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Trooper Alexander Reginald Mee
Description
TitleTrooper Alexander Reginald MeeSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionAlexander was born at Pleasant Point on 2 October 1896, son of Thomas William and Caroline Mee. He was educated at the Claremont and Timaru Boys' High Schools, afterwards farming at Aylesbury, and was liked and respected by all who knew him. He had previous military experience serving with the 1st Mounted Rifles. He was 5ft 7¼in tall with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.
Alexander had enlisted at the age of nineteen in 1916, but was rejected for varicoele, a form of varicose veins. In 1917 his name was drawn in the ballot and this time the medical exam passed him as fit calling the variocele “moderate”. Alexander enlisted on 30 March 1917 and was assigned to 33rd Reinforcements, Mounted Rifles Brigade. During training he was promoted to Corporal and then finally to Sergeant on 16th October 1917. He embarked on board the SS Tofua on 13 November 1917 bound for Suez and disembarked at Suez just before Christmas on 21st December 1917. He marched in to the Training Camp at Moascar and was posted to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. As was usual he relinquished his rank of sergeant reverting to Corporal. On 3rd March he was posted to the Canterbury Mounted Rifles squadron and at the same time reverted to Trooper at his own request. He was posted first to the 10th Squadron and then the 1st on the 20th May 1918. He would have fought with the Mounted Rifles through the Palestine campaign as they moved east across Palestine into the Jordan Valley as part of the Anzac Mounted Division. It was the Jordan Valley where they camped that was the problem, as the malaria carrying mosquitos were prevalent causing an epidemic of falciparum malaria. Pandemic influenza struck at the same time. Alexander was sent to hospital on 2 October, his 22nd birthday, and admitted to the Anzac receiving station in the field on 8 October with pyrexia of unknown origin. He was transferred to the 26th Casualty Clearing Station and transferred to the Ambulance train on 10th October, diagnosed as suffering from malaria. Then he was admitted to 69th General Hospital in Belah on 14th and reported as dangerously ill. He died there on 26 October, one of the 773 who died in the outbreak. He was buried in Deir El Belah War Cemetery, B.212, Palestine. In New Zealand Alexander is remembered on the Malvern County War Memorial.
First NameAlexander ReginaldLast NameMeeFamilySingleSon of Thomas William and Caroline MeeDate of Birth2 October 1896Place of BirthPleasant PointDate of Death26 October 1918Place of DeathPalestineCause of DeathDied of SicknessAge at Death22
Alexander had enlisted at the age of nineteen in 1916, but was rejected for varicoele, a form of varicose veins. In 1917 his name was drawn in the ballot and this time the medical exam passed him as fit calling the variocele “moderate”. Alexander enlisted on 30 March 1917 and was assigned to 33rd Reinforcements, Mounted Rifles Brigade. During training he was promoted to Corporal and then finally to Sergeant on 16th October 1917. He embarked on board the SS Tofua on 13 November 1917 bound for Suez and disembarked at Suez just before Christmas on 21st December 1917. He marched in to the Training Camp at Moascar and was posted to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. As was usual he relinquished his rank of sergeant reverting to Corporal. On 3rd March he was posted to the Canterbury Mounted Rifles squadron and at the same time reverted to Trooper at his own request. He was posted first to the 10th Squadron and then the 1st on the 20th May 1918. He would have fought with the Mounted Rifles through the Palestine campaign as they moved east across Palestine into the Jordan Valley as part of the Anzac Mounted Division. It was the Jordan Valley where they camped that was the problem, as the malaria carrying mosquitos were prevalent causing an epidemic of falciparum malaria. Pandemic influenza struck at the same time. Alexander was sent to hospital on 2 October, his 22nd birthday, and admitted to the Anzac receiving station in the field on 8 October with pyrexia of unknown origin. He was transferred to the 26th Casualty Clearing Station and transferred to the Ambulance train on 10th October, diagnosed as suffering from malaria. Then he was admitted to 69th General Hospital in Belah on 14th and reported as dangerously ill. He died there on 26 October, one of the 773 who died in the outbreak. He was buried in Deir El Belah War Cemetery, B.212, Palestine. In New Zealand Alexander is remembered on the Malvern County War Memorial.
First NameAlexander ReginaldLast NameMeeFamilySingleSon of Thomas William and Caroline MeeDate of Birth2 October 1896Place of BirthPleasant PointDate of Death26 October 1918Place of DeathPalestineCause of DeathDied of SicknessAge at Death22
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryDeir El Belah War CemeteryMalvern County War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingFarmerRegiment or ServiceNew Zealand Rifle BrigadeEnlistment Details30th March 1917Service Number52095Embarkation13th November 1917TransportTofuaReinforcement33rd ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Trooper Alexander Reginald Mee. Selwyn Stories, accessed 16/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/305