Beads for a boy from Niue

The graveyard of St Andrew's Hornchurch, like many other churchyards is a bit overgrown and the stones are less than pristine but it is a place I do like. Not all stones are neglected though. The graves from WWI are cared for, standing out clear white among the mossy greens.

This was the first time I had ever seen the graves decorated, not just with little poppy crosses at the base of the stones but with beads and shells. I don't know who put them there or when but it does seem a fitting tribute to the four young men who died a long way from home

I have posted the story before but another tome won't hurt:

This is an edited version of an article written by Margaret Pointer New Zealand Herald.

The military parade in Auckland's Queen on February 4, 1916 was unusual: among the 1500 men that day were 140 from Niue. The men were part of the 3rd Maori Contingent and, along with 50 recruits from the Cook Islands, they were being sent to make up the numbers needed to maintain the Maori Contingent which had suffered heavily during the Gallipoli campaign the previous year.

Niue had become a New Zealand Protectorate in 1901. When war began in August 1914, the island had a population of around 4000, including 30 Europeans. The Europeans felt the need to make some sort of war effort and they suggested a Niue regiment and arranged the recruitment of men and their drilling on the village greens.

The 140 men sent New Zealand were marched to their new home, Narrow Neck Military Camp, or Nalo Neke as it became known in Niuean. Over four months the Niue Islanders underwent training at Nalo Neke. Most of the Niueans spoke no English. They found the army clothing restrictive and the boots were impossible for those used to walking barefoot on the coral island.

But their greatest problem was their lack of immunity to European diseases. Measles and similar common complaints were unknown on Niue and the real danger lay in the secondary, especially respiratory, infections. On Christmas Day, 1915, the first of the Niueans died of pneumonia. Others were too ill to continue with training and were held in hospital until a ship went to Niue. In February 1916 the Niue Islanders were ready for service and were sent initially to Egypt. but soon the order came to go to Northern France to provide support on the Western Front.

The Niueans were part of a Pioneer Battalion working at night to maintain a network of trenches in the mud. During this time the Niueans suffered terribly from illness and men had to go to hospital constantly. By late May 1916, 82 per cent of them had been hospitalised. Some recovered and were returned to duty, some were sent home by hospital ship, some were transferred to other hospitals and several died. Mercifully, the army authorities made the decision to withdraw the Niueans from Northern France and assemble them at the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital in Hornchurch, England, where they could be cared for before sailing to New Zealand.

Four of the Niueans did not live to return home and are buried here in Hornchurch

Photo Hunt - From New York and Niue to a grave in Hornchurch

The theme for this week's Photohunt is in memoriam. I still have not had the chance to head off out to take new photographs (except in the garden) so here are some reposted photos of gravestones in Hornchurch. There will be a lot of wordage as these gravestones do deserve to have the back story told.


This is the grave of Raimund Sanders Draper was born in 1914 to a wealthy American family (interesting his was the nephew of Anglo-American comedienne Joyce Grenfell). While the USA was still neutral he came to the UK to join the Royal Air Force and was commissioned as an Officer in September 1941. After serving in various locations as a fighter pilot his squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch in March 1943 ( RAF Hornchurch was an important fighter station. Its squadrons had fought with distinction during the Battle of Britain).

On 26 March Sanders Draper took off from RAF Hornchurch. Whilst approaching the the nearby Suttons school his engine failed. He had the decision of baling out and to let the aircraft hit the school or to save the school by staying with the stricken aircraft . He chose the latter but he was killed in the ensuing crash and explosion. In the early 1970s Suttons School was renamed Sanders Draper who gave his life to save the lives of others.



These are the graves of four men from the Pacific island of Niue who died in hospital in Hornchurch during WWI. This is their story. It is based on an article written by Margaret Pointer in the New Zealand Herald.

The military parade in Auckland's Queen on February 4, 1916 was unusual: among the 1500 men that day were 140 from Niue. The men were part of the 3rd Maori Contingent who were recruited to maintain the Contingent which had suffered heavily during the Gallipoli campaign the previous year.

Niue had become a New Zealand Protectorate in 1901. When war began in August 1914, the island had a population of around 4000, including 30 Europeans. The Europeans felt the need to make some sort of war effort and they suggested a Niue regiment and arranged the recruitment of men and their drilling on the village greens.


The 140 men brought to New Zealand had never left the island before. Over four months the Niue Islanders underwent training. In February 1916 the Niue Islanders were ready for service and were sent initially to Egypt. but soon the order came to go to Northern France to provide support on the Western Front.

The Niueans were part of a Pioneer Battalion working at night to maintain a network of trenches. They suffered terribly from illness and by late May 1916, 82% of them had been hospitalised. The army authorities made the decision to withdraw the Niueans from Northern France and assemble them at the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital in Hornchurch, England, where they could be cared for before sailing to New Zealand. The people of Hornchurch still tend the graves of the four Niueans who are buried there.

Photo Hunt - Two

The theme of this week's PhotoHunt is Two. I returned to a favourite stamping ground for photographs, the churchyard of St Andrew's in Hornchurch, and noticed that there were a number of war graves with two occupants.


I have no idea who the Farrants were but looking at their age they must have been brothers. They died after the end of hostilities in November 1918. How sad to live through a bloody conflict like the Great War then die just after.

Mr Bruce died during WWI, his wife who also died just after the end of hostilities is buried with him.


The story of the men from Niue who served in the Maori Pioneer battalion is very sad. See this earlier post for more information

If I should die, think only this of me--- Wordless Wednesday

That there's some corner of a foreign field
That is for ever

Niue

America

Czech

(From the Soldier by Rupert Brooke) These gravestones are this week's Wordless Wednesday entry.

The first photo shows the grave stones of four WWI volunteers from the Pacific island of Niue who served on the Western Front and who died in 1916 at the New Zealand Convalescent Hospital in Hornchurch. This earlier post tells their story.


Raimund Sanders Draper was an American pilot serving in the RAF. He sacrificed his life rather than crash his Spitfire into a Hornchurch school. The school's name was changed from Suttons to Sanders Draper in the 1970s. This post from last year provides more information about "Smudge" Draper.

I know nothing about Elzalel Konvalina except that he would have served with the RAF's 313 (Czech ) Squadron which was based at RAF Hornchurch at the time.

All of these men are buried in or near St Andrew's Church in Hornchurch. All of them gave their lives frighting in wars far away from home.