Thomas (aka Harry) McVey has been a difficult subject to track down online, but the inscription in Timaru Cemetery is too intriguing to ignore. There were not many New Zealanders who fought in the Spanish Civil War.
Thomas McVey fought three wars - that's more than enough for anyone. At the end of his first war, the First World War, he was discharged after surviving Spanish influenza. He had enlisted at the age of 17, stating that he was 19 in order to be accepted.
Town and Country
Last Friday evening a large number of residents assembled to bid good-bye to Privates T. McVey, W. Maylen and A. Curtis, who were down on final leave. Mr F. H. Smith, as chairman of the send-off committee, presided. The proceedings took the form of a dance and presentation. Mr Smith, after referring to the great sacrifice our soldiers were making for us, presented each soldier with a useful present. It may be mentioned that there are over thirty ex-pupils of the Tengawai School now serving; and that Private T. McVey is the fourth son of Mr and Mrs McVey who has donned khaki. A very enjoyable evening was spent, thanks being due to Mr R. E. K. Vincent for providing music and to Mr W. Day for acting as M.C. At the close hearty cheers were given for the departing soldiers. -Timaru Herald, 1/6/1917.
TOWN AND COUNTRY
A welcome home social and presentation of medals was held in the Tengawai School last Friday evening, Mr F. H. Smith presided, and on behalf of the residents of the district extended a hearty welcome to the returned men. After a plentiful supper, supplied by the ladies, a handsome gold medal was presented to each soldier, a ballot being taken among the youug ladies as to whom should have the honour of pinning on the medals, the winners being Misses Cain, Johnson, Riley, Brosnan, Curtis and Nelson. In the unavoidable absence of W. Macdonald the medal was received by his mother on his behalf. The names of the returned men are — W. Macdonald, J. Macdonald, T. McVey, A. Curtis, A. Nicol, R. Blair and H. Leech. Dancing interspersed with musical items was kept up till the small hours, when after a vote of thanks to the chair, to the Albury Band (who so freely gave their services) and to all who contributed towards making the evening such a success, the gathering broke up with the singing of God Save the King and giving three rousing cheers for the soldiers. -Timaru Herald, 21/8/1919.
TOWN AND COUNTRY
A welcome home social and presentation of medals was held in the Tengawai School last Friday evening, Mr F. H. Smith presided, and on behalf of the residents of the district extended a hearty welcome to the returned men. After a plentiful supper, supplied by the ladies, a handsome gold medal was presented to each soldier, a ballot being taken among the youug ladies as to whom should have the honour of pinning on the medals, the winners being Misses Cain, Johnson, Riley, Brosnan, Curtis and Nelson. In the unavoidable absence of W. Macdonald the medal was received by his mother on his behalf. The names of the returned men are — W. Macdonald, J. Macdonald, T. McVey, A. Curtis, A. Nicol, R. Blair and H. Leech. Dancing interspersed with musical items was kept up till the small hours, when after a vote of thanks to the chair, to the Albury Band (who so freely gave their services) and to all who contributed towards making the evening such a success, the gathering broke up with the singing of God Save the King and giving three rousing cheers for the soldiers. -Timaru Herald, 21/8/1919.
After the war Thomas returned to Albury. At the 1919 McKenzie Caledonian Games held at Fairlie, "T. McVey, who won the caber, led all the way in the quarter-mile hurdles and repeated the performance in the Soldiers' race." (Timaru Herald, 30/12/1919.)
His name features in an amateur heavyweight boxing bout in 1924 - he lost the match. He also features in local newspaper reports of rugby and other sports. "T. McVey" features for the last time in a report on local rugby matches in 1931, until his reappearance on a 1941 casualty list.
According to his epitaph, he spent the years 1936-1938 in Spain, presumably as part of the International Brigade, fighting for the Republic against the fascist forces of General Francisco Franco.
His name features in an amateur heavyweight boxing bout in 1924 - he lost the match. He also features in local newspaper reports of rugby and other sports. "T. McVey" features for the last time in a report on local rugby matches in 1931, until his reappearance on a 1941 casualty list.
According to his epitaph, he spent the years 1936-1938 in Spain, presumably as part of the International Brigade, fighting for the Republic against the fascist forces of General Francisco Franco.
He joined 26 Battalion of the New Zealand Army for his third war, by which time he was in his forties, living in London and working as a miner - "Foreman Tunneller" is his job description. He was wounded by accident while serving in the Western Desert at the end of 1941. He and another soldier were digging a trench in stony ground when the pick that the other was using bounced off a stone and hit him, lacerating his hand.
Thomas died during the Battle of the Sangro River in November, 1943. Jeremy Sutherland, writing in the Timaru Herald in 2012, states that he stepped on a "stirrup mine" - a Facebook page from the Albury district of South Canterbury contains a post which states that such a mine was triggered by a small tripwire suspended from the arms of a "Y" shaped stirrup. He was buried the next day near where he died and moved to an official war cemetery in 1944.
Thomas died during the Battle of the Sangro River in November, 1943. Jeremy Sutherland, writing in the Timaru Herald in 2012, states that he stepped on a "stirrup mine" - a Facebook page from the Albury district of South Canterbury contains a post which states that such a mine was triggered by a small tripwire suspended from the arms of a "Y" shaped stirrup. He was buried the next day near where he died and moved to an official war cemetery in 1944.
An intriguing snippet in his archival record is a 1944 letter to the army authorities from his brother - the available image includes: "What we are concerned with is what happened to the man. He was through the last war and was over the age limit when he transferred to the NZ forces in March 1941 and was taken out of the front line in Egypt on account of his age and given a base job. The next we heard was that he had beeen killed in Italy. Can you let us know how he came to be in the front line again and exactly what happened to him. Yours truly, J M McVey."
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| Timaru Cemetery. |
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