bourail memorial

BOURAIL MEMORIAL

BOURAIL MEMORIAL​

HISTORY INFORMATION
The island of New Caledonia was annexed by France in 1854. In 1942 the Allies used the island as a training ground for jungle and island warfare, and it was here that New Zealand forces prepared for the Solomon Islands campaign. The Headquarters of the South Pacific Command was established at Noumea, the capital, which became the principal United States base for the campaign and the largest forward Allied military and supply base in the South Pacific. No.4 General Hospital was set up in Dumbea Valley, nearly 25 kilometres from Noumea.

Bourail, on the west coast of the island, was the Headquarters of the 3rd New Zealand Division, which began to arrive in New Caledonia towards the end of 1942. Brigade Headquarters and staging camps were disposed along the main arterial road on the western side of the island, where the principal defences were concentrated and where airfields were built to link the island with the battle zone and the bases in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and other places in the Pacific.

The memorial commemorates 449 members of the New Zealand Land and Air Forces and Merchant Navy, and members of the Western Pacific Local Forces who died during operations in the South Pacific area, and who have no known grave.

The men of the Fiji Military Forces who died in this campaign and whose graves could not be located or maintained, are commemorated on the Suva Memorial at Fiji.
  1. COASTWATCHERS Ellis, Raymond Arthur

    SURNAME Ellis FORENAME Raymond Arthur UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64382 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 30 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION husband of J.A. Ellis,39 Dignan Street,Point...
  2. COASTWATCHERS Jones, Reginald

    SURNAME Jones FORENAME Reginald UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64485 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 42 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Alfred and Mary (nee McMahon) Jones,Auckland...
  3. COASTWATCHERS Hearn, Henry Rexton Cropper

    SURNAME Hearn FORENAME Henry Rexton Cropper UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Corporal NUMBER 297286 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Henry Charles Gordon and Alma Stella...
  4. COASTWATCHERS McCarthy, John Joseph

    SURNAME McCarthy FORENAME John Joseph UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Corporal NUMBER 436897 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of John Joseph and Nancy McCarthy,Point...
  5. COASTWATCHERS Hitchon, Robert Irwin

    SURNAME Hitchon FORENAME Robert Irwin UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64882 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 28 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Robert and Sarah Ann...
  6. COASTWATCHERS Howe, Dallas Hillman

    SURNAME Howe FORENAME Dallas Hillman UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64056 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 32 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Clarence John (1878-1939) and Sarah Alice...
  7. COASTWATCHERS McKenzie, Roderick Murdoch

    SURNAME McKenzie FORENAME Roderick Murdoch UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64022 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 32 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Roderick Hector and Catherine Jessie...
  8. COASTWATCHERS Parker, Wilfred Athol Rolf

    SURNAME Parker FORENAME Wilfred Athol Rolf UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64005 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 27 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Frank William and Jessie...
  9. COASTWATCHERS Pearsall, Clifford Arnold

    SURNAME Pearsall FORENAME Clifford Arnold UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Corporal NUMBER 84237 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Lewis and Jane (nee Dalziel)...
  10. COASTWATCHERS Murray, Thomas Colin

    SURNAME Murray FORENAME Thomas Colin UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Corporal NUMBER 260451 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Thomas and Ethel Livingston Murray,Picton,Marlborough,New...
  11. COASTWATCHERS Taylor, Allan Leicester

    SURNAME Taylor FORENAME Allan Leicester UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Lieutenant NUMBER 297352 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of William Charles and Caroline (nee Hay)...
  12. COASTWATCHERS Nichol, John Hugh

    SURNAME Nichol FORENAME John Hugh UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64062 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 26 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of William and Maud Alice (nee Hobbs) Nichol,Te...
  13. COASTWATCHERS Kilpin, Claude Andrew

    SURNAME Kilpin FORENAME Claude Andrew UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64057 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 33 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 06.01.1909, Midhurst, Taranaki, New Zealand...
  14. COASTWATCHERS McKenna, Arthur Ernest

    SURNAME McKenna FORENAME Arthur Ernest UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Corporal NUMBER 408026 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Arthur and Florence McKenna nephew of Mrs L.A...
  15. COASTWATCHERS Owen, Charles James

    SURNAME Owen FORENAME Charles James UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64606 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 40 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION of 27 Carlton Gore Road,Auckland,New Zealand son of...
  16. COASTWATCHERS Speedy, Leslie Bruce

    SURNAME Speedy FORENAME Leslie Bruce UNIT New Zealand Infantry (30 Bn)/Coastwatcher RANK Private NUMBER 64653 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 40 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 1902, Featherston, New Zealand husband of Ada...
  17. COASTWATCHERS Heenan, Arthur Clarence

    SURNAME Heenan FORENAME Arthur Clarence UNIT New Zealand Coastwatchers RANK Corporal NUMBER 148324 DATE OF DEATH 15th October 1942 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 26.9.1920 Middlemarch,Otago,New Zealand son of Edward...
  18. FIJI GUERILLAS Conn, William George

    SURNAME Conn FORENAME William George UNIT New Zealand Commandos RANK Sergeant NUMBER 67874 DATE OF DEATH 13th July 1943 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Bourail Memorial,New Caledonia Panel 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 24.3.1918 Gisborne,New Zealand son of Charles Edwin and Catherine...
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