8/2099 Corporal David Porter, (5/7/1887-27/9/1916). "one of the most popular"

 

CORPORAL DAVID PORTER. 

News was recently received that Corporal David Porter, eldest son of Mr D. Porter of the St. Kilda Hotel, who left New Zealand with the Fifth Reinforcements, was missing, and was believed to be killed as a result of the lighting on the Somme about September 26. In a letter received by Mrs Porter from a comrade of Corporal Porter the writer says: — "Just a few lines to tell you how David went down at the Somme. I have been hoping against hope that he would turn up, but now I have lost all hope of seeing him again. When we went up to the firing line I was in the battalion bombers, and, as my work took me away from the company, I saw very little of the lads. In the charge on the 26th our company — the 14th — got it hot and our platoon got the worst gruelling of the lot. Only one man came out unwounded, and out of the whole company only, 14 answered the roll call in the trench. David was in our section, and one of the chaps who went out with him, and who was wounded, but managed to limp back told me he did not think any of them would get out of it. My God, some fine men were left behind after that charge! It may be some consolation to you to know that your son was one of the most popular in the regiment; in fact, I do not know one who was better liked. The Otago battalion has been very unlucky right through the piece. I saw Claude (another of Mrs Potter's sons) a few days before I came over. He got the military medal for good work on the Somme. David should have had one for his gallantry on July 4, when he did some fine work as a stretcher-bearer on the night of the raid. You have lost a fine boy, we have lost our best comrade and the regiment has lost a fine soldier."  -Otago Daily Times, 2/2/1917.

IN MEMORIAM

PORTER. — In loving memory of Corporal David Porter (Son), who was killed while in action in France, September 27, 1916, eldest son of David and Margaret Porter, St. Kilda Hotel. 

His grave is far in a foreign land, Where our feet may never tread, 

But tender thoughts oft linger there, And many the tears we shed. 

Yet, we should not weep, for his life he gave, In the golden glow of youth, 

For the land he loved, its women fair, For honour, right, and truth. 

— Inserted by his parents, sisters, and brothers.   -Otago Witness, 26/9/1917.

This passage in the Otago Regiment's Official History relates the fate of David's Com pany, the 14th, on the day he died:

Punctually to time and in good order the Battalion advanced to the attack, and with only a moderate number of casualties crossed the line of Factory Corner-Eaucourt L'Abbaye Road, From this stage the ground fell away abruptly and the attacking troops almost immediately came under a withering blast of fire from enemy rifles and machine guns posted along Gird Trench and Gird Support. The two leading Companies, 14th and 4th, valiantly endeavoured to press on against this hail of fire; but it was only a question of distance when they were literally swept away by it. Every officer and almost every man became a casualty.

David Porter's death was established by a Court of Enquiry. He has no known grave.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.