Arthur Leeden, (1884-21/9/1913). "many sterling qualities"

Mr Arthur Leeden, whose death, at the age of 29 years, was reported from Auckland last week, was a son of the late Mr David Leeden, of the Government railways, Mosgiel, and spent the earlier years of his life in that town. Some 12 years ago he was appointed to the accountants' branch of the General Post Office, Wellington, and up to the time of his illness was attached to that branch of the service, where, being possessed of many sterling qualities, he won for himself the respect and admiration, of his fellow-officers. He was an ardent worker in the Anglican Church, and was a student for the ministry until forced to relinquish his studies by his late illness. He took a keen interest in Oddfellowship, having passed through all the chairs of office, and was ever zealous to promote the interests of the order. During his short life he made many friends, being always ready and willing to help those who required assistance, and the news of his untimely death will be received with profound regret by all those who knew him.  -Otago Daily Times, 16/9/1913.

M.U.I.O.O.F. 

The Members of the Loyal Mosgiel Lodge are requested to MEET at the Lodge Room on SUNDAY, the 21st inst., at 1.45 p.m., to attend the FUNERAL of their late Brother, ARTHUR LEEDEN. Black gloves. 

J. K. NEIL. N.G.   -Otago Daily Times, 20/9/1913.

East Taieri Cemetery.

Susan Heenan, (1843-20/2/1869). "just able to ask for water"

A case of sudden and most unexpected death has just occurred at Maungatua. Mrs W. Heenan, quite a young and, to all appearance, strong, healthy person, dropped down suddenly on Saturday evening. 21st February and her husband, on being called in from the stockyard, raised her head, and she was just able to ask for water, which were the last words she spoke. Dr McBrearty, of Outram, was sent for, but by the time he arrived the poor young woman (aged 25) had breathed her last. This sad case has cast a gloom over the district, for Mrs Heenan was universally liked and respected by all who knew her, and a very large number of settlers attended the funeral, although at great inconvenience to themselves during the present busy season. No inquest was considered necessary, Dr McBrearty being fully satisfied as to the cause of her death. She leaves a husband and five young children.   -Bruce Herald, 10/3/1869.

West Taieri Cemetery.

Robert Borrie, (1855-7/2/1877). "a gallant man"

By Monday the embankment was broken all along, and the water was rushing down every hollow, laying down crops and covering them with debris, drowning sheep, cattle, and horses. The rush of water was so sudden when the embankment broke that those who had not taken the precaution to drive their cattle to higher ground the night before or early in the morning had to let them take their chance. Every creek in the district was running full to the banks, culverts were running over and bursting in some places. A most melancholy accident happened about midday. There was a family named Cooper, consisting of husband, wife, and daughter, together with a lad staying with them, who obstinately refused to leave their place in spite of the persuasions of others. Mr. Nichol, butcher, of Outram, came with his cart for them, but they refused to leave; Mr Robert Borrie, of Huntley, also brought horses to save them, but still they refused to go. He went again, but they would not budge, though by midday they were apparently in imminent danger. Mr Borrie made a third attempt to save them, and in doing so, sad to tell, he was himself swept from off his horse, and, in spite of the efforts made to save him by his ploughman, T. Arthur, who swam to rescue him, he was swept under a hedge, from which he could not be extricated, and was drowned. He was a most promising young man, and his death has cast a gloom over the whole district. Much sympathy is felt for his mother, who is a widow. He died the death of a gallant man seeking to save his fellow creatures.  -Evening Star, 8/2/19877.

It is a very singular circumstance that exactly nine years ago the Rev. D. Borrie, brother of the late Mr Robert Borrie, who lost his life on Tuesday, nearly perished in attempting to save the same family from the same house. The late Mr Borrie, of Huntley, was 24 years of age.  -Evening Star, 9/2/1877.

The Evangelist remarks that the late Mr Robert Borrie, who was drowned in the floods in the Taieri district, "must have been thoughtful beyond his years; for he left a will duly executed, by which he gave to the Missions of our Church the insurance upon his life, amounting to £500."  -Otago Daily Times, 3/3/81877.

Referring to the exceedingly creditable descriptive poem in our present issue, by a wellknown local poet, whose previous poetical effusions have frequently adorned our columns, we have peculiar pleasure in congratulating him upon his treatment of a theme so melancholy as the sudden and unexpected departure of so estimable a young man as the late Mr Robert Borrie, of Huntly, West Taieri, whose death, on the evening of Wednesday, the 7th of February last, was thus described by us at the time, and which we now repeat with a view to aid the illustration of this excellent poem: — "Mr Borrie was only 24 years of age, and he was drowned while attempting to save a family named Cooper, consisting of Mr and Mrs Cooper and daughter, and a lad who was residing with them. These occupied a somewhat perilous position, which they had refused to leave, notwithstanding that they had been persuaded to do so. Mr Borrie made two ineffectual attempts to rescue them, and in essaying to do so a third time, while accompanied by others, he lost his own life. He was riding towards the place where the Cooper's were situated, and when passing over a hollow portion of the road where the current ran very strong, he was swept away and drowned under a hedge. His horse escaped, as also did Mr Borrie's companions. He was much respected by all who knew him, and his death has cast quite a gloom over the district." Mr Borrie's life was insured for £500, and the amount left by his will to the funds of the Presbyterian Church of Otago.  -Bruce Herald, 12/6/1877.

