ROLL OF HONOUR.
Roxburgh Soldiers Killed in Action.
The casualty lists in the daily papers during the past week or more are the longest that have yet appeared in connection with the present crisis, the death roll being exceptionally heavy. Included in the latest are the names of several well-known local soldiers, one of whom has made the supreme sacrifice. We refer to Corporal Percy Whelan, youngest son of Mr and Mrs T. Whelan, who was killed in action on September 15th. Recent letters from Corporal Whelan indicated that he was in the thick of it in the firing line, and he has no doubt been engaged in the severe fighting which accounted for the heavy casualties. News of his death on Saturday morning cast quite a gloom over the district, and in the irreparable loss of their soldier son and brother, who has given his life in assisting to save our homes from the merciless Huns. Mr and Mrs Whelan and family have the sympathy of everyone in the district. Born in Roxburgh in the year 1889, twenty-seven years ago, and educated at the local school, Corporal Whelan was well-known throughout Teviot, and by his genial disposition and cheerfulness, always looking on the bright side, won the admiration of all with whom he came in contact. After leaving school he went on to his father's run where he remained for several years. Ultimately he secured a position on Messrs Lowrie and Watt's station at Taihape in the North Island. Two years later he came back to Roxburgh, his intention being to secure a run of his own, but after a return visit to the North Island he enlisted, and went away with the Main Body of the Expeditionary force. He was slightly wounded in the leg in the Suvla Bay landing, but recovered and went through the Gallipoli campaign. He left New Zealand as a trooper and was promoted to the rank of corporal while engaged on Gallipoli. The deceased soldier was a keen sport, and took an active interest in athletics, horse racing, and Rugby football. As a footballer he was perhaps better known, being for a number of years one of the Roxburgh club's best front rankers, and in fact one of the best, in his time, in the goldfields. He played in several representative county matches and was a member of the Roxburgh club's famous 1911 seven-a-side combination which travelled, to Alexandra, Heriot, Tapanui, and finished up in Roxburgh with an unbeaten record, winning in till a total of 30 gold medals. Physically, Corporal Whelan was the embodiment of a fine soldier, and the training he derived from football stood him in good stead when he responded to the Empire's call for men for the Expeditionary Force. He was a good, clean, player, and carried out his duties in the firing line with the same determination and dash as he did on the football field. He also took an interest in Lodge matters, and had been a member of the Forester's A,O.L. since 1887.
Out of respect to the death of Corporal Whelan the flags on the local public building were flying halt-mast. -Tuapeka Times, 11/10/1916.
FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE
WHELAN. — On September 15, 1916, killed while in action in France, Corporal Percival James Whelan, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Thomas Whelan, Roxburgh; aged 27 years. R.I.P. -Otago Daily Times, 13/10/1916.
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Roxburgh Cemetery.
The casualty lists in September of 1916 seemed endless, especially to the families of the men whose Regiments were known to be in action on the Somme. The "Big Push" for which the Allied armies had waited was on. A hole would be torn through the German Army's line and the waiting cavalry would chase the hun all the way to Berlin. The casualties were high but it would be worth it.
Percival "Perce" Whelan was born at Roxburgh on February first, 1889, the youngest son of Thomas and Katherine. He enlisted in the Army at the beginning of the Great War and embarked with the Otago Mounted Rifles from Port Chalmers on October 16, 1914.
He was wounded at Gallipoli on the night of the 6/7 of August and evacuated to the Greek island of Mudros. The public were advised of his condition as follows:
Trooper P. J. Whelan (wounded) is 26 years of age, and is a son of Mr Thomas Whelan, blacksmith, Roxburgh. He was born and educated in Roxburgh. His occupation was sheep farming, which he followed on his father’s run and in the North Island. He was a good horseman, a keen sport, and Rugby footballer, representing North Tuapeka on several occasions in matches in adjoining counties and Dunedin. He enlisted in Roxburgh almost at the outbreak of war as a member of the Main Expeditionary Force. -Evening Star, 4/9/1915.
