Ernest John FOWKE

Regimental number6/3016
Date of birth22 February 1894
Place of birthSydenham, Christchurch
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationLinesman
Addressc/o Telegraph Department, Wairau
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 10"
Weight176 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Fowke, 27 Walpole Street, Sydenham, Christchurch
Previous military serviceServed in the Royal Engineers (exempt).
Enlistment date13 June 1915
Place of enlistmentTrentham
Rank on embarkationPrivate
Enlistment statusVolunteer
Unit nameNew Zealand Expeditionary Force, 7th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Battalion
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Wellington on 10 October 1915
Discharge date26 June 1917
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Embarked Wellington, 10 October 1915; disembarked Suez, 18 November 1915.

Joined Canterbury Infantry Bn, Ismailia, 4 February 1916.

Admitted to NZ Auxiliary Hospital, Ismailia, 24 February 1916 (venereal disease); transferred to 17th General Hospital, Alexandria, 19 April 1916; discharged to duty, 26 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 10 May 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France (date not recorded); joined 1st Bn, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, Armentieres, 23 June 1916.

Found guilty, 6 August 1916, of being absent without leave: forfeited 7 days' pay.

Wounded in action, 27 September 1916 (gun shot wound, forearm); admitted to No 3 Stationary Hospital, Rouen, 28 September 1916; transferred to England, 29 September 1916, and admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital, Oxford, 1 October 1916; transferred to No 1 NZ General Hospital, Brockenhurst, 7 December 1916.

Classified 'Unfit' by Medical Board, 2 February 1917, and placed on NZ Roll.

Found guilty, 19 February 1917, of being absent without leave and resisting police: awarded 14 days' detention.

Commenced return to New Zealand from Liverpool on board HT 'Maheno', 18 March 1917; discharged (no longer physically fit for War Service on account of wounds received in action), 26 June 1917.

War service: 2 years 14 days (of which 1 year 213 days was abroad)
Miscellaneous detailsNominal Roll Vol. 1: Canterbury Infantry Batln/Seventh
Date of death13 November 1958 Christchurch
Age at death66
SourcesArchives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805