Percy Kent IRVINE

Regimental number6/962
Date of birth27 June 1891
Place of birthLyttelton
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationJoiner
AddressSelwyn Road, Lyttelton
Marital statusSingle
Height5' 6.5"
Weight141 lbs
Next of kinMrs W J Irvine, Selwyn Road, Lyttelton
Previous military serviceServed in Garrison Artillery; still serving at time of NZEF enlistment.
Enlistment date14 August 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 rankSergeant
Final unitA Company, Canterbury Infantry Regiment
FateKilled in Action 31 May 1915
Age at death from cemetery records25
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsThe Lone Pine Memorial (Panel No 73), 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: Jane Elizabeth, and the late William Irvine. Native of Lyttelton, Christchurch
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Promoted Lance Corporal (unpaid), 25 November 1914.

Promoted Corporal, 8 January 1915,

Appointed Lance Sergeant, Gallipoli, 7 May 1915.

Promoted Sergeant, 14 May 1915.

Killed in action, 31 May 1915.

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 1880, File 18052165

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