A Soldier's Rest by ADW Muirhead

Author:ADW Muirhead [Muirhead, ADW]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781664107755
Publisher: Xlibris NZ
Published: 2022-07-11T04:00:00+00:00

The Actual Characters in This Fictional Account

No one will ever know what happened that fateful day, as so many men died amongst all the confusion. The events described are of course just fiction, but truths are there within the story. Quotes and written accounts are recorded out there for all to read in our history books. But there would be many unknown facts around this battle, and other battles fought, as so many witnesses of the events had been killed in action. The characters within this battle came from names mentioned in Arthur’s letters apart from Corporal Samuel Frickleton, who was also at Messines.

Eye witness accounts did establish the bravery of Corporal Frickleton. He succeeded in taking out not one, but two bunkers with his bombing team that earned him the Victoria Cross (VC). His acts prevented many deaths from occurring as the NZEF were taking severe casualties from the German bunkers at the time. Although wounded, he then led his men through the town of Messines, helping to clear it of Germans and establish the black line with other teams who had made it through. He was born in Slamannan, Scotland, growing up in a family of eleven. His widowed mother, Samuel, and four of his brothers emigrated to New Zealand, and found work in Greymouth, on the West Coast of the South Island. The brothers worked in the Blackball mine, and were described as an ’unrulry’ lot, and keen on boxing. All five brothers enlisted in the NZEF, with all five being wounded at various stages, with one dying of his wounds. Despite Samuel’s health (he had been gassed in the war), lived to eighty, dying in 1971.

Samuel Frickleton was one of eleven New Zealanders to earn the Victoria Cross in WW1. There would be no doubt that other Victoria Crosses could have been earned by many brave men on that day and many of the other days during the war, but it required several witnesses to corroborate such a prestigious award. It is conceivable that both Samuel and Arthur were fighting together as they were both in the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Brigade (New Zealand Rifle Brigade). The bravery of Samuel Frickleton had been witnessed by several other soldiers on the frontline to substantiate his part in this battle.

Andrew (Andy) Henderson, No. 36614- storeman of Balclutha, Stirling, South Otago. was wounded at Messines. He rejoined his unit one month later and was made corporal on 10th October 1917. Became a prisoner of war (POW) for six months and later released when the war ended.

Henry William Orr, – No. 21/1143, had been part of the Territorial Force established in 1910, and he would be one of the first recruits/volunteers to be sent to war. The change in regimental numbers occurred when conscription was introduced. Orr disembarked on 15/11/15 at the Suez Canal, which was under the protection of the British Empire. As he was no longer required there, he was shipped to France, landing 4/2/16, five months before the ‘Battle of the Somme’.

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