When my mother-in-law died, my husband inherited a box of items that belonged to his mother, Shirley, and before her, to his grandmother, Winifred (Winnie), and his great grandmother, Emma. You can read about Shirley, Winnie, Emma and the treasure box in my post Our Treasure Box.
Amongst the items in the box are two Christmas cards and several postcards sent to Winnie from her husband Bill during the First World War.
Bill and Winnie
Bill was born William Harold Coop at Roxburgh, Central Otago, New Zealand on 25 October 1894[1]. You can read about Bill's family background here.
Winnie was born Winifred Alice Darcy at Black’s Point in Reefton, West Coast, New Zealand on the 25 November 1895[2]. You can read about Winnie and her family background here and here.
Bill and Winnie had been married for about 10 months when, on 10 October 1916, Bill completed his attestation and medical examination for General Service in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF). It is likely that Bill volunteered for World War I service because conscription didn’t begin until August 1916 and married men were not initially included in the ballots[6].
Bill’s Wartime Service[7]
Bill commenced his NZEF service as a Corporal with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade[8][9] on 16 October 1916[10]. He spent the next 6 months, from 17 October 1916 to 26 April 1917 at Trentham Military Camp (Upper Hutt, New Zealand) undergoing training and, on 20 July 1917, he embarked from Wellington on the Troopship ‘Turakina’. He arrived in England on 20 July 1917 and left for France on 23 October 1917.
During his time overseas, Bill was hospitalised four times; twice after being wounded in action (4 January-7 March 1918 and 25 July-27 September 1918), once due to influenza (1-5 July 1918) and once due to anaemia (1-15 November 1918).
A summary of Bill’s World War 1 service is in the endnotes below[11] followed by a timeline of his service[12].
Christmas Cards
Both the Christmas cards sent to Winnie by Bill are New Zealand Rifle Brigade cards and both appear to have been written around the same time; a few months after Bill had arrived in England.
The first contains a picture of soldiers in the field, alongside a message, and is labelled Xmas and New Year 1917-1918. It was likely written in October before leaving for France on 23rd October 1917 but could have been written later while in the field:
The second Christmas card contains two pictures as well as a message. The card is undated. It refers to Pennings Camp in Wiltshire. Bill was most likely at Pennings Camp between August and October 1917. Also, it is exactly the same as a card Bill sent to ‘Mum and Frank’[13] dated 23 October 1917 and likely written at about the same time. That is the date that Bill left the UK for France and active service, although by then he was at Brocton Camp in Staffordshire[14].
The front cover of the Christmas car has the New Zealand Rifle Brigade motto - Soyes Ferme (Stand fast):
 |
The message reads: “With best love & kisses Bill W.H. Coop” One of the pictures in the card is of 'Freda', the Regimental Mascot: |
The second is a photo of Pennings Camp. Bill has drawn on the picture to show the exact location of his tent:
Pennings Camp was in Tidworth, Wiltshire in England. Troops from the New Zealand Rifle Brigade were transferred to Pennings Camp in August 1917 when Sling Camp became overcrowded[15][16]. However, according to Bill’s Military File, Bill left for France from Brocton Camp in Staffordshire on 23 October 1917; the date that the card to ‘Mum and Frank’, and most probably also the card to Winnie, was written[17].
Postcards
None of the postcards from Bill to Winnie is dated. Some of them were sent as postcards while some of them would have been sent to Winnie in an envelope. Possible dates for some can be estimated based on what we know of Bill's service record[18]. Some don't give an indication of location or date.
On Route to Europe
There are three postcards that, based on what we know about Bill’s World War I service, were probably written at a stopover point on route from New Zealand to Europe between April and July 1917 (see endnote 18]. The place on the postcard has been censored out and it isn’t clear from Bill’s Military File where his Troopship stopped on route to Europe. Some Troopships from New Zealand stopped at South Africa. These cards look like they were most likely from there. Each was posted separately and "passed by censor".
The first card shows people bathing at the Ocean Beach Enclosure:
From Europe?
From Edinburgh
Five of the postcards are from Scotland. They were probably sent in an envelope together. What is written on the postcards relates to the place the pictures were taken. Perhaps the envelope also included a more personal letter? If it did, it is not in the collection we have. These postcards were most likely sent to Winnie between 28 September 1918 and 21 October 1918 while Bill was on leave. Bill's leave followed a period of hospitalisation and convalescence after he had been wounded in action for a second time (see endnote 18).
