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Corporal Frank Pengelly
Description
TitleCorporal Frank PengellySummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionFrank was born at Christchurch on 10 November 1887, son of William and Laura Ann Pengelly. The family had come from Canada when William bought a small farm at Annat. Before enlisting Frank was working as a chaffcutter for F. Lill at Dunsandel. He was one of the soldiers given a farewell in January 1917 where he was presented with the usual tokens, a money belt containing half a sovereign, and a pocket wallet, and the usual packet of handkerchiefs from the schoolchildren. He was 5ft 8in tall with a light complexion, grey eyes and light hair.
Frank enlisted on 18 September 1916 and was assigned to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade Reinforcements, H Company. Whilst in training he was promoted to Lance Corporal on 9 October, then promoted to Corporal on 8 December, and finally to Sergeant on 13 January 1917 before he embarked for England on board the Waitemata on 19 January. He disembarked at Devonport on 28 March 1917, reverting to Corporal, and was immediately admitted to the 4th Hospital at Plymouth suffering from diarrhoea. From there he was transferred to the No.3 NZ General Hospital at Codford on 30 May, two months later. He was finally taken on the strength at Codford on 4th June 1917 and then transferred to the Reserve Group at Sling on 30 July. Whilst there he passed the examination and was confirmed in rank of Corporal. He finally left for France on 11 November 1917. He marched into camp at Etaples on 13 November and joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field in 9th December 1917. During the fighting at Polygon Wood on 19th December he was severely wounded by a shell explosion. His medical records show that there were multiple shell fragments in his face especially the right side of his face, right eye and right ear and wounds to his right thigh, shin and ankle. On the 20 December 1917 he was taken up by the Field Ambulance and then on to the Casualty Clearing Station. He reached the hospital at Boulogne on 24th December and spent Christmas Day there. From there he was evacuated to England on board HS St Patrick on 26th December 1917 and was admitted to the London General Hospital at Camberwell the same day. On 10 January 1918 he was transferred to the NZ General Hospital at Walton on Thames. Following more treatment he was classified as unfit for service by a Medical Board on 27 February 1918 and was placed on the NZ Roll, being sent back to NZ on board the Marama on 6th April, arriving 18th May 1918. He was finally discharged as “not fit on account of wounds received in action on 16th October 1918”. When examined on board Marama he still had a weak and infected leg and later at Christchurch the thigh wound was still a disability. He had undergone two operations on 19th December 1917 and then also on 20 January 1918 to excise his wounds and suture them. Before the advent of antibiotics infection was hard to control especially in wounds contaminated by battlefield debris. In September 1918 he was accorded a welcome home and received a set of military hair brushes. He died aged 28 on 15th November 1918 from influenza and the effects of his injuries. He had been a patient at the Returned Soldiers' Ward at the Christchurch Hospital for four months, and had been discharged just prior to his death. He was buried in Sydenham Cemetery and the funeral was partly a military one, the coffin was conveyed on a gun-carriage. Canon Bean read the burial service. The pallbearers were Privates N. Fraser, A. Broom, E. McDonald, and J. Rossels, all returned soldier friends of the deceased. Frank is remembered on the Dunsandel War Memorial.
First NameFrankLast NamePengellyFamilySingleSon of William and Laura Ann PengellyDate of Birth10 November 1887Place of BirthChristchurchDate of Death15 November 1918Place of DeathChristchurchCause of DeathInfluenzaAge at Death28
Frank enlisted on 18 September 1916 and was assigned to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade Reinforcements, H Company. Whilst in training he was promoted to Lance Corporal on 9 October, then promoted to Corporal on 8 December, and finally to Sergeant on 13 January 1917 before he embarked for England on board the Waitemata on 19 January. He disembarked at Devonport on 28 March 1917, reverting to Corporal, and was immediately admitted to the 4th Hospital at Plymouth suffering from diarrhoea. From there he was transferred to the No.3 NZ General Hospital at Codford on 30 May, two months later. He was finally taken on the strength at Codford on 4th June 1917 and then transferred to the Reserve Group at Sling on 30 July. Whilst there he passed the examination and was confirmed in rank of Corporal. He finally left for France on 11 November 1917. He marched into camp at Etaples on 13 November and joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field in 9th December 1917. During the fighting at Polygon Wood on 19th December he was severely wounded by a shell explosion. His medical records show that there were multiple shell fragments in his face especially the right side of his face, right eye and right ear and wounds to his right thigh, shin and ankle. On the 20 December 1917 he was taken up by the Field Ambulance and then on to the Casualty Clearing Station. He reached the hospital at Boulogne on 24th December and spent Christmas Day there. From there he was evacuated to England on board HS St Patrick on 26th December 1917 and was admitted to the London General Hospital at Camberwell the same day. On 10 January 1918 he was transferred to the NZ General Hospital at Walton on Thames. Following more treatment he was classified as unfit for service by a Medical Board on 27 February 1918 and was placed on the NZ Roll, being sent back to NZ on board the Marama on 6th April, arriving 18th May 1918. He was finally discharged as “not fit on account of wounds received in action on 16th October 1918”. When examined on board Marama he still had a weak and infected leg and later at Christchurch the thigh wound was still a disability. He had undergone two operations on 19th December 1917 and then also on 20 January 1918 to excise his wounds and suture them. Before the advent of antibiotics infection was hard to control especially in wounds contaminated by battlefield debris. In September 1918 he was accorded a welcome home and received a set of military hair brushes. He died aged 28 on 15th November 1918 from influenza and the effects of his injuries. He had been a patient at the Returned Soldiers' Ward at the Christchurch Hospital for four months, and had been discharged just prior to his death. He was buried in Sydenham Cemetery and the funeral was partly a military one, the coffin was conveyed on a gun-carriage. Canon Bean read the burial service. The pallbearers were Privates N. Fraser, A. Broom, E. McDonald, and J. Rossels, all returned soldier friends of the deceased. Frank is remembered on the Dunsandel War Memorial.
First NameFrankLast NamePengellyFamilySingleSon of William and Laura Ann PengellyDate of Birth10 November 1887Place of BirthChristchurchDate of Death15 November 1918Place of DeathChristchurchCause of DeathInfluenzaAge at Death28
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageDunsandel War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryDunsandel War MemorialSydenham CemeteryOccupation before EnlistingChaffcutterRegiment or ServiceNew Zealand Rifle BrigadeEnlistment Details18th September 1916Service Number33762
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Corporal Frank Pengelly. Selwyn Stories, accessed 13/02/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/334
