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Kā Kōrero o Waikirikiri Selwyn Stories

Trooper George Hansen

Description

TitleTrooper George HansenSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionGeorge was born at Killinchy on 5 August 1891, son of Charles and Rachel Hansen. He was well known in the district, for he assisted on his father's farm for some years prior to joining the colours. He was one of four brothers who answered the call of Empire. He was 5ft 3 ¼ in tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair.

George enlisted 11th November 1916 and was assigned to 12th Reinforcements, Wellington Infantry Battalion, J Company. He embarked for Suez aboard the Mokia on 6th May 1916 disembarking in Suez on 22nd June 1916. He was posted to the NZ Mounted Training Regiment at Tel el Kebir on 27th July 1916 and the same day transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps. The Corps had been established in January 1916 and in August 1916 the No 15 (New Zealand) Company, Imperial Camel Corps, was formed from men originally intended as reinforcements for the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. George was posted to the Imperial Camel Corps at Abbassia on 30th July 1916. He was detached for a short period to the RC at Port Said for 10 days in September re-joining the ICC on 16th September. He served with them for close to a year and was then transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Machine Gun Squadron on 21st July 1918. He was present at the capture of Jerusalem and took part in most of the subsequent fighting. However, like many others he was exposed to malaria carrying mosquitos and on 6th October he was sent to hospital with P.N.Y.D. ie pyrexia (fever) not yet diagnosed. This may have been malaria but he may also have been suffering from Influenza which was also prevalent. In October 1918, the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine experienced simultaneous epidemics of falciparum malaria and influenza during the cavalry campaign that defeated the Turkish Army. The malaria infection occurred 2 weeks after the advance of cavalry units into areas without environmental mosquito control. Pandemic influenza, now thought to be an A/H1N1 strain, struck at the same time. George died on 11th October 1918 in the Field Ambulance being evacuated aged 28 and was buried on 13th in the Haifa War Cemetery. In New Zealand George is remembered on the Leeston Plaque of the Ellesmere County War Memorial.

Haifa was captured by the Mysore and Jodhpur Lancers on 23 September 1918 and the 33rd Combined Clearing Hospital was moved to the town on the 15 October. Haifa War Cemetery, which was originally part of the German Cemetery, was used mainly for hospital burials, but some graves were brought in from the battlefields. Haifa war cemetery now contains 305 commonwealth burials of the first world war, 86 of them unidentified. second world war burials number 36.First NameGeorgeLast NameHansenFamilySon of Charles and Rachel HansenDate of Birth5 August 1891Place of BirthKillinchy, SelwynDate of Death11 October 1918Place of DeathPalestineCause of DeathMalariaAge at Death28

Connections

CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OnePlaceKillinchy Last edited by: Sarah Davy

ImageLeeston and Ellesmere County War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph

Military Service

Memorial or CemeteryHaifa War CemeteryEllesmere County War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingFarmerRegiment or ServiceImperial Camel CorpsNew Zealand Mounted Machine Gun SquadronEnlistment Details11th November 1916Service Number10344 Embarkation6th May 1916TransportMokoia Reinforcement12th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand

Attribution

Researched ByL. M. Seaton

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Trooper George Hansen