...Writing to his parents from St. George's Hospital, Malta, Private Bowden stated that it was in a charge on August 9th the Roxburgh boys were wounded, the list including F. Baillie P. Whelan, J. Armour, and R. Gray... -Mt Benger Mail, 8/12/1915.
Percival spent two months in hospital before rejoining his unit. He was appointed Acting Corporal in October of 1915 then had to report sick the next month. He was embarked on the Hospital Ship Tagus with bronchitis. The Tagus took him back to Cairo and he was back with the army at the end of the year.
"cockpit of scandal"
"cockpit of scandal"
While Percy was away serving with the Army his father was embroiled in a controversy over a land deal. He was granted 5000 acres in the Galloway area by the Land Board and there was indignant protest from many local people who thought the grant unjust. A certain letter was written by a Mr William Gordon, alleging that Percy's father Thomas had attempted to have him recalled from the War. The words "libelous letter," "cockpit of scandal," "scandal-mongering crusade" appeared in local newspapers. The letter, sent to and tabled by the local branch of the Alexandra Expansion League, unaccountably went missing when requested by Percy's brother who, immediately after handing over his two shillings and sixpence asserted his right to read it as a Member of the League.
In a story headlined as "A lively meeting," the Mt Benger Mail recounted:
"At this stage of the proceedings two brothers Whelan came in and the meeting very soon became lively, one of the brothers tabling his fee and becoming a member of the League as Messrs Haughton, McKinnel, Gordon and Harris of Roxburgh had despite the protestations of Mr Murphy that they were ineligible to sit as members been accepted. Mr Whelan "walked right into Mr Black" and charged him with disseminating scandal about his father and himself and said the League was dragging their personal character into the ring. He demanded to see Gordon's letter read at a previous meeting, but he was not permitted to see it. At this stage Messrs Richards first, and shortly afterwards Marslin and Murphy left the room.
Turning to Messrs Gordon and Haughton, Mr Whelan gave them both a bit of his mind for running to Alexandra to belittle his father and do the family a business injury if possible. He told the meeting Mr Haughton had 7000 acres better land himself and that although he had gone down to decry their land he had himself sworn formerly in a court of the law that it was cold and sour. By this time it looked as if another hot word would precipitate a personal encounter and your reporters (two in number) jointly agreed that, the subsequent proceedings interested them no more, and left the oratorical pugilists in battle arrayed." -9/2/1916.
As a sample of the kind of thing from which the Whelan family has suffered in the so-called land crusade, Mr John Whelan has forwarded for publication some correspondence. It is too lengthy to publish in full, and the law of libel prevents us from naming the wagerer, but the facts are these, and this story, he says like the immortal lambs, was sent to Alexandra as being true, with other similar lies. A man in Roxburgh accused Trooper Percy Whelan who has got promotion and proved himself a Briton that he had tried to get out of his duty to go, and that his father had approached the Defence Department to assist him out. Mr John Whelan heard that statement made, and indignantly denied the lie, and the maker of it then offered to wager £20 that he could prove it. Whelan accepted the wager, and both men selected Mr J. G. McNaughton as stakeholder, and appointed 10 a.m. the following morning as the hour to meet Mr McNaughton and lodge their wagers. Mr McNaughton writes us as follows; — “Mr John Whelan emphatically denied the allegation that ____ had made in my presence, ____ to prove his assertion, wagered John Whelan £20 to be deposited with me the following day at 10 o’clock." Whelan duly appeared at appointed hour with the amount of the wager. ____ failed to put in an appearance, therefore one must come to the conclusion that ____ must have been under a misapprehension while making these statements. I must state in all fairness to the Whelan family and ____ that they are all personal friends of my own, and I am unbiased as regards this discussion. I make this statement with a fair sense of justice to all interested. — I am, etc., J. G. McNaughton.” We have also received the following in another letter, after stating the dispute as above, the letter reads: ____ agreed to place his money (£20) in McNaughton’s care to complete wager at 10 o’clock a.m. the following morning. Whelan turned up at the appointed time, but ____ failed to make his amount good or put in an appearance. — Tom McDonald.” In addition to this Mr Whelan forwards this letter and asks his Alexandra friends what value their evidence was in face of this :
Headquarters, Group XVI, Milton, 2nd February, 1916. Mr Thomas Whelan, Roxburgh. I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 31st January, and to intimate in reply thereto that no representation has been made to this office whereby your son No. 9/533 Trooper P. J. Whelan should be relieved from his voluntary obligation to serve in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.—
C. B. Banks, Captain, N.Z.S.C., Group Commander. A similar denial is enclosed from Major Hickey. -Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, 9/2/1916.
