sorry I can't count. 8 club members died from the war, not 7. -----Original Message----- From: Peter Dillon Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2014 12:05 PM To: nz list Subject: Re: [nz] WW1 Reinforcements Regarding the 1918 influenza and its effect on military men. For some time I have been preparing articles for the Sydenham Cricket Club using Papers Past as my main source but going further afield when looking at what happened to the club and its members during WWI. Frank O'Malley was a member of Sydenham who went to war and was killed by the 1918 epidemic having contracted the deadly influenza after being wounded and invalided home. See more below. Another member, "Jum" BLYTH, contracted the flu and died while on service overseas. As with most sports in NZ, cricket club ranks were decimated by the war. By the start of the war Sydenham had won the Canterbury association's (CCA)Senior competition three seasons in a row, winning all grades in one of those seasons and entering a second team in the Senior competition in the third of those seasons, and had a number of Canterbury reps and some NZ reps in its ranks. The club's finances were rosy. I worked out that, of the six Sydenham teams in the CCA's four competition grades as the war was starting, 37 players, the equivalent of three full teams plus their twelfth men went to war, which was reflected in the three Sydenham teams left in competition in a reduced number of available grades later in the war. The Association seriously considered calling off its competitions at one stage. Christchurch-wide, club teams including seniors were kept going by a combination of youngsters and veterans, plus those who were not called up for various reasons or were not able to enlist. Sydenham did recover after the war and in fact won the 1918/19 Senior competition with the assistance of its stronger players who had returned from the war. Another reason for the Association considering calling off its competitions is that they might be considered as detracting from the war effort in some way. One influential Sydenham member was Billy WINSOR who went so far as to write to his Sydenham club saying that he was not prepared to play alongside men who were fit to go to war but did not do so. That stirred things up especially when it was reported in a Press article. Subsequent discussion was strong in the newspaper and among all the CCA clubs in Christchurch. The CCA considered the situation at a meeting. It was a touchy subject and the CCA left it to the clubs to decide that sort of thing for themselves. You can see that a cricket club was definitely not a place to be if you wanted to avoid going to war with sentiment against non-enlisters being so strong in the clubs especially Sydenham. On the basis that cricket clubs were actually strong contributors of men to the war, and the desire to hang onto cricket's infrastructure for a recovery after the war, the CCA voted to keep its competitions going. Billy WINSOR, who took part in the CCA discussions, was an interesting man. By then he was a vastly experienced cricketer who came to Christchurch via Tasmania and Dunedin. He was a Sydenham stalwart by the start of the war, a prominent senior cricketer in his day whose senior career was extended by the war as an older player, and a prominent administrator at Canterbury and NZ level. He became secretary of the NZ Cricket Council - the Winsor Cup is named after him. In his working career he was a prominent builder who took a major part in the administration of building organisations. He was mayor of Spreydon for a good period (a Christchurch suburb), resigning from office when still very popular with the Spreydon electors, and on the Christchurch City Council later. He died in office as President of the Sydenham Cricket Club. Sydenham's provincial & NZ reps, young men who were very fit, went to war. The competition wins of 1912/13, 1913/14, and 1914/15 became a distant memory. Towards the end of the war, due to the substantial and speedy loss of members and the fact that expensive costs such as those relating to grounds and their maintenance did not go away, Sydenham's finances were in a bad way with Billy WINSOR helping the club out of his own pocket at one stage to keep them going. Sydenham had gone from the penthouse to the outhouse if you'll pardon the expression. Sydenham didn't recover till after the war and the return of quite a few of its war veterans. Seven were never to return having made the ultimate sacrifice. Of the others, only a handful did not suffer some kind of wound. I have found that even some of the soldiers mentioned in the club's 1919 annual report as having returned unwounded had in fact been wounded. As for the psychological damage inflicted on the returning soldiers and the subsequent effects it would have had on their families, who knows? In those times the Christchurch competitions were residential based (you had to play for the club based in your part of town). It was a controversial system introduced in 1905, relaxed in 1915 as the effects of the war on clubs took hold, and officially abandoned in 1920. That meant that the dead soldiers and returning wounded soldiers (physical or psychological) had an impact on the Sydenham community at large far stronger than would be the case today because today Sydenham's members come from all over Christchurch, not just the southern part. Private Frank O'MALLEY (Patrick Francis) of the Sydenham club went to war in 1917, was wounded and invalided home to New Zealand, but unfortunately died on 13 November 1918 due to the flu which he contracted while wounded. The flu rampaged through military camps and so forth because of course such congregations of people were perfect for the spread of such a deadly thing. