Capt. W. D. Ruddock, 3rd Auckland Rgt, NZEF

[Hugh Pattenden]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone knows anything of the following man:

13/125, Captain Walter David Ruddock, 3rd Battalion, The Auckland Regiment, N.Z.E.F.

He died in France on 13th June 1917 aged 28.

I have his folder from the N.Z.D.F. Archives, but I'm afraid it sheds little light on him.

Does anyone have a copy of O. E. Burton's AUCKLAND REGIMENT 1914-1918: Being an Account of the Doings on Active Service of the First, Second and Third Battalions of the Auckland Regiment[/i ? If so, is he mentioned?

I should be thankful for any help.

Thanks,

Hugh

[christine liava'a]

Surname RUDDOCK

Given Name Walter David

Category Nominal Roll Vol. 1

Regimental Number 13/125

Rank 2nd Lieut

Body or Draft Main Body

Unit or Regiment Auckland Mounted Rifles

Marital Status S

Last NZ Address Waimauhu

Next of Kin Title Archdeacon

Next of Kin Surname RUDDOCK

Next of Kin Address Napier

Surname RUDDOCK

Given Name Walter David

Category Nominal Roll Vol. 2

Regimental Number 13/125

Rank Lieutenant

Next of Kin Title Archdeacon

Next of Kin Surname RUDDOCK

Next of Kin Address Napier

Comment Born in Australia

Roll Roll 23

Page Page 5

Occupation Farmer

[christine liava'a]

probate record; Archives NZ Auckland

Walter David Ruddock

Waimauku

farmer

death date 13 june 1917

Auckland court

Probate no BBAE 1569 11709/17

filed date 29 nov 1917

will

If you want I could go and look up this will, next week

[Hugh Pattenden]

Thanks for the offer Christine, but I'm afraid that the will will be of little use in reconstructing his life.

I'm not sure where to go from here though: his service file is large and mostly uninteresting. I've tried local newspapers, but I was told that there was no info on him in there.

I think the only hope left now is the history of the regiment.

Unless you (or anyone else) can think of any other avenues to follow?

Thanks again,

Hugh

[Captain Dave]

I have access to a copy of the Bn History that you seek. Give me a day or so and I shall peruse the info and see if there is anything mentioning his name, or the action he was KIA in.

Incidently the writer of the Auck official history was a huge concientious objector during WW2 and jailed for most of it.

[christine liava'a]

I went to the library today to check on him.

He is mentioned in a list of wounded in "The story of two campaigns : official war history of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, 1914-1919 / by C.G. Nicol. "

He apparently was wounded at the first battle of Rafa, on 9 jan 1917 and was probably sent home then reenlisted.

No actual mention of him in the text.

[christine liava'a]

This is his brother

RUDDOCK, Sapper E O

Second son of Archdeacon David Ruddock of Napier. Educated at St John’s College, Auckland, and was studying medicine at Edinburgh University when the war began. He enlisted in the British contingent of New Zealanders. A list was published stating that Sapper Ruddock was dangerously ill with acute appendicitis and a friend in Auckland has received a telegram from Archdeacon Ruddock stating that his son died during an operation on May 11. [Auckland Weekly News, 20 May 1915]

Walter is mentioned on this site

http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Cambridgeshi...erseSchool.html

RUDDOCK, Edward Oliver Spr Died while under operation for appendicitis Field Engrs May 20, 1915 F: Archdeacon Dvid Ruddock, Napier

RUDDOCK, O Pte Wounded: Dang.ill,acute appendicitis Brit.SectionField Engrs May 13, 1915 N/K

RUDDOCK, Walter David Lieutenant Adm.Red Cross Hosp. Giza 01st Jul 1915 Archdeacon Ruddock, Napier

Auckland Weekly News

[christine liava'a]