"our clean and British stand"
The Alexandra Herald felt itself duly and fully vindicated a week later, as evidenced by their introduction to the reporting of the next Expansion League meeting. The following does go on a little long but, as a verbatim report of the next and possibly final chapter of the story of "that letter" it is worth including:
THE EXPANSION LEAGUE'S CHICKENS.
AFRAID TO TABLE GORDON LETTER
LETTER DISAPPEARS.
The Whelan campaign ostensibly directed to a land grant but sidetracked into a scandalmongering crusade, engineered by some scavengers in Roxburgh who could not get a footing in that town, and megaphoned their falsehoods through the officials of the League and the Mayor of our town, who took them to the League's bosom as members, culminated in a scene on Wednesday, which justifies for ever the Alexandra Herald and its editor for the bold stand taken against it all along. If any further answer were needed to the tawdry, wishy-washy memorial got up in the town, or necessary to vindicate our clean and British stand, it is found in the desperate straits into which Mayor Ashworth was reduced to use his casting vote at last League meeting and his undeniable fear to openly face a libellous letter he recklessly read and tabled as a public document. Mr Ramsay has been accused of making the League, Mayor, and town look ridiculous. It was not necessary. Let our fair-minded people read a report we went to the trouble of having carefully taken by a shorthand special reporter, and if they be fair and British, justify Mayor Ashworth and call his action British if they can. A British man stands to his gun and fights in the open or apologises.
—Special Reporter's Report.—
The following is a report of proceedings of League meeting on Wednesday, 9th February, so far as those proceedings related to the Whelan controversy: Mr J. Whelan stated that the last time be was in Alexandra he asked Mr Black for a copy of a letter written by W. Gordon to Mr Ashworth and tabled as a document. Mr Black had all other correspondence but could not produce the letter referred to. He would like to get the matter fixed up and took this opportunity of again asking for it as a member of the League. Mr Black had stated to him that Mr Ashworth had the letter and the matter rested with him (Mr Ashworth) whether or not he gave him a copy of it.
Mr Black: That is wrong. I never said such a thing. You said Mr Ramsay had given you a copy of the letter.
The Chairman: Of course you said you had a copy of it.
Mr Whelan: Do you think it is fair that Gordon should be allowed to accuse my father of making false statements. Referring to another matter Mr Whelan stated as follows:- Mr Black will notice in one of his letters in reply to Mr Ramsay that he stated "for goodness sake leave Whelan's son out of it." Mr Black stated after the last meeting that he had been informed there had been an attempt made by Whelan, senr. to buy his son out of his obligations to King and country, and that a wager of £20 was put up to that effect, and that one of Whelan's sons would not take up the wager. Mr Whelan then tabled letters he had received from Thomas McDowell and J. McNaughton to show that he came forward with his £20 to accept the wager and to prove that no attempt had been made to bring his brother out of his military obligations, also letters from Major Hickey and Capt. Banks of Milton showing clearly that no attempt had been made by any man in the direction referred to.
Mr Black objected to Mr Whelan making remarks with respect to what had taken place in private conversation, in his room after last meeting he said to Mr Whelan that he had heard a certain statement about money, but never repeated it.
Mr Whelan: The conversation did not take place in his rooms. It was in front of the Mayor and my brother in this room. If a man would say that be would say anything.
Mr Black appealed to the chair to have the latter remark withdrawn. The Chairman said it was not fair to the League.
Mr Whelan: Mr Black is only quibbling.
