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Rifleman Samuel John Gudsell
Description
TitleRifleman Samuel John GudsellSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionSamuel was born at Tinwald on 16 March 1884, the eldest son of James and Annie Gudsell. He married Mabel Huston at Tinwald on 13 April 1905 and by the time he enlisted they had three children, Samuel John (born 1905), Mabel Annie (born 1906) and Arthur Albert (born 1913). Samuel had worked as a general storekeeper and farm labourer before buying his own farm at Dunsandel. He was farming on his own account and sold his farm to enlist. In his spare time he played for the Dunsandel Cricket Club. He was 5ft 11in tall with a darkish complexion, blue eyes and dark hair.
Samuel enlisted 8 May 1916 and was assigned to the 16th Reinforcements. He embarked from Wellington for Devonport on 19 August 1916 on board the Aparima and landed 25 October 1916. He marched into Sling camp the next day and was assigned to the Reserve. He was sent to France on 15 November and attached to the Base Depot at Etaples the next day. Samuel was posted to the 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade, B Company on 4 December 1916 and joined them in the field. However he was sent to hospital sick with influenza just before Christmas on 20 December and did not return to his unit until New Year’s Day 1917. In April Samuel was absent without leave from 13-16 April 1917 when the Rifle Brigade spent a fortnight of intensive training in the Tilques area. This was the second time he had been AWOL and he then experienced the harsh discipline of the Army. He was tried and sentenced to 28 days of the humiliating Field Punishment No.2. This consisted of the convicted man being shackled in irons for up to two hours out of 24, although unlike Field punishment No 1 he was not secured to a stationary object. Whilst undergoing this punishment he absconded on 10 May although he gave himself up two days later. On the 30th he was given another 30 days of Field Punishment No.2 as a result. However Samuel was killed in action on 7 June 1917, aged 34, during the first day of the battle for Messines. The 4th Battalion was tasked with the capture of the village together with the trenches running round its eastern outskirts and to the north and south, these latter forming a Yellow Line. B company, Samuel’s unit, were to pass through Messines and attempt to secure the trenches beyond. Even though he had been killed in action the Army was not to be thwarted, so his pay was docked instead. Although his burial was reported on 31 June his body was not found or identified and his name is inscribed on the Messines Memorial to the Missing. In New Zealand he is remembered on the Dunsandel and Ashburton War Memorials.
Researched and written by L.M. Seaton
CWGC Cemetery locale history: Messines (now Mesen) was considered a strong strategic position, not only from its height above the plain below, but from the extensive system of cellars under the convent known as the 'Institution Royale'. The village was taken from the 1st Cavalry Division by the German 26th Division on 31 October-1 November 1914. An attack by French troops on 6 -7 November was unsuccessful and it was not until the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917 that it was retaken by the New Zealand Division. On 10-11 April 1918, the village fell into German hands once more after a stubborn defence by the South African Brigade, but was retaken for the last time on 28-29 September 1918. The Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial stands within Messines Ridge British Cemetery and commemorates over 800 soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who died in or near Messines in 1917 and 1918 and who have no known grave. This is one of seven memorials in France and Belgium to those New Zealand soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves are not known. The memorials are all in cemeteries chosen as appropriate to the fighting in which the men died. Messines Ridge British Cemetery, in which this memorial stands, occupies ground that belonged to the 'Institution Royale'. It was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefield around Messines and from a number of small burial grounds in the area. The dates of death of those buried here range from October 1914 to October 1918, but the majority died in the fighting of 1917. There are now 1,531 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 954 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them, or who were buried in other cemeteries where their graves were destroyed by shell fire. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Charles Holden.First NameSamuel John Last NameGudsellFamilyMarried to Mabel Gudsell (nee Huston) Eldest son of James and Annie GudsellDate of Birth16 March 884Place of BirthTinwald, CanterburyDate of Death7 June 1917Place of DeathMessines, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death34