This is his family

RUDDOCK, David

born 07 Oct 1855 died 30 Jan 1920 Napier Hawkes Bay;

married 1885 by Bishop COWIE,

Anne LUSH of Parnell

born c1857 Howick Auckland

daughter of the Revd Vicesimus LUSH

born 27 Aug 1817 Charles Square Pitfield St Hoxton East End London

died 11 Jul 1882 aged 65 Parnell buried 14 Jul S Stephen churchyard Parnell Auckland

and Blanche HAWKINS

born 25 May 1819 died 04 Sep 1912 aged 93 Parnell Auckland buried S Stephen churchyard Parnell (63;ADA;111)

Education

City of London

1877-1878 Lichfield Theological College (founded 1857 closed 1976)

1900 Michaelmass matriculated non-collegiate

migrated to S Catherine’s College Cambridge

1903 BA Cambridge

08 Jun 1879 deacon Melanesia (at Lichfield)

18 Feb 1883 priest Melanesia (Norfolk island, 5th anniversary of consecration of Bishop John SELWYN) (111;2)

Positions

1879 recruited by Bishop John SELWYN for Melanesia mission

1884 returned ‘to England for health reasons’

18 May 1885 general licence diocese Sydney

1885 curate Redmire NSW

02 Apr 1886 curate All Saints Parramatta diocese Sydney Australia

1886-1887 curate S Mary Kangaroo Point

May 1887-Dec 1887 priest-in-charge locum tenens Rockhampton Queensland

07 Feb 1888-01 Jan 1893 rector Holy Trinity Wooloongabba East Brisbane (111)

1894-1900 deputationist SPG

1900-1903 curate Shelford Magna Cambridgeshire diocese Ely

1904-1907 vicar Wairoa diocese Waiapu

1907-1918 archdeacon Hawkes Bay and mission chaplain (8)

Other

1880 met his wife when she came for the opening of the PATTESON memorial chapel on Norfolk Island

1913 son Edward Oliver RUDDOCK proceeded from College of S John Evangelist Auckland to Edinburgh university (328)

obituary

19 Mar 1920 Church Standard

26 Mar 1920 Australian Church Record

http://www.kinderlibrary.ac.nz/resources/bishop/index.htm

[Captain Dave]

I thought he may have been killed at Messines, but I was wrong. From the Auckand Regiment official History, (pg 155)

'On the morning of June the 7th, the 3/Auck Bn had marched from De Seule to Hill 63. for the next three days they were employed making and repairing roads and then recieved orders to take over the sector to the right of Le Bizet. The enemy here had the River Lys behind them and Messines almost directly on their right flank. Thier position was quite untenable. Accordingly they withdrew the greater part of their garrison to the other side of the Lys, leaving a few posts to cover the retirement and to hold the trenches until such time as the British should make a serious attempt to occupy them. 3/Auckland recieved orders to establish posts in the enemy front line, and on the night of the 12/13th, parties of the 6th and 16th companys went over and occupied the trench with little opposition byond some sniping. Capt Ruddock was mortally wounded, but otherwise casualties were slight.'

There is no indication if he was a 6th or 16th Coy per, he is also not mentioned as an OC in the Bn when it moved up to the line, so one can assume he was a Coy 2IC or even perhaps on Bn staff given his mtd Rifles background.

The 3rd Auckland Bn was formed as part of the 4th Bde in march 1917. it was disbanded not long after this incident as they could not keep the casualty replacements up. The strange Coy nmbering is derived from NZ TF units supplying compnays to composite Bns inFrance. hence the 3rd, 6th, 14th and 16th Rifle Regiments in NZ suuplied a Coy for each Bn and the numbering was reflected in this.

[Robert Dunlop]

Sapper Ruddock was dangerously ill with acute appendicitis and a friend in Auckland has received a telegram from Archdeacon Ruddock stating that his son died during an operation on May 11. [Auckland Weekly News, 20 May 1915]

We tend to take acute appendicitis for granted these days. A reminder of how dangerous the condition was back then.

Robert

[christine liava'a]

map of Auckland showing Waimauku.

Now a small semi-rural township near Auckland. In 1915 a small farming settlement

[Hugh Pattenden]

Many thanks all - you've been a great help.

Sorry for my slow response.

Thanks again,

Hugh