Captain Victor Albert KELSALL |
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Died of wounds
Monday, 9th August 1915
at Chunuk Bair, northern Anzac sector
Aged 39
6th (Manawatu) Sqn., Wellington Mounted Rifles, NZEF
He Kawau Maro
(Unyielding as the Shag)
Fought in the South African
(Boer) War 1900 - 02. 'In 1906 he took part in operations against the Zulu rebels,
and for his services received the Zulu Medal.' (Auckland Weekly News 26 Aug
1915 p22).
Bean lists place of birth as: NZ, and so does Kelsall himself on his attestation
paper, but definitely born in Scotland.
2nd and 8th New Zealand New Zealand Mounted Rifles Contingents to South Africa.
Application for enlistment in 2nd Contingent for Service in South Africa. No.
356, No. 2 Company. Horse No. 331, Carbine No. 356. Drafted from Marlborough
Mounted Rifles. Sergeant, 5 years service. Lived in Blenheim. Occupation: Survey
hand, employed by A. Simpson, of Blenheim. Age 27 years 2 months. Mother, Emma,
of Napier. Promoted Lieutenant in South Africa.
Application for enlistment in 8th Contingent for Service in South Africa, dated
3rd Feb 1902. Lieutenant, age 29 years 2 months. Mother, Emma Kelsall, of 70
Marine Parade, Napier.
8th NZ Contingent. South Island Regiment, G Squadron. Embarked at Lyttleton,
NZ, on SS Cornwall 8 February 1902.
Lieutenant Kelsall, Victor Albert, surveyor, of Blenheim. Mother; Emma Kelsall,
70 Marine Parade, Napier.
Awarded Queen's South Africa Medal with 4 Clasps: 'Diamond Hill', 'Johannesburg',
'Orange Free State', 'Cape Colony'.
Awarded King's South Africa Medal with 2 Clasps: 'South Africa 1901' & 'South
Africa 1902'.
Transvaal Mounted Rifles, 1906.
Adjutant to 6th (Manawatu) Mounted Rifles Regiment at enlistment.
Served as a trooper in the Transvaal Mounted Rifles in the Natal Native Rebellion
of 1906.
'Captain V.A. Kelsall, reported to have been killed in action at the Dardanelles,
was well and popularly known in Marlborough. His early days were spent in Napier,
where his parents lived, and he came to this district several years ago, joining
a Government survey party. He and Mr. E. Moore, of Parikawa, went away together
as members of one of the first contingents to serve in the South African war.
Returning as a sergeant, he left with a later contingent as a lieutenant and
saw additional service. Subsequently he engaged in farming in the Awatere and
Sounds districts, being successively in partnership with Mr. Moore and Mr Kennaday.'
(Marlborough Express, 20 Aug 1915 p5)
Killed during the heavy fighting on Chunuk Bair, 9th August:
'About 5 a.m., while the Turkish attack upon them was still at its height, three
high-explosive howitzer shells, coming from the right rear, burst among them,
one exploding in the front trench on the left, wrecking the trench, and killing
the gallant Major Statham together with his brother beside him, as well as Sergeant-Major
Porteous and six or seven men. The shells almost certainly came from one of
the howitzer batteries inside the old Anzac lines. Part of the New Zealanders
on the left consequently broke, and ran back towards the second trench, fifty
yards in rear. Some men also fell back from the right. The situation for a moment
looked critical. But Colonel Meldrum of the Wellingtons with his adjutant Captain
Kelsall, and Major Elmslie, rallied the men. The brave Elmslie led forward a
troop of his squadron to reoccupy the empty sector of trench. Before he could
reach it he was hit by a bullet through shoulder and neck. He fell, picked himself
up, gained the trench, and there, smiling at some of his men, 'I'm afraid I
can't help you much further, boys, but you're doing well - keep on...,' he said,
and died. Kelsall, leading back the men who had retired, also gained the trench,
but was soon afterwards killed by a bomb.' (Bean V2 p692-693 quoted).
'Tortured by thirst, in desperate pain from open wounds, the gallant little
force refused to be beaten. It was during this momentous phase in the operations
that the magnificent morale and inspired example of the officers of the Regiment
asserted themselves with splendid results. While the position was exposed to
the full force of the attack, and one part of the line appeared to be weakening,
Colonel Meldrum, Major Elmslie, and Captain Kelsall sprang from their shallow
trenches and hastened to restore the line. Major Elmslie and Captain Kelsall
both fell during this critical time. But their example was not lost.' (Wilkie
p55 quoted, p58).
See also the record for Major ELMSLIE.
Lest We Forget