Samuel enlisted 8 May 1916 and was assigned to the 16th Reinforcements. He embarked from Wellington for Devonport on 19 August 1916 on board the Aparima and landed 25 October 1916. He marched into Sling camp the next day and was assigned to the Reserve. He was sent to France on 15 November and attached to the Base Depot at Etaples the next day. Samuel was posted to the 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade, B Company on 4 December 1916 and joined them in the field. However he was sent to hospital sick with influenza just before Christmas on 20 December and did not return to his unit until New Year’s Day 1917. In April Samuel was absent without leave from 13-16 April 1917 when the Rifle Brigade spent a fortnight of intensive training in the Tilques area. This was the second time he had been AWOL and he then experienced the harsh discipline of the Army. He was tried and sentenced to 28 days of the humiliating Field Punishment No.2. This consisted of the convicted man being shackled in irons for up to two hours out of 24, although unlike Field punishment No 1 he was not secured to a stationary object. Whilst undergoing this punishment he absconded on 10 May although he gave himself up two days later. On the 30th he was given another 30 days of Field Punishment No.2 as a result. However Samuel was killed in action on 7 June 1917, aged 34, during the first day of the battle for Messines. The 4th Battalion was tasked with the capture of the village together with the trenches running round its eastern outskirts and to the north and south, these latter forming a Yellow Line. B company, Samuel’s unit, were to pass through Messines and attempt to secure the trenches beyond. Even though he had been killed in action the Army was not to be thwarted, so his pay was docked instead. Although his burial was reported on 31 June his body was not found or identified and his name is inscribed on the Messines Memorial to the Missing. In New Zealand he is remembered on the Dunsandel and Ashburton War Memorials.
Researched and written by L.M. Seaton
CWGC Cemetery locale history: Messines (now Mesen) was considered a strong strategic position, not only from its height above the plain below, but from the extensive system of cellars under the convent known as the 'Institution Royale'. The village was taken from the 1st Cavalry Division by the German 26th Division on 31 October-1 November 1914. An attack by French troops on 6 -7 November was unsuccessful and it was not until the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917 that it was retaken by the New Zealand Division. On 10-11 April 1918, the village fell into German hands once more after a stubborn defence by the South African Brigade, but was retaken for the last time on 28-29 September 1918. The Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial stands within Messines Ridge British Cemetery and commemorates over 800 soldiers of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who died in or near Messines in 1917 and 1918 and who have no known grave. This is one of seven memorials in France and Belgium to those New Zealand soldiers who died on the Western Front and whose graves are not known. The memorials are all in cemeteries chosen as appropriate to the fighting in which the men died. Messines Ridge British Cemetery, in which this memorial stands, occupies ground that belonged to the 'Institution Royale'. It was made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from the battlefield around Messines and from a number of small burial grounds in the area. The dates of death of those buried here range from October 1914 to October 1918, but the majority died in the fighting of 1917. There are now 1,531 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 954 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate a number of casualties known or believed to be buried among them, or who were buried in other cemeteries where their graves were destroyed by shell fire. Both cemetery and memorial were designed by Charles Holden.First NameSamuel John Last NameGudsellFamilyMarried to Mabel Gudsell (nee Huston) Eldest son of James and Annie GudsellDate of Birth16 March 884Place of BirthTinwald, CanterburyDate of Death7 June 1917Place of DeathMessines, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death34
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageDunsandel War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryAshburton War Memorial Dunsandel War Memorial Messines Memorial to the MissingOccupation before EnlistingGeneral Storekeeper and farm labourer
Enlistment Details8th May 1916Service Number22451Rank Last HeldRifleman Embarkation19th August 1916Place of EmbarkationWellington TransportAparimaReinforcement16th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Enlistment Details8th May 1916Service Number22451Rank Last HeldRifleman Embarkation19th August 1916Place of EmbarkationWellington TransportAparimaReinforcement16th ReinforcementsCountryNew Zealand
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Rifleman Samuel John Gudsell. Selwyn Stories, accessed 13/01/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/395
