“The late Lance-corporal R. T. Coombe was the eldest son of Mrs Louise Coombe and the late Mr Henry Coombe, and was born in 1893 at Palmerston North, where he received his education. He was captain of the Levin Hockey Club's B team from 1913 up to the time of his going into camp with the 14th Reinforcements, and was also a member of the Levin Foresters Lodge. He endeavoured to get away with the 3rd and every subsequent reinforcement, but was unsuccessful until the 14th, with which he left over two years ago. He went through the battles of the Somme, Marne, and Flanders, and Messines, where he received several slight wounds, but in the great push at Passchendaele he was wounded in both legs and thighs, and was for over seven months in hospitals and convalescent homes in England, after being operated upon several times. He rejoined his unit in May, when he was made a lance-corporal on the field. Mrs Coombe's only remaining son (George P.) left New Zealand with the 40th Reinforcements.“ [Otago Witness, Issue 3367, 25 September 1918, Page 42]