominion, a more detailed statement might reasonably be expected. The soldier admitted to Dunedin Hospital is Q.M.S. Arthur James North (next of kin, Mrs K. North, 34 Dee street, Timaru). He is seriously ill.  -Evening Star, 15/5/1916.

1) A snapshot of some of the men from the troopship Willochra being vaccinated by Dr Hodges. (2) A view of the barge with the invalided troopers. (3) Dr Hodges busy vaccinating the returned soldiers. (4) A view of Quarantine Island, showing the buildings which will be used by the returned troops. (5) The quarantined troopship Willochra lying between the wharves at Port Chalmers. THE ARRIVAL OF THE TROOPSHIP WILLOCHRA WITH SMALLPOX ON BOARD.  -Otago Witness, 24/5/1916.

THE WILLOCHRA.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, May '23. The watersiders are busy coaling the Willochra, which expected to leave for Wellington on Thursday. 

No further developments are reported from Quarantine Island. The men are doing well, but there is no chance of anyone being released for another eight days. 

Private George Wilson, who died of smallpox, was buried on the island yesterday with military honours.  -Press, 24/5/1916.

SMALLPOX CASES.

Death of One Patient. 

Burial on the Island. 

Private George Wilson, 2nd Reinforcements, Otago Battalion, one of the two original smallpox cases from The Willochra, died on Quarantine Island on Monday shortly before noon. Deceased had been very ill for some days, so that his death was not altogether unexpected. Before enlisting he was a miner at Kaitangata. The remains were interred with military honours at Quarantine Island. The other two cases are doing well, while the cot cases are all making satisfactory progress. As for the rest of the soldiers on the island and the crew of the transport on the hulk at Carey's Bay, the splendid weather is doing much to make their compulsory quarantine far from being irksome.

The workers were aboard the Willochra on Monday morning and in the afternoon the Waipori arrived from Westport with coal for the transport. When coaling commenced there would probably be about 300 men employed. Many of the watersides have been vaccinated voluntarily.  -Tuapeka Times, 24/5/1916.

THE WILLOCHRA CONTACTS.

PROBABLY RELEASED NEXT WEEK. 

PRECAUTIONS TO CLEANSE VESSEL.

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Mr Russell informed the House yesterday that the body of the soldier who died from smallpox had necessarily been buried on the quarantine island, Port Chalmers. Word had however, been sent to the next-of-kin, who lived in the Old Country, that arrangements would be made if they so desired to exhume the body after the necessary period, and inter it elsewhere. 

In order to relieve the minds of parents whose sons would be going away in the Willochra the Minister announced that the vessel had been doubly fumigated first by the Health Department, under the direction of Inspector-General Valintine, assisted by Dr. Champtaloup, of Otago University, and by the Health Officer of Dunedin, and again by the Union Company, according to their methods.  There was no doubt, now, added Mr Russell, that the vessel was as clean and free from infection as any other vessel used as a transport. He was glad to say that no further developments had occurred among the quarantined soldiers, who were getting along quite well. It was hoped that by Monday or Tuesday next a large number should be released and sent to their homes. (Hear, hear.) 

In reply to Mr. Okey, the Minister stated that the Willochra's crew were quarantined, in a hulk  entirely independent of the soldiers on the island. They had also been vaccinated, and the Union Company had been requested to provide an entirely fresh crew for the vessel before she takes her departure with the next load of troops.  -Poverty Bay Herald, 25/5/1916.

And so the Willochra left port with its next load of soldiers for Europe.  The men who had arrived in the ship and been quarantined left for their homes and futures - two of them later than the rest after their recovery from smallpox. George Wilson's body lay in the cemetery on Quarantine Island.  But his rest there was not eternal.

A Soldier's Grave 

A returned serviceman who is the only person buried at the cemetery at Quarantine Island, Otago Harbour, is to be re-interred in a soldier’s plot in another cemetery. This course is to be taken on the recommendation of the Health Department, and the arrangement was confirmed by the executive of the Dunedin R.S.A. at its meeting last night. The serviceman died before he was due to go overseas during the First World War.  -Evening Star, 23/7/1947.

Andersons Bay Cemetery, Dunedin. DCC photo.