Mr Black then admitted that the conversation had taken place in the League room, but there was only a difference of probably quarter of an hour. He swore that he had never said anything about the matter in public. Mr Whelan told him that certain statements had been made and he said "Yes, I heard something."
Mr Ashworth said the matter was brought up by Mr Whelan, senr. on the Dunedin railway station. He (Mr Whelan) then said that certain statements were being circulated round Roxburgh about his son, and he had seen Captain Hickey, who stated that no one had approached him to bring out his son's military obligation.
Mr J. Whelan here interposed that if Mr Black had not been secretary of the League he would not have heard these statement. A voice: "This does not concern the League." Referring to the four men from Roxburgh who attended the last meeting and who had calculated certain statements, Mr J. Whelan said that not one of the families in question had enlisted for military service.
The Chairman: That matter never came before the League. Referring to Gordon's letter tabled at the previous general meeting, Mr Ramsay stated that the letter should be in Mr Blacks possession, therefore Mr Whelan should be allowed to see it.
Mr Black: I have not got the letter.
The Chairman suggested that a motion should be taken.
Mr Murphy then moved that a copy of the letter in question be given to Mr Whelan. — Seconded by Mr D. Livingstone.
Mr McCarthy: The League is not a place for the washing of dirty linen. We have had enough of it, and should drop the whole matter.
Mrs Ramsay stated that the letter had been made public and made a League document, and as the matter was one concerning a member of the League he should at least be allowed to see the original.
In support of his motion Mr Murphy stated that as the correspondence was tabled and the Press were admitted, the meeting was a public one, therefore as that letter was tabled it was allowed to get into the hands of the Press and the gist of it was published. It was now public property, and as a copy of it was asked for it would have to be produced.
The Chairman: It was not a public meeting. It was a meeting of the League.
Mr Ramsay: The Press were admitted, and therefore it came under the heading of a public meeting.
The motion was then put and resulted in an even vote of five to five, the President (Mr Ashworth) exercising his deliberative vote against laying the letter on the table. The following is the division list:— For allowing Mr Whelan to peruse letter: Mrs Ramsav, Messrs Murphy, Livingstone, Whelan and Kirker. For refusing to allow Mr Whelan to read it: Messrs Ashworth, Black, Paton, McCarthy and T. Adams. The President then exercised his casting vote, and the motion was lost.
Mr T. Adams said the letter should be burned.
Mr Murphy said he would be the last man in the district to cause friction. From the very first he protested against outsiders being enrolled as members of the league. He protested against the four Roxburgh men being admitted. When Mr Whelan asked to be made a member, you (the Chairman) said "Certainly." Mr Whelan paid his membership fee and asked if he could see the records of the league, you (the Chairman) said " Certainly." These remarks applied also to correspondence.
Mr McCarthy: there is too much friction we want some lubrication.
Mr Whelan: I did not come here to wash dirty linen. I came here for fair play to my old father, and to uphold the honor and courage of my brother.
Mrs Ramsay persisted in asking why the letter was not in Mr Black's possession with the other correspondence.
The secretary (Mr Black) replied in future we will go to Mrs Ramsay for advice when required on matters in connection with the league.
A vote of thanks to the chair concluded a rather breezy meeting from which no one seemed sorry to depart. During the evening Mr Black promised to privately supply Mr Whelan with the source of his information regarding the charge against his father and brother. 16/2/1916.
Mr Black objected to Mr Whelan making remarks with respect to what had taken place in private conversation, in his room after last meeting he said to Mr Whelan that he had heard a certain statement about money, but never repeated it.
Mr Whelan: The conversation did not take place in his rooms. It was in front of the Mayor and my brother in this room. If a man would say that be would say anything.
Mr Black appealed to the chair to have the latter remark withdrawn. The Chairman said it was not fair to the League.
Mr Whelan: Mr Black is only quibbling.
Mr Black then admitted that the conversation had taken place in the League room, but there was only a difference of probably quarter of an hour. He swore that he had never said anything about the matter in public. Mr Whelan told him that certain statements had been made and he said "Yes, I heard something."