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP19180905.2.53&srpos=175&e=-------100--101-byDA-on--2sydenham+cricket+club-- Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16309, 5 September 1918, Page 7 THE FALLEN AND THE WOUNDED PERSONAL NOTES .....A passage in the annual report of the Sydenham Cricket Club runs as follows:—"At our tenth annual meeting the great war had just burst upon us in all its blighting fury. At our present meeting it is still with us, made more ghastly by the irreplacable gaps it has made in the ranks of our members. Some time in August, 1916, we had to report the loss of our first club mate — Ernie FRASER killed in action at the first landing in Gallipoli. Since then club members have been still proceeding to the front, and during the past year we have had to record the loss of several of our most promising players, namely, Sergeant Bruce HICKENBOTTOM, and Privates G. C. L. WILSON, D. NICHOLSON, and B. HARRY. The deepest sympathies of the club have already been extended to the relatives of these club mates. We have, however, to welcome back to our midst wounded, but still hearty, several members in I. ALLARDYCE, James PATRICK, Gordon PATRICK, Frank O'MALLEY, and R. WILTSHIRE, who we hope will all be taking a part in our endeavours for Sydenham this season. We had also to deplore the loss last year of an old member, the son of one of our most respected life-members, L. A. CAYGILL (killed in action)." http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DOM19181116.2.50&srpos=313&e=--1912-----100--301-byDA-on--0o%27malley+sydenham-- Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 44, 16 November 1918, Page 8 POST OFFICE STAFF REDUCTION OF DELIVERY SERVICE. One hundred and thirty members of the staff of the Chief Post Office were absent from duty yesterday morning owing to sickness, two-thirds of the postmen being victims of the prevailing epidemic. Under the circumstances it was impossible for the Post Office to maintain its usual services. Yesterday it was only possible to give one delivery of letters anywhere. The residents of Seatoun, Mirimar, Kaiwarra, Ngaio, and Khandallah will from to-day have to call at their respective local post offices for mail matter. The delivery of parcels has been discontinued, and these will have to be called for at the Chief Post Office, Should there be a further loss of staff, the services will have to be correspondingly curtailed. It may be necessary to have only one delivery of letters a day in the business, and one every other day in tho residential area of the city. In case of extreme need it may be necessary to require all persons to call at the Chief Post Office for mail matter. Everything possible will be done to maintain a limited service, and the usual deliveries will be resumed as soon as conditions permit. RESTRICTED TELEGRAPH SERVICE DEPLETED STAFFS. Referring to the notice given yesterday, Sir Joseph Ward, Postmaster-General, reports that telegraph staffs are now so seriously depleted by the prevailing epidemic that it is necessary to materially reorganise the work. In the circumstances, he has determined, for the sake of not breaking faith with the public by accepting telegrams which there is no chance of dispatching in reasonable time, that only telegrams of great urgency concerning sickness, accident, or death, or concerning actual movements of steamers, trains, or coaches are to be accepted for the present. In all cases of dispute as to the importance of telegrams presented, the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, the postmaster, the supervisor, or the senior counter clerk will decide finally. Press telegrams must be confined to matters of the first importance, and must not exceed 100 words in length. This restriction does not apply to the, transmission of telegrams between small stations which work direct with each other. In a large number of cases, staffs are normal in country places. The Postmaster-General has also determined to close all post and telegraph offices which at present close later than 5 p.m. for the day, at that hour. These restrictions will be removed at the earliest possible moment. NO CHURCH SERVICES It has not been found possible to ascertain whether all the churches will close for the whole day to-morrow, but there will be no services in the following:—St. John's, St. Andrew's, Kelburn (Presbyterian), The Terrace (Congregational), Vivian Street (Baptist), Taranaki Street and Thorndon (Methodist), or the Anglican churches. POSITION IN THE CAMPS NUMBERS IN HOSPITAL DECREASING. The position in the camps, as shown by the health reports yesterday, is that the numbers of men in hospital are decreasing. To date the death-roll of the camps totals over 100. Yesterday's reports