Friday, March 30, 2012

Alfred George Glastonbury - Havelock Memorial


Alfred Glastonbury (known as Jack) was a father of three and married to Minnie Leeks when he embarked from Wellington aboard the Devon on 25 September 1916.   The Devon arrived in the United Kingdom on the 21 November 1916.  Most likely Jack Glastonbury was already sick with gastritis. He died shortly after disembarking on 5 December 1916, aged 34 at Codford Military Hospital, where he is buried.

Jack volunteered to enlist most likely as a knee jerk reaction to the death of his younger brother Frank Glastonbury who was killed in action at the Somme on 14 July 1916. Frank a member of the Otago Infantry Battalion was most likely one of two hundred men from the Otago's who on 13/14 July 1916 went on a raid of German lines.  Of the two hundred men only six returned unhurt, fifty four were killed and one hundred and four were wounded.  Frank's name is not recorded on the Havelock Memorial.


Frank's death was reported in the Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 180, 1 August 1916, Page 5 (taken from Papers Past)


As the article above mentions the Glastonbury Family's contribution to the war effort was immense with a further three brothers serving Leonard, William Henry and Andrew Glastonbury all returned safely to New Zealand.

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