Mr Ashworth said the matter was brought up by Mr Whelan, senr. on the Dunedin railway station. He (Mr Whelan) then said that certain statements were being circulated round Roxburgh about his son, and he had seen Captain Hickey, who stated that no one had approached him to bring out his son's military obligation.
Mr J. Whelan here interposed that if Mr Black had not been secretary of the League he would not have heard these statement. A voice: "This does not concern the League." Referring to the four men from Roxburgh who attended the last meeting and who had calculated certain statements, Mr J. Whelan said that not one of the families in question had enlisted for military service.
The Chairman: That matter never came before the League. Referring to Gordon's letter tabled at the previous general meeting, Mr Ramsay stated that the letter should be in Mr Blacks possession, therefore Mr Whelan should be allowed to see it.
Mr Black: I have not got the letter.
The Chairman suggested that a motion should be taken.
Mr Murphy then moved that a copy of the letter in question be given to Mr Whelan. — Seconded by Mr D. Livingstone.
Mr McCarthy: The League is not a place for the washing of dirty linen. We have had enough of it, and should drop the whole matter.
Mrs Ramsay stated that the letter had been made public and made a League document, and as the matter was one concerning a member of the League he should at least be allowed to see the original.
In support of his motion Mr Murphy stated that as the correspondence was tabled and the Press were admitted, the meeting was a public one, therefore as that letter was tabled it was allowed to get into the hands of the Press and the gist of it was published. It was now public property, and as a copy of it was asked for it would have to be produced.
The Chairman: It was not a public meeting. It was a meeting of the League.
Mr Ramsay: The Press were admitted, and therefore it came under the heading of a public meeting.
The motion was then put and resulted in an even vote of five to five, the President (Mr Ashworth) exercising his deliberative vote against laying the letter on the table. The following is the division list:— For allowing Mr Whelan to peruse letter: Mrs Ramsav, Messrs Murphy, Livingstone, Whelan and Kirker. For refusing to allow Mr Whelan to read it: Messrs Ashworth, Black, Paton, McCarthy and T. Adams. The President then exercised his casting vote, and the motion was lost.
Mr T. Adams said the letter should be burned.
Mr Murphy said he would be the last man in the district to cause friction. From the very first he protested against outsiders being enrolled as members of the league. He protested against the four Roxburgh men being admitted. When Mr Whelan asked to be made a member, you (the Chairman) said "Certainly." Mr Whelan paid his membership fee and asked if he could see the records of the league, you (the Chairman) said " Certainly." These remarks applied also to correspondence.
Mr McCarthy: there is too much friction we want some lubrication.
Mr Whelan: I did not come here to wash dirty linen. I came here for fair play to my old father, and to uphold the honor and courage of my brother.
Mrs Ramsay persisted in asking why the letter was not in Mr Black's possession with the other correspondence.
The secretary (Mr Black) replied in future we will go to Mrs Ramsay for advice when required on matters in connection with the league.
A vote of thanks to the chair concluded a rather breezy meeting from which no one seemed sorry to depart. During the evening Mr Black promised to privately supply Mr Whelan with the source of his information regarding the charge against his father and brother. 16/2/1916.
I imagine that, over in Egypt and recovering with his mates from the ordeal on Gallipoli, Percival would have been completely unaware of the letter-writing, scandal-mongering and confrontations back home in Central Otago. By March of 1916 he was in France and was transferred to the Otago Infantry Regiment.
The most complete story of Perce Whelan's life can be found in a local paper, printed as his obituary:
District Soldier Killed in Action.
