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Private Robert Henry Connolly
Description
TitlePrivate Robert Henry ConnollyAlternative NameRobert PattersonSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionRobert was born 24 June 1886, youngest son of Henry and Elizabeth Connolly of Leeston. He was 5ft 7 ½ inches tall with a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. Before enlisting he was a coach painter for R.Tuthill, Mount Roskill and his last address was Richardson’s Road, Auckland. He had previously served with Mounted Rifles for 3 years.
Robert served under the name of Robert Patterson and a telegram was sent under this name reporting his death. He had passed a medical exam at Leeston on 9 October 1914 and attested at Trentham on 27 October 1914. His military records give no clue as to why Robert later enlisted as Robert James Paterson on 7 January 1915. After the war on 25 June 1920 a declaration was made that that his name was actually Robert Henry Connolly. Interestingly his photograph, published in the Auckland Weekly News, is correctly identified as Robert Connolly. As is his death notice in the Press, 3 February 1916. He embarked on 17 April 1915 for Epypt and on to Gallipoli.
Robert was killed in action on 8 August 1915, aged 27. Chunuk Bair was one of the main objectives in the battle of Sari Bair, fought 6-10 August 1915. As his body was not recovered or identified, Robert's name is engraved on the Chunuk Bair Memorial to the Missing, Gallipoli. In New Zealand he is remembered on the Leeston Plaque of the Ellesmere County War Memorial.
The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea.
The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the West coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. Chunuk Bair was one of the main objectives in the battle of Sari Bair, fought 6-10 August 1915.
The attack was to be carried out by two columns of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade, starting from the outposts on the shore and proceeding up the Sazli Belt Dere and the Chailak Dere. Meanwhile the New Zealand Mounted Rifles were to clear the foothills. The New Zealand Infantry reached Rhododendron Spur, where they were joined by the 10th Gurkha Rifles, from further north, and reinforced by the 8th Welsh, the 7th Gloucesters, the Auckland Mounted Rifles, and the Maori Contingent. The Wellington Infantry and some of the Gloucesters and Welsh reached the summit, and were later joined by men of the Auckland Infantry and Mounted Rifles. These troops, after repulsing incessant Turkish attacks, were reinforced by the Otago Battalion and the Wellington Mounted Rifles. The 6th Gurkhas and the 6th South Lancashire Regiment came in on the left. The 6th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment relieved the force at Chunuk Bair on the evening of 9 August, supported later by part of the 5th Wilts, but on the morning of the 10th, the position was taken by a determined and overwhelming counter-attack, carried out by a Turkish Army Corps led by Mustapha Kemal Pasha.
The loss of Chunuk Bair marked the end of the effort to reach the central foothills of the peninsula and on this sector of the front, the line remained unaltered until the evacuation in December 1915. The Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) memorial is one of four memorials erected to commemorate New Zealand soldiers who died on the Gallipoli peninsula and whose graves are not known. This memorial relates to the Battle of Sari Bair and in other operations in this sector. It bears more than 850 names. Chunuk Bair cemetery was made after the Armistice on the site where the Turks had buried some of those Commonwealth soldiers who were killed on 6-8 August. It contains 632 Commonwealth burials, only ten of which are identified.First NameRobert HenryLast NameConnollyFamilySingleYoungest son of Henry and Elizabeth Connolly of LeestonDate of Birth24 June 1886Place of BirthLeestonDate of Death8 August 1915Place of DeathGallipoliCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death27
Robert served under the name of Robert Patterson and a telegram was sent under this name reporting his death. He had passed a medical exam at Leeston on 9 October 1914 and attested at Trentham on 27 October 1914. His military records give no clue as to why Robert later enlisted as Robert James Paterson on 7 January 1915. After the war on 25 June 1920 a declaration was made that that his name was actually Robert Henry Connolly. Interestingly his photograph, published in the Auckland Weekly News, is correctly identified as Robert Connolly. As is his death notice in the Press, 3 February 1916. He embarked on 17 April 1915 for Epypt and on to Gallipoli.
Robert was killed in action on 8 August 1915, aged 27. Chunuk Bair was one of the main objectives in the battle of Sari Bair, fought 6-10 August 1915. As his body was not recovered or identified, Robert's name is engraved on the Chunuk Bair Memorial to the Missing, Gallipoli. In New Zealand he is remembered on the Leeston Plaque of the Ellesmere County War Memorial.
The eight month campaign in Gallipoli was fought by Commonwealth and French forces in an attempt to force Turkey out of the war, to relieve the deadlock of the Western Front in France and Belgium, and to open a supply route to Russia through the Dardanelles and the Black Sea.
The Allies landed on the peninsula on 25-26 April 1915; the 29th Division at Cape Helles in the south and the Australian and New Zealand Corps north of Gaba Tepe on the West coast, an area soon known as Anzac. On 6 August, further landings were made at Suvla, just north of Anzac, and the climax of the campaign came in early August when simultaneous assaults were launched on all three fronts. Chunuk Bair was one of the main objectives in the battle of Sari Bair, fought 6-10 August 1915.
The attack was to be carried out by two columns of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade, starting from the outposts on the shore and proceeding up the Sazli Belt Dere and the Chailak Dere. Meanwhile the New Zealand Mounted Rifles were to clear the foothills. The New Zealand Infantry reached Rhododendron Spur, where they were joined by the 10th Gurkha Rifles, from further north, and reinforced by the 8th Welsh, the 7th Gloucesters, the Auckland Mounted Rifles, and the Maori Contingent. The Wellington Infantry and some of the Gloucesters and Welsh reached the summit, and were later joined by men of the Auckland Infantry and Mounted Rifles. These troops, after repulsing incessant Turkish attacks, were reinforced by the Otago Battalion and the Wellington Mounted Rifles. The 6th Gurkhas and the 6th South Lancashire Regiment came in on the left. The 6th Loyal North Lancashire Regiment relieved the force at Chunuk Bair on the evening of 9 August, supported later by part of the 5th Wilts, but on the morning of the 10th, the position was taken by a determined and overwhelming counter-attack, carried out by a Turkish Army Corps led by Mustapha Kemal Pasha.
The loss of Chunuk Bair marked the end of the effort to reach the central foothills of the peninsula and on this sector of the front, the line remained unaltered until the evacuation in December 1915. The Chunuk Bair (New Zealand) memorial is one of four memorials erected to commemorate New Zealand soldiers who died on the Gallipoli peninsula and whose graves are not known. This memorial relates to the Battle of Sari Bair and in other operations in this sector. It bears more than 850 names. Chunuk Bair cemetery was made after the Armistice on the site where the Turks had buried some of those Commonwealth soldiers who were killed on 6-8 August. It contains 632 Commonwealth burials, only ten of which are identified.First NameRobert HenryLast NameConnollyFamilySingleYoungest son of Henry and Elizabeth Connolly of LeestonDate of Birth24 June 1886Place of BirthLeestonDate of Death8 August 1915Place of DeathGallipoliCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death27
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageLeeston and Ellesmere County War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryEllesmere County War MemorialChunuk Bair MemorialOccupation before EnlistingCoach PainterEnlistment Details27th October 1914 & 7th January 1915- enlisted twice under different names Service Number10/1948 Embarkation17th April 1915Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportWillochraCountryNew Zealand
Private Robert Henry Connolly. Selwyn Stories, accessed 16/01/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/214
