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benjamin lewis symonds

Family name
symonds
Reg no
6111
Given name(s)
benjamin lewis
Contingent
Eighth
Rank
private
Unit
South Island Regiment - H Squadron
County/City
ashley
Occupation
farm-hand
Ship
Cornwall 8 February 1902
Address
omihi valley waipara
Next of Kin
symonds mr harold
Next of Kin Address
same
Relationship to Soldier
father
Notes

Ben Lewis Symonds passed away in Christchurch on 1 April 1980 aged 96 years old. He was one of only two surviving New Zealand South African veterans.

Symonds was aged 18 when he left for service in South Africa as part of the Eighth Contingent, formed in response to British requests for another contingent. More than 4000 men applied to join the contingent, but only 1000 were selected. The contingent was divided into North Island and South Island regiments. Symonds and the rest of the South Island Regiment embarked aboard the SS Cornwall from Lyttelton for South Africa on 8 February 1902.

On 12 April 1902 sixteen members of the contingent were killed when their train derailed at Machavie (Machavierug) near Potchefstroom.

The return journey to New Zealand aboard the Britannic later that year was an eventful one. Symonds was critical of conditions on board which saw 38 men dying en route.

He spent the remainder of his working life farming in Murchison and Waipara.

  

Ben Symonds pictured in 1979.

Service records online

Most of the South African War service records for soldiers in this database have now been digitised and are available by searching the Archives New Zealand Archway website.