Private Cecil William HIGGINS (1894-1917).
Service # 6/3744; Private, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 12th (Nelson) Company, New Zealand Expeditionary Forces (NZEF).
Born 31 December 1894 - at Havelock, Marlborough Region, South Island, New Zealand.
Cecil was the son of Mr & Mrs S. Higgins - of Spring Grove, Nelson Region, South Island, New Zealand.
Prior to enlistment for war service Cecil Higgins was a Farmer - at Spring Grove, Nelson Region.
Cecil Higgins enlisted for war service - on 19 October 1915 - at Trentham Military Training Camp, Wellington Region, North Island, New Zealand. He was 20 years of age.
At enlistment Cecil Higgins was posted as a Private with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 9th Reinforcements, NZEF.
On 8 January 1916 Private Higgins left New Zealand for overseas war service - with the 9th Reinforcements NZEF - aboard HMNZ T37 "Maunganui" - from Port of Wellington, North Island, New Zealand.
Four weeks later - on 8 February 1916 - Private Higgins disembarked from his transport ship from New Zealand - at Suez, Egypt.
On 8 March 1916 Private Higgins joined the 2nd Battalion of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment - at Reserve Camp, Egypt. He was posted to the 12th (Nelson) Company - on the same day.
On 7 April 1916 Private Higgins left Egypt for active war service - at France & Belgium.
On 13 June 1916 Private Higgins was admitted sick, with bronchitis, to the No 14 General Hospital - at Winnereux, France.
Three days later Private Higgins was medically evacuated, by sea - aboard hospital ship "St Denis" - from France to England.
At England Private Higgins was admitted to the No 2 London General Hospital, London, England.
Five months later - on 21 November 1916 - Private Higgins re-joined his Battalion - in the field at France.
On 9 February 1917 Private Higgins was admitted sick, again, to the No 7 General Hospital, at St Omer, France.
Four weeks later - on 4 March 1917 - Private Higgins re-joined his Battalion - in the field, at France or Belgium. He was posted to the 12th (Nelson) Company.
Private Cecil W. Higgins continued to serve at France & Belgium until he was killed in action - on 6 June 1917 - during the Battle of Messines - at Ypres, Belgium. He was 22 years of age.
Private Cecil W. Higgins is buried atWulverghem-Lindenhoek Road Military Cemetery, Heuvelland, West Vlaanderen, Belgium (Grave ref: 11.D.24).
Private Cecil W. Higgins is also remembered at his birthplace in New Zealand - on the Havelock War Memorial (1914-1918) - at Havelock, Marlborough Region, South Island, New Zealand.
For Private Cecil W. Higgins's full military record refer to New Zealand Online Cenotaph : www.aucklandmuseum.com
Photo Credit: Private C. Higgins : "Weekly News" - from the Auckland Library Heritage Photograph Collection (Auckland, New Zealand).
Photo Credit: Havelock War Memorial : Ministry of Culture & Heritage; New Zealand Government.
Jenifer Everett