The first postcard has a photo of the Market Cross at the Council Chambers in Edinburgh:
The fifth postcard from Scotland shows a picture of the Forth Bridge:
From London
There are two postcards from London. Like those from Scotland, they were most likely sent to Winnie between 28 September 1918 and 21 October 1918 while Bill was on leave (see endnote 18).
The first of the postcards from London has a picture of Tower Bridge:
Post War
Bill arrived back in New Zealand on 1 February 1919. On 2 February 1919, the Army Medical Board ruled that Bill had a disability – Anaemia. It further ruled that he was fit for Active Service, fit for Territorial Service and fit for Civil Employment. He was discharged from the New Zealand Rifle Brigade on 2 March 1919 and, in June 1922, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
After the war, Bill worked as a builder. He built a number of houses that remain lived in as family homes in Wellington today. He also continued with his part-time contribution to the Army as a New Zealand Territorial.
On 6 June 1940, Bill enlisted for World War II service. He was declared fit for Home Defence, permanently unfit for active service in any part of the World, unfit for Garrison Duty in the Tropics, and fit for temporary service in New Zealand. He served with Home Defence until 11 May 1943 when he returned to civilian life and, again, to the part-time Territorial service. He continued with the Territorials until 25 November 1947 by which time he was 53 years old. It was during 1947 that Winnie and Bill moved to Nelson.
Winnie and Bill had been married for a little over 50 years when Bill died of stomach cancer on 3 February 1966 at the age of 71[19]. Winnie moved to Tauranga to be closer to her daughter. She died, a little over 24 years after Bill on 24 November 1990; a day short of her 95th birthday. Both Bill and Winnie were cremated. Their ashes are interred together at Wakapuaka Cemetery in Nelson, New Zealand[20].
Note: I have now moved my blogging efforts from this platform to WeAre.xyz so that I can integrate building my family history archive with blogging. This post, or an updated version of it, can be found at: https://app.weare.xyz/blog/the-dual-genealogist/blogposts/bill-and-winnie-and-their-wartime-correspondence
Related Posts
Thomas Coop – The Roxburgh Years (posted 9 April 2021)
Left Behind in Dunedin - Emma's Story (posted 13 January 2021)
Our Treasure Box (posted 23 November 2021)
Notes
[1] Birth Registration Number: 1894/15791 Births, Deaths & Marriages Online [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs [Website] Accessed 1 December 2021.
[2] Birth Registration Number: 1895/12109 - See Note 1.[3] Marriage Registration Number: 1915/5076 - See Note 1.
[4] The church is physically located at: 200 Riddiford Street in Newtown, Wellington.
[5] The commencement date is not stated in his Military File but Bill’s comments about previous service in his Attestation for WWI service suggests he commenced with the Territorials in about 1913: Collection Item ID:R24055378, Series Number:18805 via Collections, Archives New Zealand [Website] Accessed 18 Feb 2022.
[6] In the early years of World War I, there was no conscription in New Zealand. The Government introduced conscription when it was found that too few men were volunteering to fill the necessary reinforcement drafts for the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The Military Service Act was passed on 1 August 1916. This rendered healthy New Zealand men of military age (20 to 45) liable for active service overseas. Men were selected by ballot. Initially, married men and men of Māori descent were excluded. Married men were later included in the ballot as were some Māori men.
- First conscription ballot 16 November 1916 via New Zealand History [Website] Accessed 1 December 2021.
- Conscription, conscientious objection and pacifism via Te Ara The Encyclopedia of New Zealand [Website]. Accessed 1 December 2021)
[8] The Official History of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade via New Zealand Electronic Collection [Website] Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed 3 December 2021. [From: Lieut.-Col Austin, Lieut.-Col. W. S. - L. T. Watkins Ltd., 1924, Wellington. Part of New Zealand in the First World War 1914-1918].
