'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the 21st August, 1915, on the Kaijik Aghala (Hill 60) Dardanelles. The fighting was severe, and frequently hand to hand, and although wounded he refused to retire, and continued at his post with the greatest bravery and determination until wounded a second time. He also performed gallant work in rescuing wounded men under heavy fire.'
Source: 'London Gazette'
Date: 29 November 1915

Regimental number	7/583
Place of birth	Banks Peninsula, Canterbury
True Name	PIDGEON, Hector Owen
Address	Okain's Bay
Marital status	Single
Next of kin	William Pidgeon, Okain's Bay, Canterbury
Rank on embarkation	Trooper
Enlistment status	Volunteer
Unit name	New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Main Body, Canterbury Mounted Rifles
Embarkation details	Unit embarked from Lyttelton on 16 October 1914
	The Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment, Main Body, embarked on board two ships, HMNZT 4 'Tahiti' and HMNZT 11 'Athenic'. It is not possible from the Nominal Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked.
Final rank	Trooper
Final unit	Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment
Fate	Died of wounds 28 August 1915
Age at death from cemetery records	25
Place of burial	At sea
Commemoration details	The Lone Pine Memorial (Panel No 72), 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: William and Mary Pidgeon, Little River, Canterbury
Medals	Distinguished Conduct Medal 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the 21st August, 1915, on the Kaijik Aghala (Hill 60) Dardanelles. The fighting was severe, and frequently hand to hand, and although wounded he refused to retire, and continued at his post with the greatest bravery and determination until wounded a second time. He also performed gallant work in rescuing wounded men under heavy fire.' Source: 'London Gazette' Date: 29 November 1915
Family/military connections	Brother: 68748 Rifleman William Henry PIDGEON, 2nd Bn, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, killed in action, 9 September 1918.
Other details	War service: Egypt, Gallipoli Medals: Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Miscellaneous details	Nominal Roll Vol. 1: Canterbury Mounted Rifles/Main Body