Cyril Donald BECKETT

Regimental number24/2150
Date of birth27 October 1894
Place of birthFrasertown
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLabourer
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20
Height5' 9.5"
Weight147 lbs
Next of kinFather, William Beckett, Wairoa, Hawke's Bay
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date14 December 1915
Place of enlistmentTrentham
Rank on embarkationRifleman
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1915, 5th Reinforcements to 2nd Battalion, F Company
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 1 April 1916
Final rankRifleman
Final unit2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
FateKilled in Action 12 October 1917
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsTyne Cot Memorial (New Zealand Apse, Panel No 7), Zonnebeke, Belgium
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records		Parents: William and Jane Beckett, Frasertown, Napier
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Wellington, 1 April 1916; disembarked Suez, 2 May 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 20 May 1916; joined 2nd Bn, NZ Rifle Brigade, in the field, 20 June 1916, and posted to D Company.

Wounded in action, 15 July 1916 (gun shot wound, upper right arm) and admitted to No 1 NZ Field Ambulance, and transferred same day to 13th General Hospital, Boulogne; to England, 16 July 1916, and admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, 19 July 1916; transferred to No 1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 28 August 1916; discharged to NZ Command Depot, Codford, 4 October 1916.

Found guilty, 28 October 1916, of being absent without leave, 26-27 October 1916: forfeited 2 days' pay under Royal Warrant.

Proceeded overseas to France, 1 March 1917; rejoined Bn, in the field, 21 May 1917.

Admitted to 3rd (?) NZ Field Ambulance, 2 July 1917 (influenza); rejoined unit, 8 July 1917.

Found guilty, 11 September 1917, of when on Active Service being absent from 6 pm parade: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2.

Reported missing, 12 October 1917.

Note on Form B103: 'Buried D.3.C.40.45 10 yards from Kronprinz Farm'; grave subsequently lost.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 27, p. 5
Archives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 22274052