Ernest Frederick Evers-Swindell

Private

Conflict:

WW1

Additional Information:

Son of Wilfred and Alice Evers-Swindell, of "The Towers," Burleigh Stroud, Glos., England.

References:

CWGC

NZ WAR GRAVES

CONTRIBUTED

Public Contributions:

Ernest Frederick EVERS-SWINDELL, 21.1.1894 - 4.10.1917. Fred was born in England and, on finishing school in 1910, at the age of 16, he joined his two older brothers, Wilfred and Arthur, farming in M...oores Valley, Wainuiomata. The two brothers had gone on a return trip back to England in 1908, and in the following year had purchased 1185 acres of a sheep run. Aged 21, Fred volunteered for the WIR on 19 Apr. 1915, and was hospitalised with measles at Trentham Army Camp during his training. Fred sailed from NZ in June 1915, and joined the regiment on Lemnos Island on 30 Sep. where it was recovering after taking Chunuk Bair. At that time, the WIR had been reduced to less that 100 soldiers from a normal strength of 880. On the 8 Nov., the WIR returned to the Gallipoli Peninsula, but there was little hostile action. On the 18 Dec., the WIR successfully withdrew, and arrived back in Alexandria on 29 Dec. The 7th reinforcements of 273 men joined them in Jan. 1916. The WIR embarked for France on 6 Apr. 1916. On 25 May 1916, Fred was charged with being absent without leave. He'd disappeared at 3:30 pm after Divisional baths at Pont de Nieppe, Armentieres, and did not return until 10 pm that night. Mademoiselle from Armentières, Par ley voo, Mademoiselle from Armentières, Par ley voo, We wonder if young Evers-Swindell went AWOL with the Mademoiselle Hinky, Dinky, Par ley voo. He got 21 days field punishment, and was docked a day's pay. Over Christmas 1916, he had leave to visit his family in England, but was back with the regiment on 1 Jan. 1917. WIR was to be involved in almost continuous fighting that year. Fred was killed during the battle of Gravenstafel, in Belgium, when attempting to eliminate a machine gun post. He'd served for 2 years and 149 days. His brother Wilford lived in Wainuiomata for some years after, and leased the Whitcher property on Fitzherbert Rd in Sep.1927. He married Kathleen Baskett, local school teacher (1929-34), and was thought to have returned to England. The other brother, Arthur, married Octavia Heaton of Lower Hutt on 19 Feb. 1912. One of their sons became grandfather to the Evers-Swindell twin girls who were twice Olympic double scull gold-medal winners. Read More

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Casualty

Service Number:

10/2597

Name:

Ernest Frederick Evers-Swindell

Rank:

Private

Date of Birth:

Not known

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Armed Force:

Army

Unit:

NZEF, Wellington Regiment, 1 Battalion

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Killed in action

Date of Death:

04 October 1917

Day of Death:

Thursday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW1

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Tyne Cot Memorial

Cemetery Reference:

N.Z. Apse, Panel 6.

Cemetery Location:

Belgium