The casualty lists in the daily papers during the past week or more are the longest that have yet appeared in connection with the present crisis, the death roll being exceptionally heavy. Included in the latest are the names of several well-known local soldiers, one of whom has made the supreme sacrifice. We refer to Corporal Percy Whelan, youngest son of Mr and Mrs T. Whelan, who was killed in action on September 15th. Recent letters from Corporal Whelan indicated that he was in the thick of it in the firing line, and he has no doubt been engaged in the severe lighting which accounted for the heavy casualties. News of his death on Saturday morning cast quite a gloom over the district, and in the irreparable loss of their soldier son and brother, who has given his life in assisting to save our homes from the merciless Huns. Mr and Mrs Whelan and family have the sympathy of everyone in the district. Born in Roxburgh in the year 1889, twenty-seven years ago, and educated at the local school, Corporal Whelan was well-known throughout Teviot and by his genial disposition and cheerfulness, always looking on the bright side, won the admiration of all with whom he came in contact. After leaving school he went out to his father's run where he remained for several years. Ultimately he secured a position in Messrs Laurie and Watt's station at Taihape, in the North Island. Two years later he came back to Roxburgh, his intention being to secure a run of his own, but after a return visit to the North Island he enlisted, and went away with the Main Body of the Expeditionary Force. He was slightly wounded in the leg in the Suvla Bay landing but recovered and went through the Gallipoli campaign. He left New Zealand as a trooper and was promoted to the rank of corporal while engaged on Gallipoli. The deceased soldier was a keen sport, and took an active interest in athletics, horse racing, and Rugby football. As a footballer he was perhaps better known, being for a number of years one of the Roxburgh club's best front rankers, and in fact one of the best, in his time, in the goldfields. He played in several representative county matches and was a member of the Roxburgh club's famous 1911 seven-a-side combination which traveled to Alexandra, Heriot, Tapanui, and finished up in Roxburgh with an unbeaten record, winning in all a total of 30 gold medals. Physically, Corporal Whelan was the embodiment of a fine soldier, and the training he derived from football stood him in good stead when he responded to the Empire's call for men for the Expeditionary Force. He was a good, clean player, and carried out his duties in the firing line with the same determination and dash as he did on the football field. He also took an interest in Lodge matters, and had been a member of the Forester's A.O.F. since 1907. Out of respect to the death of Corporal Whelan the flags on the local public building were flying half-mast. -Mt Benger Mail, 11/10/1916.
The exact circumstances of Percy's death on his military record states merely that he was "killed in action."
Perce went over the top with his Battalion (2nd) of the Otago Regiment when it joined the Battle of the Somme at 6.20am on September 15. The fighting was furious and the enemy prepared. After a few days it began to rain but the fighting continued. By the 19th everyone was soaked, exhausted and fed up. Hot food was almost impossible to supply to the front line trenches. On September 24th the British bombardment opened again on German positions opposite the Otago lines. There was to be no furious, last minute ending to the barrage - experience had shown that it merely served to put the Germans on notice.
Percival Whelan has no known grave. This would indicate that his body could not be found for a number of reasons - it lay and was buried in enemy territory, it was buried hastily in battle with no identity recorded, the effects of high explosive meant that no identification could be made. His name is inscribed on the Caterpillar Valley Memorial for New Zealand soldiers.
The exact circumstances of Percy's death on his military record states merely that he was "killed in action."
Perce went over the top with his Battalion (2nd) of the Otago Regiment when it joined the Battle of the Somme at 6.20am on September 15. The fighting was furious and the enemy prepared. After a few days it began to rain but the fighting continued. By the 19th everyone was soaked, exhausted and fed up. Hot food was almost impossible to supply to the front line trenches. On September 24th the British bombardment opened again on German positions opposite the Otago lines. There was to be no furious, last minute ending to the barrage - experience had shown that it merely served to put the Germans on notice.
Percival Whelan has no known grave. This would indicate that his body could not be found for a number of reasons - it lay and was buried in enemy territory, it was buried hastily in battle with no identity recorded, the effects of high explosive meant that no identification could be made. His name is inscribed on the Caterpillar Valley Memorial for New Zealand soldiers.
The final page of the Official History of the Otago Infantry Regiment includes these words: "To those who suffered and died for their Country posterity must owe an everlasting debt and cherish hallowed memories..." The memories of Perce Whelan were those of a "good, clean player" of rugby football. He was a man with plans and hopes for the future - come home, buy a farm, raise a family. His dreams died, as did those of many, in the mud, blood and reek of the Somme trenches.
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