[10] Regimental Number 38800
[11] A summary of Bill’s World War I service is as follows:
|
Total Service WW1: |
2 years 144
days |
|
Western
Europe Theatre of Operation: |
1 year 282 days |
|
New
Zealand: |
227 days |
|
Commenced
Service: |
10 Oct 1916 |
|
In
New Zealand: |
10 Oct 1916 to
25 April 1917 |
|
Overseas: |
26 April 1917
to 01 Feb 1918 |
|
In
New Zealand: |
02 Feb 1919 to
02 March 1919 |
|
Date of final
discharge: |
2 March 1919 |
[12] Timeline of Bill’s Service:
Attestation and Training (10 Oct 1916-25 Apr 1917)
- 10 October 1916, completed Attestation and Medical Examination for General Service in the NZ Expeditionary Force.
- 16 October 1916, commenced service as Corporal – 25th Infantry Reinforcements Non-Commissioned Officers
- 17 October 1916, arrived at Trentham Military camp for training
[Trentham Camp was opened in October 1914 at Upper Hutt near Wellington. It was the Defence Department’s first training camp – For more info see: The Camp of Trentham via New Zealand Electronic Collection [Website] Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed 2 December 2021. [From: Historic Trentham, 1914-1917: The Story of a New Zealand Military Training Camp, and Some Account of the Daily Round of the Troops within Its Bounds Will Lawson Wellington Publishing Company, Limited, 1917, Wellington. Part of New Zealand in the First World War 1914-1918]
- 6 December 1916, allocated to ‘H’ Company, 25th Infantry Reinforcements Non-Commissioned Officers
- 26 April 1917 Embarked from Wellington, NZ on the ship ‘Turakina’ – 25th Reinforcements
- 18 January 1917, promoted to Lance Sergeant ‘H’ Company, 25th Infantry Non-Commissioned Officers
- 28 April 1917, at sea – promoted to Temporary Sergeant ‘H’ Company, 25th Infantry Non-Commissioned Officers
- 20 July 1917, disembarked at Devonport, England. Marched to Sling and posted to ‘B’ Company, 5th Reserve Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade – Reverts to Temporary Corporal
- 20 August 1917, at Sling – Promoted to rank of Corporal, ‘B’ Company, 5th Reserve Battalion 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade
- August 1917 (?) – Pennings Camp, Tidworth, Wiltshire
- 23 October 1917, left for France from Brocton Camp, Staffordshire.
[Brocton was the camp of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade on the northern edge of Cannock Chase, Staffordshire about half a mile away from the village of Brocton – For more info see: The Brocton Camp via New Zealand Electronic Collection [Website] Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed 1 December 2021. [From The New Zealand Camps in England Lt. H.T.B. Drew in The War Effort of New Zealand Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, 1923, Auckland.].
France (26 Oct 1917) and Active Service Western Front (approx. 2 Nov 1917-4 Jan 1918)
- 26 October 1917, marched into camp at Étaples and then marched to Division
[Étaples was an infantry base on the Northern Coast of France near Boulogne]
- 2 November 1917, joined 2nd Reserve Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade – ‘A’ Company
Hospitalisation/Convalescence - First Injury (4 Jan 1918-22 Mar 1918)
- 4 January 1918, wounded in action (shrapnel wound to the forehead). Admitted to No.3 Field Ambulance and then to No.2 Casualty Clearing Station
- 5 January 1918, admitted No.14 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne
- 19 January 1918, transferred from hospital to 1st Convalescence Depot, Boulogne
- 20 January 1918, transferred from 1st Convalescence Depot to 10th Convalescence Depot
- 28 February 1918, admitted No.25 General Hospital - Not Yet Diagnosed
- 1 March 1918, transferred from No.25 General Hospital to No.83 General Hospital, Boulogne - Not Yet Diagnosed (eye). Admitted No.83 General Hospital, Boulogne - error of refraction
- 2 March 1918, transferred from hospital and admitted to 1st Convalescence Depot, Boulogne - Defective [?]
- 7 March 1918, discharged from 1st Convalescence Depot to Base Depot, France
- 12 March 1918, marched in to General Base Depot, Étaples - ‘A’ Company, 2nd Reserve Battalion, 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
- 21 March 1918, Company marched out to Abeele
- 22 March 1918, Company marched in to Abeele
[Abeele (now spelled Abele in modernised Flemish), is a village on the border between France and Belgium – For more information see Gazetteer of the Western Front: Abeele via The Long, Long Trail [Website]. Accessed 4 December 2021.
