New Zealand flag from Quinn's Post

New Zealand flag from Quinn's Post

This New Zealand national Blue Ensign flag was flown at Quinn's Post, Gallipoli, in 1915. The flag was brought back to New Zealand by Private John Taylor, Canterbury Battalion.

detail of flag showing names

In the top left corner the flag has been signed by members of the Canterbury Battalion. The names include: J. Taylor; R.A. Humm CQMS; T. Gardiner; D. Dobson; C. Jenkinson; W.E. Cookson; and J. Seary. The signatures are very faded, but Cookson's appears to to be annotated 'killed in action' (Corporal Walter Evan Cookson was killed in France on 19 July 1916).

  • Find out more about the people listed on this flag on the Auckland Museum's Cenotaph database

Community contributions

8 comments have been posted about New Zealand flag from Quinn's Post

What do you know?

Robert Reynolds (Grandson)

Posted: 26 Aug 2022

Hello Neil.
In reply to your question on the provenance of the Gallipoli flag.
It was carried by Pte John Taylor Reg # 6/159 of the NZ Canterbury Regiment for the entire term of WW1 from the original landing at Gallipoli through to when he served in the occupation forces in Cologne Germany.
He and his mates signed the flag which was a common event of the times..
If you search on line for NZ Gallipoli Flag NZ Police forensic work there is a TV news story of the flag being forensically examined by Detectives showing all the campaigns the flag flew at in top left corner.
These follow the postings of John Taylor. During WW1.

Neil FYnn

Posted: 26 Feb 2016

Do we know how it got to Quinns Post, was it supplied by the NZ Army or was someone's private possession?

Patrick Reynolds

Posted: 29 Apr 2013

A grandson of John Taylor married in Virginia the daughter of a Captain who had been a Pilot in the USAF Bomber Command who when he died recently a day in his city was named to honour him. Another grandson in the USA married the granddaughter of a French General while one in New Zealand married the daughter of a Polish Officer in the Polish Armoured Corps. I am a WW2 Veteran.

Patrick Reynolds

Posted: 29 Apr 2013

A grandson of John Taylor married in Virginia the daughter of a Captain who had been a Pilot in the USAF Bomber Command who when he died recently a day in his city was named to honour him. Another grandson in the USA married the granddaughter of a French General while one in New Zealand married the daughter of a Polish Officer in the Polish Armoured Corps. I am a WW2 Veteran.

Fran

Posted: 15 Apr 2013

Different battle but seeking other WWI flags. A UK researcher is attempting to discover the whereabouts of two silk flags (Union Jack and New Zealand) presented to Colonel Shepherd of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade by the people of Stafford in May 1919. According to newspaper reports in the 1930s, these flags were lated presented to the National War Memorial's Carillon Archive. Have contacted the NWM with no success, so wondering if anyone else knows of their whereabouts.

Patrick Reynolds

Posted: 06 Apr 2013

John Taylor's Great Grandson is a Captain at the age of 23 for a Signals Unit of 130 men in the Australian Army.

Pat Reynolds

Posted: 22 Apr 2010

John Taylor had two brother's in law and two of his wife's sisters husbands and all were at Gallipoli. One of the latter was a Captain in WW2 Another brother in law was killed in Farnce WW1. His wife's family were part German

Pat Reynolds

Posted: 29 May 2009

Pte John Taylor was my father in law. His son Dr William Taylor, who was recently in Auckland from the USA was the first in New Zealand to get a PhD degree (NZ)(Chemistry) and later received a DSc.(Ak)