Otto OLSON

Regimental number10/160
Date of birth22 November 1893
Place of birthEketahuna
ReligionWesleyan
OccupationFarmer
AddressCarterton
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation20.9
Height5' 5"
Weight138 lbs
Next of kinFather, O Olson, Ponatahi, Carterton
Previous military service'D' Company, 17th Ruahine Regiment
Enlistment date12 August 1914
Place of enlistmentMasterton
Rank on embarkationPrivate
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, Main Body, Wellington Infantry Battalion
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on board HMNZT 10 Arawa on 16 October 1914
Final rankPrivate
Final unitWellington Infantry Regiment
FateCommenced return to New Zealand 18 October 1916
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli

Embarked Wellington, 16 October 1914; disembarked Alexandria, Egypt, 3 December 1914.

Found guilty, Zeitoun, 14 March 1915, of having a dirty rifle on parade: award, charge dismissed.

Proceeded overseas to the Dardanelles, 6 May 1915.

Joined Battalion, in the field, Cape Helles, 9 May 1915.

Found guilty, Anzac, 1 August 1915, of being absent from lines: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No.2.

Evacuated to hospital, Anzac, 5 August 1915; admitted to No.15 General Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, 10 August 1915 (dysentery); transferred to County of London War Hospital, Epsom, England, 11 September 1915; marched into NZ Base Depot, Grey Towers, 11 January 1916.

Found guilty, Grey Towers, 23 March 1916, of being absent from Tattoo Roll Call: awarded 1 day confined to barracks.

Admitted to No.2 Eastern General Hospital, Brighton, 8 May 1916; transferred to Woodcote Hospital, Epsom, 21 July 1916; to No.2 NZ General Hospital, Walton on Thames, 22 July 1916 (arthritis of the right wrist); to No.1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 19 August 1916; to NZ Convalescent Camp, Hornchurch, 15 September 1916.

Commenced return to New Zealand from Plymouth on board HMNZT 'Ruahine', 18 October 1916; disembarked New Zealand, 7 December 1916; discharged (no longer fit for war service on account of illness contacted on active service - arthritis of the right wrist), 4 January 1917.

Total war service: 2 years 146 days (of which 2 years 53 days were abroad).

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous detailsNominal Roll Vol. 1: Wellington Infantry Batln/Main Body
Date of death28 April 1919, San Francisco Hospital (pneumonia)
SourcesArchives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 21382395

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