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Trooper John Withell Boag
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TitleTrooper John Withell BoagSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionJohn was born at Brookside on 12 June 1895, son of John (Junior) and Mary Boag. He was educated at the Brookside and Southbridge Public Schools, and the Boys' High School, Christchurch. He was a member of the High School Cadets. Before enlisting he was working as a farm hand for his father. He had previous military experience with the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry 1st Regiment. He was 5ft 6in tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair.
John enlisted 2 May 1916 and was assigned to 17th Reinforcements, New Zealand Mounted Rifles. He embarked with them on board the Manuka then transfered to Morea at Sydney for Suez. He disembarked in Suez on 14 November 1916 and was taken on the strength at Moascar. He was transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade in the field 15 November and was posted to 1st Squadron on 18 December. Then he was wounded in action on 9 January 1917 at Rafah, suffering a gunshot wound to the thigh which luckily did not reach the bone. He was sent first to hospital at Abbassia on 14th January, he was then transferred to a convalescent hospital at Helioplis on 12th February and finally discharged to duty at Moascar on 14 March. It was 8th April before he reached the Brigade in the field but on within a short time on 26th he was admitted to hospital in Deir el Balah, this time with tonsillitis. On his return to duty he was transferred to Head Quarters and then once again to the 1st Squadron. Sadly he was again wounded in action near Beersheba, this time a gunshot wound to his left hip on 31 October 1917. Passing through the 43rd Stationary Hospital at Kantara he was briefly in the 44 Stationary hospital at Abbassia before a final period in the 27th General hospital at Helioplois. Discharged to duty on 5th December he was sent on to a rest camp at Port Said for two weeks before returning to Moascar just before Christmas on 23 December 1917. Exactly a month later on 23 January he was transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade. On 30 April he was wounded again and admitted to the 66 Casualty Clearing Station dangerously ill with a gunshot wound to his left shoulder and spine. He died from his wounds on 7 May 1918 at 66th Casualty Clearing Station, aged 21. He was initially buried in the New Cemetery Mount Scopus, Jerusalem but after the war he was reburied in the Jerusalem War Cemetery. In New Zealand John is remembered on the Ellesmere County War Memorial and the Southbridge School Roll of Honour. His father received a number of letters from his companions which were printed in the paper.
Trooper Parkinson, of the C.M.R., writes I am writing these few lines in the hope they may be some consolation to you to know the circumstances under which your son Jack met his death. Jack and I had been in the same, section for over a year, and were great mates. On April 30th our squadron moved out of reserve to the infantry, under heavy shell fire. Our horses had been handed over to be taken back, when a shell burst right in front of our troop. Jack and I were in the front, and at the actual time were lying down close together, and one would have thought it would have been impossible to get hit. The shrapnel bullet which hit your son entered between his shoulders and lodged in his chest. Although he was severely wounded he was quite cheerful, and stood it in great heart. The shock had paralysed his limbs, but he did not complain in any way whatever. I saw him again just before he was taken to the clearing station, he was quite cheerful and in very little time was taken to the 66th Casualty Station m Jerusalem, where he died on May 2nd. It will be some, consolation to you and Mrs Boag to know that your son is buried in Jerusalem, and not in this wilderness. We are having a cross made here, and as soon as we move back it will be placed on his grave, and I will have some photos taken, which I will forward on to you. I hope this reaches you safely.
