John HAMILTON

Regimental number8/586
Address13 Waverley Street, South Dunedin
Marital statusSingle
Next of kinSister, Mrs M Reid, 92 Dalmarnock Road, Glasgow, Scotland
Rank on embarkationPrivate
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, Main Body, Otago Infantry Battalion
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 16 October 1914
Members of the Otago Infantry Battalion, Main Body, left Wellington on 16 October 1914 on two ships, HMNZT 9 'Hawke's Bay' and HMNZT 5 'Ruapehu'. From the Nominal Roll it is not possible to determine on which ship an individual embarked.
Final rankPrivate
Final unit1st Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment
FateKilled in Action 14 July 1916
Age at death from cemetery records27
Place of burialCite Bonjean Military Cemetery (Plot II, Row E, Grave No 4), Armentieres, France
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: the late William and Mary Hamilton, Glasgow
Medals

Military Medal

'For devotion to duty in attending to wounded under heavy fire on Gallipoli Peninsula, and in paticular for acting with great promptitude on the night of the 12th/13th June 1916 in the trenches in France, when he led a squad of stretcher-bearers over the parapet to the assistance of Ptes Turnbull and Millar, who were severely wounded, whilst carrying out wiring operations. Pte Hamilton assisted both these cases under heavy machine gun fire, and was the means of having them both bought back through the wire entanglements to our trenches.'
Source: 'London Gazette'
Date: 11 October 1916

Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Medals: Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsNominal Roll Vol. 1: Otago Infantry Batln/Main Body