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Rifleman William Simon Gillanders
Description
TitleRifleman William Simon GillandersAlternative NameWilliam JensonSummaryA soldier in World War One.DescriptionWilliam was born at Darfield on 3 June 1881, youngest son of Hector and May Gillanders. He was educated at Darfield and Christchurch, and was for some time in the office of the Christchurch Press Company. He was engaged in farming at Waddington until he bought the Cotswold Hills run in North Canterbury, where he was a sheep farmer. He was married to Mary Anne, the youngest daughter of the William Reid. He was highly esteemed as a man of sterling character, a good neighbour, and a true friend. He was 5ft 7in tall with a dark complexion, blue eyes and black hair.
William enlisted 9 February 1917 and was assigned to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 28th Reinforcements, J Company. He embarked on 26th July 1917 on board the Ulimaroa for England. He arrived in Devonport on 24 September and was killed in accident en-route from Devonport to Sling Camp on the same day, aged 36. He was one of 10 soldiers killed when they alighted from the Troop train at Bere Ferrers mistaking it for the planned stop at Exeter where food was to be distributed. Some of the soldiers were standing on the down-line track just as the Waterloo-to-Plymouth Express rounded the sharp curve on its entry into Bere Ferrers about 3.50 pm. Nine soldiers died instantly and another died the following morning in Tavistock Hospital. The inquest revealed that the men had got out of the train in the wrong side simply because they had assumed the door of entry was the correct door to exit by. He and the other New Zealanders killed in the Devon railway disaster were buried in the Corporation Cemetery at Egg Buckland, outside Plymouth. Anglican, Catholic & Presbyterian services were read and the funeral was attended by a party of New Zealanders and garrison troops. The graves are situated in various denominational sections but all are within a small radius. A brass memorial plaque was also erected in the church of St Andrew at Bere Ferrrers and a New Zealand flag hangs from the wall beside the memorial, a gift from High Commissioner Bryce Harland in 1989. There is also a stone slab commemorating the soldiers on the plinth of the village war memorial, a few steps from the churchyard. In New Zealand William is remembered on the Malvern County and Sheffield War Memorials.
Bere Ferrers Railway Station accident: Ten privates, serving in the 1NZEF (28th Reinforcements) were killed in Bere Ferrers Railway Station while getting out of the Troop Train on September 24 1917. They had just landed at Plymouth and were on their way to join their comrades on Salisbury Plain for preliminary training. The accident happened when a trainful of NZ troops who had just arrived in the country left Friary Station, Plymouth at 3pm. At 3.50 the train approached Bere Ferrers. The soldiers were raw, sick, tired and above all hungry, having eaten breakfast at 6am. They had been told that food would be provided on the journey. The arrangement was that when the train made its first stop at Exeter, two men from each carriage would carry provisions from the brake-van together with cups of tea and buns provided by the Mayoress' Comforts Fund. When the train made an unscheduled stop at Bere Ferrers, men in the rear section of the train decided that this must be Exeter, and breaking the rule of two from each carriage, jumped down. Some of them spilled onto the down-line track, just as the Waterloo -to- Plymouth Express rounded the sharp curve on its entry into Bere Ferrers. Although the fireman shouted a warning, and the train driver applied the brakes, the train pulled up about 400m beyond the station. Nine soldiers died instantly and another died the following morning in Tavistock Hospital. The inquest revealed that the men had got out of the train in the wrong side simply because they had assumed the door of entry was the correct door to exit by.
First NameWilliam SimonLast NameGillandersFamilyMarried, wife Mary Anne Gillanders, nee ReidYoungest son of Hector and May GillandersDate of Birth3 June 1881Place of BirthDarfieldDate of Death24 September 1917Place of DeathEnglandCause of DeathKilled in an accidentAge at Death36
William enlisted 9 February 1917 and was assigned to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 28th Reinforcements, J Company. He embarked on 26th July 1917 on board the Ulimaroa for England. He arrived in Devonport on 24 September and was killed in accident en-route from Devonport to Sling Camp on the same day, aged 36. He was one of 10 soldiers killed when they alighted from the Troop train at Bere Ferrers mistaking it for the planned stop at Exeter where food was to be distributed. Some of the soldiers were standing on the down-line track just as the Waterloo-to-Plymouth Express rounded the sharp curve on its entry into Bere Ferrers about 3.50 pm. Nine soldiers died instantly and another died the following morning in Tavistock Hospital. The inquest revealed that the men had got out of the train in the wrong side simply because they had assumed the door of entry was the correct door to exit by. He and the other New Zealanders killed in the Devon railway disaster were buried in the Corporation Cemetery at Egg Buckland, outside Plymouth. Anglican, Catholic & Presbyterian services were read and the funeral was attended by a party of New Zealanders and garrison troops. The graves are situated in various denominational sections but all are within a small radius. A brass memorial plaque was also erected in the church of St Andrew at Bere Ferrrers and a New Zealand flag hangs from the wall beside the memorial, a gift from High Commissioner Bryce Harland in 1989. There is also a stone slab commemorating the soldiers on the plinth of the village war memorial, a few steps from the churchyard. In New Zealand William is remembered on the Malvern County and Sheffield War Memorials.
Bere Ferrers Railway Station accident: Ten privates, serving in the 1NZEF (28th Reinforcements) were killed in Bere Ferrers Railway Station while getting out of the Troop Train on September 24 1917. They had just landed at Plymouth and were on their way to join their comrades on Salisbury Plain for preliminary training. The accident happened when a trainful of NZ troops who had just arrived in the country left Friary Station, Plymouth at 3pm. At 3.50 the train approached Bere Ferrers. The soldiers were raw, sick, tired and above all hungry, having eaten breakfast at 6am. They had been told that food would be provided on the journey. The arrangement was that when the train made its first stop at Exeter, two men from each carriage would carry provisions from the brake-van together with cups of tea and buns provided by the Mayoress' Comforts Fund. When the train made an unscheduled stop at Bere Ferrers, men in the rear section of the train decided that this must be Exeter, and breaking the rule of two from each carriage, jumped down. Some of them spilled onto the down-line track, just as the Waterloo -to- Plymouth Express rounded the sharp curve on its entry into Bere Ferrers. Although the fireman shouted a warning, and the train driver applied the brakes, the train pulled up about 400m beyond the station. Nine soldiers died instantly and another died the following morning in Tavistock Hospital. The inquest revealed that the men had got out of the train in the wrong side simply because they had assumed the door of entry was the correct door to exit by.
First NameWilliam SimonLast NameGillandersFamilyMarried, wife Mary Anne Gillanders, nee ReidYoungest son of Hector and May GillandersDate of Birth3 June 1881Place of BirthDarfieldDate of Death24 September 1917Place of DeathEnglandCause of DeathKilled in an accidentAge at Death36
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialSheffield War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryMalvern County War MemorialSheffield War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingFarmer Regiment or ServiceNew Zealand Rifle BrigadeEnlistment Details9th February 1917Service Number55050Embarkation26th July 1917TransportUlimaroaReinforcement28th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Rifleman William Simon Gillanders. Selwyn Stories, accessed 08/11/2025, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/288
