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Rifleman George Barnett Cheyne

Description

TitleRifleman George Barnett CheyneSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionGeorge was born in Drumoak Parish, Aberdeen on 4th November 1887, son of Robert and Helen Cheyne. He was educated at Drumoak Central School, came to New Zealand in 1910, and settled at Christchurch as a dairy farmer. He married Sarah, daughter of William McCousland, on 26 April 1916. He was 5ft 8in tall with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. He was considered fit but the doctor did note that he had a bunion on his left foot.

George enlisted on 12 June 1917 at Christchurch and was assigned to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, Reinforcements J Company. He embarked with them on board the Ulimaroa from Wellington on 26 July, disembarking at Plymouth on 24 September 1917. He marched into Brocton on 29th September. In September 2013 it was reported that Staffordshire County Council would excavate the World War I model battlefield near Brocton, Staffordshire, which had been constructed by German Prisoners of War held in a camp on nearby Cannock Chase and guarded by soldiers of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. The model is of the village and surrounding area of Messines in Belgium, which included replica trenches and dugouts, railway lines, roads, and accurate contours of the surrounding terrain. He left from there for France 23th October and marched into Etaples on 26th October where he joined 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade and was posted to A Company in field on 2nd November. He was sent to Divisional School on 2nd March 1918 and re-joined the Battalion on 3rd April. Shockingly he was killed in action two days later on 5th April 1918. He was initially buried in the Jean Bart British Cemetery near Colincamps, 7 miles north of Albert. In 1920 exhumed from Jean Bart and reburied in the Euston Road Cemetery, Somme. In New Zealand George is remembered on the Southbridge Plaque of the Ellesmere County War Memorial. In Scotland he is remembered on his parent’s headstone.
First NameGeorge BarnettLast NameCheyneAddress254 Dyers Rd, Bromley, Christchurch, New Zealand. FamilyMarried to Sarah Cheyne (nee McCousland) Son of Robert and Helen CheyneDate of Birth4 November 1887Place of BirthAberdeen, ScotlandDate of Death5 April 1918Place of DeathSomme, FranceCause of DeathKilled of actionAge at Death31

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CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageLeeston and Ellesmere County War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph

Military Service

Memorial or CemeteryEuston Road CemeteryEllesmere County War MemorialRegiment or ServiceNew Zealand Rifle BrigadeEnlistment Details12th June 1917 at ChristchurchService Number53903Embarkation26 July 1917Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportUlimaroaCountryNew Zealand

Attribution

Researched ByL. M. SeatonTaken FromPhoto taken from Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph. Please refer to this site for the photo’s copyright license

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Rifleman George Barnett Cheyne