Who was Miss E. M. Maud

Date: 1915 to 1915
Location: New Zealand
Surnames/tags: Simpson Ward New_Zealand

Who was "Miss E. M. Maud"?

An old family mystery relates to a "Miss E. M. Maud" who appeared in a casualties list as a next of kin for a deceased WW1 trooper. This page unpicks the mystery...

28 May 1915

On 28 May 1915 the NZ Casualties List No. 37 is published in New Zealand newspapers ^[1] . Among the casualties is 23 year old Trooper Archibald "Archie" Cranley Simpson, regimental number 13-442, of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment, son of William Kirkpatrick Simpson, who died of wounds at Gallipoli on 22 May 1915. His next of kin is listed as "Miss E. M. Maud" of Pukeroro, Cambridge. This is notable, as at the time girlfriends or fiancees are rarely listed as next-of-kin (assuming she even was his fiancee). Sisters can sometimes be listed in the absence of parents, as can close friends in the absence of other family, however both parents were very much alive.

29 May 1915

The next day, 29 May 1915, a correction is published in a few New Zealand newspapers ^[2] . It states his correct next of kin is his father William Simpson of Ohaupo, not Miss E. M. Maud of Pukeroro. Incidently, Ohaupo and Pukeroro are only about 20km apart, so it is not out of the question that Archie and E. M. could be acquainted. But who was she? A quick records search was unsuccessful in identifying who Miss E. M. Maud of Pukeroro might be.

31 May 1915

On 31 May 1915, a revised Casualties List No. 37A is published in New Zealand newspapers ^[3] , with Archie's next of kin corrected.

A look at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission record for Archie lists his parents, but no other next of kin information. ^[4] Likewise, a look at his Auckland Museum War Memorial Online Cenotaph record provides few clues. ^[5] His relationship status on embarkation at 16 October 1914 was "single", and his next of kin was listed as William Simpson (father), Ngahinapouri, via Ohaupo, New Zealand.

Archie's Military Personnel File, page 1

Finally, a look at Archie's military personnel file held at Archives NZ ^[6]. On page 1 of the file it is apparent that Archie's father's address details at Ohaupo have been crossed out. In the same handwriting is the name and address of the mysterious Miss Maud - however the "M" in Maud appears exactly the same as the "W" in William, so the name is actually Miss E. M. Ward. A look at page 11 in the personnel file confirms this - clearly Ward.

Archie's Military Personnel File, page 11

But again, who was she? And how did she end up in Archie's personnel file as his next of kin? It turns out that "Miss E. M. Ward" is a lot more searchable, and a certain Ethel Marion Ward of Pukeroro soon emerged as a leading contender. In 1911 Ethel was a spinster residing at "Tor View Pukeroro" ^[7].

15 August 1916

But on 15 August 1916, another interesting NZ Casualties List was published in New Zealand newspapers ^[8]. In it, a Corporal Gordon Simpson, regimental number 13/651, a farmer from Ngaruawahia, was reported wounded, with his next of kin listed as "Miss E. M. Ward" of Terrace View, Pukeroro. Sure enough, a review of Gordon's records indicated that his parents were living in England, and as such he was obliged to provide the name and address of his "nearest relative in New Zealand", in this case Miss E. M. Ward (their exact relationship is not yet known). Sadly, Sergeant Gordon Simpson was later killed in action on 30 March 1918 at Palestine, aged 29 years. ^{[9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]}

Both Archie and Gordon embarked from New Zealand on 16 October 1914 in the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, as members of the Auckland Mounted Rifles. Their regimental numbers were similar, their names similar, and it is likely that their personnel files were located in the same place during 1914-1915. Somehow, perhaps due to "clerical error", Gordon's next of kin details ended up in Archie's file as well as in his own, and upon Archie's death, this percolated through to the casualty lists published in New Zealand newspapers.

In Gordon's will of 20 August 1914 ^[15] he names Ethel Marian Ward of "Tor View" Pukeroro as executrix of his will, also leaving to her all of his property. In an attached affidavit for probate (September 1918), Ethel states she intends to provide the proceeds of his house sale to his widowed mother, Mrs Henrietta Simpson, in England. Other than the fact that Gordon and Ethel were both born in England, the will provides no more clues as to their relationship.

Postscript: In 1922 Ethel married Jack Phillips Alexander ^[16], who incidentally was also a Trooper in the Auckland Mounted Rifles (sailed 14 January 1916 in the 9th Reinforcements) ^[17] and was awarded the Military Medal and Bar. Ethel died in 1957 ^[18].

Sources

1. ↑ Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20368, 28 May 1915, Page 5, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19150528.2.32
2. ↑ New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 9, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19150529.2.80
3. ↑ Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20370, 31 May 1915, Page 5, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WC19150531.2.36
4. ↑ Memorial: "Commonwealth War Graves Commission"
   Lone Pine Memorial, Turkey (Including Gallipoli). (Plot: 71)
   Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record (accessed 15 November 2023)
   Memorial page for Archibald Cranley Simpson. Service number: 13/442; Rank: Trooper; Died: 22 May 1915; Age: 23.
   Regiment & Unit/Ship: Auckland Mounted Rifles, N.Z.E.F. (New Zealand); Additional Info: Son of William K. and Katherine Simpson, of New Plymouth. Native of Waikato.
5. ↑ Auckland Museum War Memorial Online Cenotaph, Trooper Archibald Cranley Simpson, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C14429
6. ↑ Military Personnel Files: SIMPSON, Archibald Cranley - WW1 13/442 - Army. Archives New Zealand: R7817301
7. ↑ 1911 Electoral Roll, Ethel Marion WARD, Electorate: Raglan, Occupation: spinster, Place Of Residence: Tor View Pukeroro, Record Number: 5501. Source: The Wilson Collection
8. ↑ New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9428, 15 August 1916, Page 6, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19160815.2.52
9. ↑ Auckland Museum War Memorial Online Cenotaph, Sergeant Gordon Simpson, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C14439
10. ↑ Memorial: "Commonwealth War Graves Commission"
    Jerusalem Memorial, Israel and Palestine (Including Gaza). (Plot: Panel 1)
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record (accessed 15 November 2023)
    Memorial page for Gordon Simpson. Service number: 13/651; Rank: Serjeant; Died: 30 March 1918; Age: 29.
    Regiment & Unit/Ship: New Zealand Mounted Machine Gun Squadron (New Zealand); Additional Info: Son of Henrietta Simpson, of Bushbury Lodge, Willes Rd., Leamington Spa, England, and the late Robert Simpson. Native of Wilbarston, Northants, England. A member of the Legion of Frontiersmen.
11. ↑ Military Personnel Files: SIMPSON, Gordon - WW1 13/651 - Army. Archives New Zealand: R7817376
12. ↑ New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9940, 9 April 1918, Page 6, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19180409.2.40.1
13. ↑ NZ BDM Death Reg. No. 1918/78996 (Simpson Gordon, 29Y)
14. ↑ Obituary, Waikato Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2040, 11 April 1918, Page 4, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIKIN19180411.2.14
15. ↑ Hamilton Probates: Simpson, Gordon - Cambridge - Farmer. Archives New Zealand: R6876104
16. ↑ NZ BDM Marriage Reg. No. 1922/3885 (Ethel Marion Ward, Jack Phillips Alexander)
17. ↑ Auckland Museum War Memorial Online Cenotaph, Trooper Jack Phillip Alexander, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C61913
18. ↑ NZ BDM Death Reg. No. 1957/29959 (Alexander Ethel Marion, 68Y)