William John HALKETT

Regimental number6/1117
Date of birth3 April 1894
Place of birthOamaru
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationFarmer
AddressRakaia, Christchurch
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Height5' 10"
Weight140 lbs
Next of kinJames Halkett, Rakaia, Canterbury
Previous military serviceServed in 2nd (South Canterbury) Regiment, Territorial Force; still serving at time of NZEF enlistment.
Enlistment date18 September 1914
Place of enlistmentChristchurch
Rank on embarkationPrivate
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, Main Body, Canterbury Infantry Battalion
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 16 October 1914
The Canterbury Infantry Battalion, Main Body, left New Zealand on board two ships, 'Tahiti' and 'Athenic'. It is not possible from the Nominal Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked.
Final rankLance Corporal
Final unitA Company, Canterbury Infantry Regiment
FateKilled in Action 6 June 1915
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel No 74), Gallipoli, Turkey

The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey.

The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank.

The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here.

Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: James and Christina Halkett, Pendarves, Chertsey, Canterbury. Native of Otago
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (Gallipoli Campaign), 12 April 1915.

Reported missing, 2-3 May 1915; rejoined unit, 14 May 1915.

Appointed Lance Corporal, 14 May 1915.

Reported missing, 6 June 1915.

Board of Enquiry, held at Moascar Camp, Ismailia, 16 January 1916, concluded 'Now Believed Killed, Dardanelles, June 6, 1915'.

War service: 265 days (of which 257 days were abroad)

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsNominal Roll Vol. 1: Canterbury Infantry Batln/Main Body
SourcesArchives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 16790173