West Taieri Cemetery.

7/397 Trooper William Joseph Valentine Sinclair, (10/7/1890-6/5/1917). "not offered treatment"

A STRANGE CASE.

PRIVATE SINCLAIR'S STORY. 

INVALIDED FOR CONSUMPTION AND DIDN'T KNOW IT. 

At a recent meeting of the North Canterbury Hospital Board a statement was made to the board that a soldier had been invalided home from Egypt, and subsequently discharged in New Zealand without being informed of the nature of his ailment, which subsequently proved to be pneumonia. At to-day's meeting of the board the following report on the subject was received from the Medical Director of, the board's Tuberculosis (Dr J. G. Blackmore): — 

"In reply to your inquiry regarding Private William Joseph Valentine Sinclair, the following is his man's history: 

"He left New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force and was landed in Egypt. He considers that he got a cold going from Alexandria to Cairo, and since that time he has had more or less of a cough. He kept well, however, and quite fit for work until he had been in Egypt about three months, when he strained his back lifting a weight. He thinks that he also got an attack of influenza at the same time. He was medically examined and put to bed for two weeks. He was then sent to the convalescent camp fur five weeks. At this camp his chest was examined by Dr Trotter, and as the result, apparently, of this examination he was sent before a Medical Board, after which he was transferred to the invalids' camp for another five weeks, and then sent back to New Zealand. No one told him definitely what was wrong with him, but from his symptoms and the way he was examined he concluded that he was being invalided home on account of consumption. He felt pretty well on the voyage over and made no complaint. He was inspected once a week by the medical officer, along with other soldiers, but was never medically examined. He arrived in Wellington on May 5, when he, with others, was taken to the barracks. The next day he got his pay, was given a return ticket to Christchurch, and told he was granted twenty-eight days' furlough, and at the end of that time he was to report himself to the Defence authorities in Christchurch. He was not examined by any doctor in Wellington. He was not offered treatment or asked to go into hospital, nor was it suggested that he should obtain medical advice in Christchurch. He arrived in Christchurch on May 7, and went to stay with an uncle, with whom he had been staying before he went to the front. This uncle's name is Donald George Sinclair, and his address is 36, Idris Road, Fendalton. 

"Three or four days later, probably on the following Monday, Private Sinclair went to the barracks, saw an officer there, a captain, reported that he was not feeling well, and asked that a doctor should see him. The officer said that he would see about the matter, but Sinclair has heard nothing further since that time.

"As no arrangement had been made for a doctor to see Sinclair by the following evening the uncle, who was feeling uneasy about his nephew's condition, got Dr Diamond to see him, and Dr Diamond at once gave him a note to the dispensary to enable him to undergo treatment for consumption. I saw him at the dispensary on May 12. Owing to the Coronation Hospital being full I had some difficulty in arranging for a bed for him, but I admitted him on May 15. Sinclair was born in New Zealand, and his parents are dead. He has no settled home, but usually stays with his uncle in Christchurch when he is working about the town. Sinclair did not make any voluntary complaint to me, and the particulars I have given were elicited in reply to questions. I know nothing about the Defence Department's side of the question, and have merely given the details furnished to me by the patient himself."

Mr O. Bradley said the report disposed absolutely of a number of extravagant allegations made on the subject, as investigation of such charges generally did.

Mr J. D. Hall said there had never been any allegation against the board's officers. He considered it extremely regrettable, however. that a man should be discharged from military service on the grounds of his suffering from consumption, and that no one should take the trouble to tell him what was the matter with him, or to advise him to undergo proper treatment. That this had happened was the crux of the charges made and Dr Blackmore's report substantiated it.

The discussion on the subject then terminated.  -Star, 23/6/1915.

FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE.

DEATHS. 

SINCLAIR — On May 6, at Christchurch, William Joseph Valentine (late Expeditionary Force), youngest son of the late William and Elizabeth Sinclair; in his 27th year. Deeply regretted.  -Otago Witness, 9/5/1917.

West Taieri Cemetery.

25/692 Sergeant Walter Thomson, (31/7/1895-15/9/1916). "of great promise"

Sergeant Walter Thomson (killed in action) was the youngest son of Mr William Thomson, Maungatua. He was educated at the Maungatua and Otago High Schools. After passing his matriculation examination, he served for two years as pupil teacher at the Kaikorai and Wakari Schools. He then entered the Training College, and attended classes at the University. When 20 years of age he enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, N.Z.R.B. In a few days he was made lance-corporal, and by the time they reached France he had been promoted to the rank of sergeant. In France he and another were sent to a school of instruction for physical and bayonet exercises, afterwards becoming instructors. After the Rifle Brigade suffered so severely, he was reported wounded. When time passed and no word came from him, his friends became anxious, and made inquiries at the Defence Office in Wellington, but could get no information. The news concerning his death was first received from letters written by his comrades. One comrade in the same company said he was shot when they were storming the third German trench. A letter came from the chaplain of his battalion saying that he was buried on the field with some of his comrades. In a fortnight Mr Thomson received official notice that a mistake had been made, and that Sergeant Thomson had been killed, and not wounded. He was a lad of great promise, of a most cheerful disposition, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Mr Thomson has two other sons at the front. Trooper Aleck Thomson left with the Main Body. He contracted enteric on Gallipoli, was invalided to England, and is new with his old regiment in France. Private Frank Thomson enlisted in Australia, and is now in the motor transport service with the Australians in France. None of the brothers had' met, and six weeks afterwards did. not know of Walter's death. On Saturday Mr Thomson received a cablegram from a friend in London saying that Walter's grave was registered in Flers.  -ODT, 21/1/2/1916.