were;— Trentham. Paraded sick 37 Admitted to hospital 20 In hospital 1534 Serious cases 80 Featherston. Paraded sick 109 Admitted to hospital 34 In hospital 1617 In convalescent camp 815 Serious cases 143 Awapuni. Paraded sick 2 Admitted to hospital 2 Influenza case 1 In hospital 42 Ptc. C. S. Chalk passed- away in Palmerston North Hospital. Pneumonia was the cause of death. SOLDIERS' DEATHS The following are official notifications of soldiers who have died (mostly from influenza or complications following influenza) in New Zealand during the past week:- [a long list follows] .....Christchurch. .....Pte Patrick Francis O'MALLEY, discharged soldier, Nov. 13 (Mr. Michael James O'Malley, father, Sydenham, Christchurch). Patrick Francis O'MALLEY above was merely one in a long list of soldiers concluding the above article who died during the week. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP19190904.2.63&srpos=178&e=-------100--101-byDA-on--2sydenham+cricket+club-- Press, Volume LV, Issue 16619, 4 September 1919, Page 7 Sincere regret was expressed in the annual report of the Sydenham Cricket Club last evening, at the death, during the influenza epidemic in November, of Mr Frank O'MALLEY, one of the club's committeemen. Mr O'MALLEY had contracted the disease while suffering from wounds received in France. Another victim of the same disease was Sergeant A. J. BLYTH, who died up amongst the mountains of Persia. He was one of a gallant band of volunteers who, under General Dunsterville, were given a most perilous undertaking, which was to get into communication with and hold in check against German influence the wild tribes of the Trans-Caspian. The party actually got to Baku, on the Caspian Sea, but were only partially successful in their mission. On the way back, at Hamadan, "Jum" BLYTH fell a victim to pneumonic influenza. He left New Zealand with the Main Body, and died on October 1918. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP19190904.2.80&srpos=179&e=-------100--101-byDA-on--2sydenham+cricket+club-- Press, Volume LV, Issue 16619, 4 September 1919, Page 8 CRICKET. SYDENHAM CLUB. The annual meeting of the Sydenham Cricket Club was hold last evening. Mr J. Merriman occupied the chair, and there was a fair attendance of members. The annual report recorded the following names on the clubs' roll of honour:—E. FRASER, B. HICKENBOTHAM, D. NICOLSON, G. C. L. WILSON, B. HARRY, A. HAYES (killed in action); A. J. (Jum) BLYTH, F. O'MALLEY (died of disease); Lieutenant-Colonel R. W. ANDERSON; Ivan ALLARDYCE, P. G. WILTSHIRE, C. J. MATHER, H. DAVIES, O. HAYES, R. MATTHEWS, H. LINDSAY, J. PATRICK, G. PATRICK, H. S. STEPHENS, E. SKELTON, A. SHARP, E. S. WATT, V. WATT (wounded); J. H. BENNETT, H. COMPTON, E. FITZSIMMINS, G. FAIRBURN, W. GUINEY, W. HAYES, W. GRAHAM, F. KING, D. MCBETH, M. O'MALLEY, W. SKELTON, W. TEAGUE, B. WHITE. A welcome home was extended to Lieutenants FITZSIMMONS and W. SKELTON, and Private M. O'MALLEY, H. DAVIES, C. J. MATHER, W, GUINEY, H. CROMPTON, F. KING, H. S. STEPHENS, A. SHARP, and E. S. WATT, and the patron, Lieutenant-Colonel R. W. ANDERSON, N.Z.M.C. During the past season the club had won the Peterson Shield again, making eleven occasions on which the club had been the holders out of the thirteen times it had been competed for. The grade team had won its competition A player missing from the above list was O. HODGSON mentioned in the Sydenham club's 1915 annual report. It is probable that he may have actually enlisted somewhat later in Dunedin. Peter -----Original Message----- From: John Wilson Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 10:19 PM To: Allan Steel ; nz list Subject: Re: [nz] WW1 Reinforcements Hi Alan: No the three WWI files in Archives NZ on the 46th Reinforcements (AAYS series 8638, was Army AD1) are brief and do not have any lists of soldiers. On 6 November 1918 the embarcation and the transfer of troops from Featherston to Trentham was cancelled because of a serious outbreak of influenza at Trentham and Featherston Camps, recommended by RGF Henderson the Surgeon General and Director of Medical Services. On 4 November it was proposed to send part of the 46th Reinforcements on the SS Paparoa, No 114; 580 in total with 22 officers, 42 staff sergeants and sergeants and 516 OR (other ranks). SS Remuera with the 45th was No 114 then No 113, and SS Ionic with the 44th was No 112. A memo of 11 April 1918 said there was a crisis in recruiting, so there was an accelerated transfer of men to camps. For the 46th there were 1635 mobilised, a shortage of 16.16%. Yours, John Wilson Subject: [nz] WW1 Reinforcements > Hi Folks, > > Wondered if any list member can point in the right direction to find a > list of the men who were in the 46th Reinforcements for WW1. > They went into camp but never left for overseas as the war finished. > They are not listed on the Auckland War Museum site as they did not serve > overseas. > > Thank you > Allan > The List Guidelines http://new-zealand-l.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NEW-ZEALAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message The List Guidelines http://new-zealand-l.blogspot.com/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NEW-ZEALAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message