Trooper Lyons (Records Section) also writes: "Long ere this you will have had the sad news that John died of wounds to-day in the 66th Casualty Clearing Station in Jerusalem. John had re-joined his regiment early in February, and, as yet, I have not received any particulars of the incident in which he was wounded for the third time. The first news that readied us was not encouraging. He was hit in the spine, paralysis ensuing. It is inexpressibly sad that a life so full of promise should be cut off in its prime. Could you know the universal respect for the clean-living upright life he left behind him with his comrades, I am sure you would find some solace in it, in this, your, hour of mourning. He was one of the most popular boys in the C.Y.C., and the squadron mourns for him. May I extend to you my very deepest sympathy." Letters of sympathy were also received from Trooper Booth and Trooper Jones.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Palestine was part of the Turkish Empire and it was not entered by Allied forces until December 1916. Jerusalem War Cemetery was begun after the occupation of the city, with 270 burials. It was later enlarged to take graves from the battlefields and smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood. There are now 2,515 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, 100 of them unidentified. Within the cemetery stands the Jerusalem Memorial, commemorating 3,300 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the First World War in operations in Egypt or Palestine and who have no known grave.First NameJohn WithellLast NameBoagFamilySingleSon of John and Mary BoagDate of Birth12 June 1895Place of BirthBrooksideDate of Death7 May 1918Place of DeathJerusalemCause of DeathDied of woundsAge at Death21
John enlisted 2 May 1916 and was assigned to 17th Reinforcements, New Zealand Mounted Rifles. He embarked with them on board the Manuka then transfered to Morea at Sydney for Suez. He disembarked in Suez on 14 November 1916 and was taken on the strength at Moascar. He was transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade in the field 15 November and was posted to 1st Squadron on 18 December. Then he was wounded in action on 9 January 1917 at Rafah, suffering a gunshot wound to the thigh which luckily did not reach the bone. He was sent first to hospital at Abbassia on 14th January, he was then transferred to a convalescent hospital at Helioplis on 12th February and finally discharged to duty at Moascar on 14 March. It was 8th April before he reached the Brigade in the field but on within a short time on 26th he was admitted to hospital in Deir el Balah, this time with tonsillitis. On his return to duty he was transferred to Head Quarters and then once again to the 1st Squadron. Sadly he was again wounded in action near Beersheba, this time a gunshot wound to his left hip on 31 October 1917. Passing through the 43rd Stationary Hospital at Kantara he was briefly in the 44 Stationary hospital at Abbassia before a final period in the 27th General hospital at Helioplois. Discharged to duty on 5th December he was sent on to a rest camp at Port Said for two weeks before returning to Moascar just before Christmas on 23 December 1917. Exactly a month later on 23 January he was transferred to the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade. On 30 April he was wounded again and admitted to the 66 Casualty Clearing Station dangerously ill with a gunshot wound to his left shoulder and spine. He died from his wounds on 7 May 1918 at 66th Casualty Clearing Station, aged 21. He was initially buried in the New Cemetery Mount Scopus, Jerusalem but after the war he was reburied in the Jerusalem War Cemetery. In New Zealand John is remembered on the Ellesmere County War Memorial and the Southbridge School Roll of Honour. His father received a number of letters from his companions which were printed in the paper.
Trooper Parkinson, of the C.M.R., writes I am writing these few lines in the hope they may be some consolation to you to know the circumstances under which your son Jack met his death. Jack and I had been in the same, section for over a year, and were great mates. On April 30th our squadron moved out of reserve to the infantry, under heavy shell fire. Our horses had been handed over to be taken back, when a shell burst right in front of our troop. Jack and I were in the front, and at the actual time were lying down close together, and one would have thought it would have been impossible to get hit. The shrapnel bullet which hit your son entered between his shoulders and lodged in his chest. Although he was severely wounded he was quite cheerful, and stood it in great heart. The shock had paralysed his limbs, but he did not complain in any way whatever. I saw him again just before he was taken to the clearing station, he was quite cheerful and in very little time was taken to the 66th Casualty Station m Jerusalem, where he died on May 2nd. It will be some, consolation to you and Mrs Boag to know that your son is buried in Jerusalem, and not in this wilderness. We are having a cross made here, and as soon as we move back it will be placed on his grave, and I will have some photos taken, which I will forward on to you. I hope this reaches you safely.
Trooper Lyons (Records Section) also writes: "Long ere this you will have had the sad news that John died of wounds to-day in the 66th Casualty Clearing Station in Jerusalem. John had re-joined his regiment early in February, and, as yet, I have not received any particulars of the incident in which he was wounded for the third time. The first news that readied us was not encouraging. He was hit in the spine, paralysis ensuing. It is inexpressibly sad that a life so full of promise should be cut off in its prime. Could you know the universal respect for the clean-living upright life he left behind him with his comrades, I am sure you would find some solace in it, in this, your, hour of mourning. He was one of the most popular boys in the C.Y.C., and the squadron mourns for him. May I extend to you my very deepest sympathy." Letters of sympathy were also received from Trooper Booth and Trooper Jones.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Palestine was part of the Turkish Empire and it was not entered by Allied forces until December 1916. Jerusalem War Cemetery was begun after the occupation of the city, with 270 burials. It was later enlarged to take graves from the battlefields and smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood. There are now 2,515 Commonwealth burials of the First World War in the cemetery, 100 of them unidentified. Within the cemetery stands the Jerusalem Memorial, commemorating 3,300 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the First World War in operations in Egypt or Palestine and who have no known grave.First NameJohn WithellLast NameBoagFamilySingleSon of John and Mary BoagDate of Birth12 June 1895Place of BirthBrooksideDate of Death7 May 1918Place of DeathJerusalemCause of DeathDied of woundsAge at Death21
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageLeeston and Ellesmere County War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryJerusalem War CemeteryEllesmere County War MemorialSouthbridge School Roll of HonourOccupation before EnlistingFarm Hand Regiment or ServiceNew Zealand Mounted RiflesEnlistment Details2nd May 1916Service Number16373 TransportManukaReinforcement17th Reinforcements
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Trooper John Withell Boag. Selwyn Stories, accessed 13/01/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/237
