35134 Sergeant John Gault Wallace, 24/2/1891-15/5/1918. "his stirling character"

 

Sergeant John Wallace was serving in the Auckland Infantry Regiment when he fell on May 15.  The Regiment's Official History has this to day about the day: "During the evening of the 15th a platoon of the North Auckland Company, commanded by Lieutenant Stunnell, one of the old Main Body men, now promoted to commissioned rank, carried out a raid on the enemy line. Under cover of an artillery and trench mortar barrage they filed out into No-Man's-Land, and immediately the barrage lifted rushed in. They quickly bombed five dug-outs, killing some twenty of the enemy, and then returned with two prisoners and a light machine-gun, suffering no loss themselves. The whole operation barely took five minutes, and was a splendid example of the perfectly successful raid. A retaliatory barrage put down by the enemy caused a few casualties — amongst them being Major Holland, M.C."

LATE SERGEANT J. G. WALLACE. 

The sad news of the death or Sergeant J. G. Wallace, at the front, was received in Kumara, on Wednesday, by his brother, Mr. M. Wallace, manager of the local dairy factory. Up to the time of his enlistment, the late Mr. Wallace was engaged in farming operations in the Kokatahi district, where he was well and favourably known for his stirling character. Some few months ago another brother was invalided home from the front, whilst more recently yet, another brother was drowned in one of the treacherous southern rivers. To the sorrowing mother, brothers and sisters, the deep sympathy of the whole district will go forth in this, the second calamity that has overtaken the family in so short a time.   -Grey River Argus, 1/6/1918.

Sergeant John Wallace is buried in Euston Road Cemetery, Collincamps, Somme, France.

Hokitika Cemetery.