Name
Samuel Haydon Townsend
24 May 1878
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/10/1917
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
15047
Canterbury Regiment, N.Z.E.F.
13th Coy. 2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
N.Z. Apse, Panel 2.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Boxmoor memorials, Not on the Hemel Hempstead memorials(*1)
Pre War
Samuel Haydon Townsend was born on 24 May 1878 in Hemel Hempstead, the son of Samuel and Priscilla Townsend and one of five children.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at 53 St John's Road, Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead where his father was working as a builder. They remained at the same address, but his father died in September 1896 aged 54, and on the 1901 Census he was not living there, but had moved to Islington, London. He was listed as living at 46 Durham Road, and working as a Butcher. He also had a 17 year old boarder, Alfred Rawlings living with him.
At some point he emigrated to New Zealand and on enlistment was living at Waimairi, Upper Riccarton, Christchurch. His mother was also in New Zealand and was given as his next of kin, living at 67 Elizabeth Street, Lower Riccarton, Christchurch. He was then working as a Butcher on his own account.
Wartime Service
He enlisted with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 8 March 1916, initially being posted to the 14th Regiment. The following month he was promoted from Private to Lance Corporal and then Corporal. He was demoted to Private before being sent overseas on 30 October 1916 and transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment on 31 December 1916, being promoted again to Lance Corporal on 8 September 1917.
He was killed in action on 12 October 1917, aged 39, but has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.
Additional Information
*1 Recorded as born Hemel Hempstead, as all other connections appear to be Boxmoor, this mar be an error.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
collections.archives.govt.nz