Punctually at 8.20 a.m., the 2nd and 3rd (Walter's) Battalions left the Brown Line and advanced towards the third objective. At this stage the 3rd Battalion lost three company leaders, Capt. Strang being killed and Capt. Thomson and Lieut. Masefield wounded.

On the right, the 2nd Battalion companies experienced little difficulty in dealing with their section of Flers Trench; but they came under heavy machine-gun fire from Flers Support as they moved forward from the former, and this caused a few minutes' check.

On the left, the 3rd Battalion found trouble at once. The wire in front of Flers Trench was practically intact, and, while held up by this obstacle, the leading companies suffered heavily at the hands of the German machine-gunners and snipers. Repeated efforts were made to break through the barrier, among these being a particularly daring bombing attack led by 2nd Lieut. R. A. Bennett, but all attempts proved utterly unavailing. The men thereupon took cover in shell-holes and awaited the arrival of the tanks, then momentarily expected. Lance-Corporal E. Bassett, becoming impatient, moved out into the open and repeatedly picked off enemy snipers as they showed their heads to fire. He put up an excellent score, and came through the ordeal without a scratch. Equally commendable was the work of a runner, Rifleman J. R. B. Harwood, who moved about the scattered parties in the shell-holes, establishing touch and aiding organization.

Two tanks came up at 10.30 a.m. One of them took up a position on the extreme left flank, while the second proceeded to deal with the wire and machine-guns holding up our men. Realizing the difficulties confronting the leading waves of the 3rd Battalion, Major J. Pow, of the 4th Battalion, together with 2nd Lieut. A. C. Fulton and a party of riflemen and bombers, moved forward to their assistance. Bombing along Flers Trench he met with wonderful success, capturing no fewer than 145 prisoners, including two officers. Bombing parties of the 3rd Battalion had also been active, and presently, this section of Flers Trench being taken, the rear waves of the battalion advanced. Sending parties up the saps and inwards from the left flank, they secured Flers Support and pressed on to capture their allotted portion of Abbey Road. -Official History of the NZ Rifle Brigade.

West Taieri Cemetery.

John Snow, (1869-29/6/1891). "missing from his home"

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

John Snow, twenty years of age, was missed from his home at Outram on Sunday, and, as he is of weak mind, fears are entertained of his safety. To-day Constable Griffiths found the young man's jacket and hat on the bank of the Taieri River, which is now being dragged,  -Evening Star, 30/6/1891.

ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES

The body of the young man John Snow, who has been missing from his home at Outram since Sunday, was found in the Taieri River yesterday. Deceased, who was the adopted son of the late Richard Snow, of Outram, was employed on the Abbotsford Farm (Mr J. R Blair's property), and was last seen on Sunday afternoon, about two o'clock. It was his custom to visit his foster-mother, Mrs Wallace, of Outram, every Sunday, and as he did not return to the farm at night it was thought that he had stayed over night with her, but when he had not returned by Monday night Mr Blair informed the police of the matter. Search was then made for him, and as his coat and hat were found on the river bank, and footsteps were plainly visible leading to the water, the river was dragged, with the result that late yesterday the body of the unfortunate young man was brought to the surface. No reason can be assigned for the apparently rash step taken by the deceased. An inquest on the body was held at Outram to-day.  -Evening Star, 1/7/1891.

West Taieri Cemetery.

5/688 Lance-corporal William Patterson Fraser, (26/8/1892-23/10/1918). "Inverness, Scotland"

William Fraser was born in Inverness, Scotland, and originally joined the Army Service Corps but was transferred to the NZ Machine Gun Corps.  In that Corps he was hospitalised with a gunshot wound to a leg after the disastrous failed attack on Bellevue Ridge in the Battle of Passchendaele on October 12, 1917.

He returned to the Corps the following March, in time to be part of the defence against the German spring offensive. The months following, the Corp experienced something new - advancing freely against a retreating enemy through open country.  It was during that time, in an attack in the Selle River area of France, that William Fraser was killed in action. He lies in the Romeries Cemetery, France.

FOR THE EMPIRE'S CAUSE.

DEATHS. 

FRASER. — On October 23, killed in action, William Patterson Fraser (8th Reinforcements), fourth, son of Elizabeth and the late T. C. Fraser, 12 Normanby street, Musselburgh; aged 26 years.  -Otago Daily Times, 12/11/1918.

West Taieri Cemetery.