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Rifleman Lewis Hamilton
Description
TitleRifleman Lewis HamiltonSummaryA soldier in World War One.DescriptionLewis was born at Greenpark on 7 March 1879, third son of Lewis and Margarite Hamilton. Both of his parents had died by the time he enlisted and his brother Robert was his next of kin. Educated at Greenpark School, before enlisting he was working for New Zealand Rail as a surface-man at Avoca, Arthurs Pass. He was 5ft 6½in tall with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and dark hair. The medical examiner also noted he had flat feet but he was passed for service.
Lewis enlisted at Christchurch on 12 July 1917 and was assigned to 34th Reinforcements, Otago Infantry Regiment, D Company. His training at Trentham was not straightforward as for an unexplained misconduct (possibly overstaying leave) on 30 December 1917 he forfeited 10 days pay and was also confined to barracks for two weeks. However he embarked from Wellington on 8 February 1918 on board the Ulimaroa arriving in Liverpool 29 March 1918 and marched in to Brocton Camp, HQ of New Zealand Rifle brigade. He left for France on 15 May, marching into Etaples two days later. He was sent to join the 3rd NZ Entrenching Battalion in the field on 19 May but was transferred to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade on 6 July and posted to A company. He was sent to hospital sick on 4 August rejoining the unit a day later. He was killed 10 days later on 26 August in the attack on Bapaume, aged 39. He was initially buried on the Bapaume Road, half mile north east of Bapaume. After the war he was gathered in and now lies in the Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Pas de Calais. In New Zealand Lewis is remembered on the Greenpark War Memorial.
Vaulx-Vraucourt is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 6kms north-east of Bapaume. Vaulx-Vraucourt village was taken in the spring of 1917, lost (after severe fighting) in March 1918, and retaken in the following September. Vaulx Hill Cemetery started with just 17 graves of September 1918 (in Plot I, Rows A and B). The rest of the cemetery was formed after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other cemeteries and from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood. The cemetery now contains 856 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 258 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 29 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and four others buried in other cemeteries whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.First NameLewisLast NameHamiltonFamilySingleThird son of Lewis and Margarite HamiltonDate of Birth7 March 1879Place of BirthGreenparkDate of Death26 August 1918Place of DeathBapaume, FranceCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death39
Lewis enlisted at Christchurch on 12 July 1917 and was assigned to 34th Reinforcements, Otago Infantry Regiment, D Company. His training at Trentham was not straightforward as for an unexplained misconduct (possibly overstaying leave) on 30 December 1917 he forfeited 10 days pay and was also confined to barracks for two weeks. However he embarked from Wellington on 8 February 1918 on board the Ulimaroa arriving in Liverpool 29 March 1918 and marched in to Brocton Camp, HQ of New Zealand Rifle brigade. He left for France on 15 May, marching into Etaples two days later. He was sent to join the 3rd NZ Entrenching Battalion in the field on 19 May but was transferred to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Rifle Brigade on 6 July and posted to A company. He was sent to hospital sick on 4 August rejoining the unit a day later. He was killed 10 days later on 26 August in the attack on Bapaume, aged 39. He was initially buried on the Bapaume Road, half mile north east of Bapaume. After the war he was gathered in and now lies in the Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Pas de Calais. In New Zealand Lewis is remembered on the Greenpark War Memorial.
Vaulx-Vraucourt is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, 6kms north-east of Bapaume. Vaulx-Vraucourt village was taken in the spring of 1917, lost (after severe fighting) in March 1918, and retaken in the following September. Vaulx Hill Cemetery started with just 17 graves of September 1918 (in Plot I, Rows A and B). The rest of the cemetery was formed after the Armistice when graves were brought in from other cemeteries and from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood. The cemetery now contains 856 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 258 of the burials are unidentified but special memorials commemorate 29 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and four others buried in other cemeteries whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.First NameLewisLast NameHamiltonFamilySingleThird son of Lewis and Margarite HamiltonDate of Birth7 March 1879Place of BirthGreenparkDate of Death26 August 1918Place of DeathBapaume, FranceCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death39
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageGreenpark War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryVaulx Hill CemeteryGreenpark War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingSurface-manRegiment or ServiceOtago Infantry RegimentEnlistment Details12th July 1917 at ChristchurchService Number66092Rank Last HeldRiflemanEmbarkation8th February 1918Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportUlimaroaReinforcement34th Reinforcements
Attribution
Researched ByL. M. Seaton
Rifleman Lewis Hamilton. Selwyn Stories, accessed 06/06/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/416