Active Service - Western Front (27 Mar 1918 – 1 Jul 1918)
- 27 March 1918, in the field
- 9 April 1918, joined 2nd Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade and posted to ‘A’ Company
Hospitalisation - Influenza (1-5 Jul 1918)
- 1 July 1918, to Hospital (Field Ambulance) - sick - influenza
- 5 July 1918, rejoined Unit (2nd Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade) from Field Ambulance.
Hospitalisation/Convalescence - Second Injury (25 Jul 1918-27 Sept 1918)
- 25 July 1918, wounded in action – 2nd occurrence - gunshot wounds to face and neck at the Somme
- 26 July 1918, admitted from Field ambulance to 3rd Company Stationary Hospital
- 27 July 1918, given 500cc of blood by transfusion
- 1 August 1918, transferred to No.4 General Hospital
- 6 August 1918, embarked for the UK aboard the 'Newhaven' (Hospital Ship)
- 7 August 1918, admitted to No.2 NZ General Hospital at Walton-on-Thames. Treated for face and neck injuries (right side)
[The No. 2 New Zealand General Hospital was a World War I military hospital at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England. It opened in 1915. Approximately 27,000 New Zealand soldiers were treated at the hospital during World War 1 – For more information, see New Zealand Hospitals in the United Kingdom via New Zealand Electronic Collection [Website] Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed 4 December 2021 [From: Lieut.-Col. Myers in The War Effort of New Zealand Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, 1923, Auckland.] and No.2 New Zealand General Hospital via Wikipedia [Website]. Accessed 4 December 2021.
- 22 August 1918, transferred from No.2 General Hospital, Walton-on-Thames to NZ Convalescent Hospital, Hornchurch
[The New Zealand Convalescent Hospital Hornchurch was in Essex, England. For more information, see Hornchurch Convalescent Hospital via New Zealand Electronic Collection [Website] Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed 4 December 2021. [From: D. J. McGavin in The War Effort of New Zealand. Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, 1923, Auckland.].
- 27 September 1918, discharged from NZ Convalescent Hospital Hornchurch. Status: Healed, no disability.
Leave - UK (28 Sep 1918-21 Oct 1918)
- 21 October 1918, reported to Codford Depot at end of leave
[The Codford Depot was on the Salisbury Plains in Wiltshire not far from Sling. It was where the wounded or invalided soldiers who were sufficiently recovered to leave Hornchurch were sent to be prepared for further active service. For more information, see The Codford Depot via New Zealand Electronic Collection [Website] Victoria University of Wellington. Accessed 4 December 2021. [From: The New Zealand Camps in England Lt. H.T.B. Drew in The War Effort of New Zealand Whitcombe and Tombs Limited, 1923, Auckland.].
Hospitalised - Anaemia (1 Nov to 15 Nov 1918)
- 1 November 1918, admitted to 3rd NZ General Hospital, Codford, Wiltshire and treated for Anaemia
- 15 November 1918, discharged to New Zealand Command Depot at Codford, Wiltshire
Return to New Zealand
- 19 December 1918, embarked from Liverpool for Auckland, New Zealand on Troopship, SS Oxfordshire.
[14] Timeline of Service - See Note 12. Information from Bill's Military File Collection Item ID:R24055378, Series Number:18805 via Collections, Archives New Zealand [Website] Accessed 18 Feb 2022.
[15] Tidworth, Pennings Camp, Rifle Brigade. Aug-Sept. 1917 Auckland Museum [Website]. Accessed 1 December 2021.
[16] Pennings Camp, Tidworth, England via South Canterbury Museum [Website]. Accessed 1 December 2021.
[17] For timeline of service - see Note 12. Information from Bill's Military File Collection Item ID:R24055378, Series Number:18805 via Collections, Archives New Zealand [Website] Accessed 18 Feb 2022.
[18] Timeline of Service - See Note 12. Bill's Military File - See Note 17.
[19] Death Registration 1966/27122 Births, Deaths & Marriages Online [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs. Accessed 1 December 2021.
[20] Cremation Lawn, Block 1, Plot 222, Wakapuaka Cemetery, Nelson, New Zealand. See: Cemetery Search William Harold Coop - ID WKCL01222 - Cremation No. O 1943 and Winifred Alice Coop - ID WKCL01222_A Cemeteries Search Nelson City Council [Website]. Accessed 19 April 2022.
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