Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Document: | New Zealand WW1 Masonic List | N.Z. | |
| 2. Grave: | Omaka Cemetery | Lawn 3.H.14 Blenheim | |
Awards & Titles: | British War Medal Victory Medal | ||
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
- The Second World War 1939-1945, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: New Zealand Engineers |
| Action : War Survivor |
Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.
Detail :
Richard served both World Wars, rising up through the non-commissioned rank of Sapper, to become a commissioned officer of the Engineers.
21395 Second-Lieutenant Richard Bruce Townley, New Zealand Engineers, New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
He enlisted 4th May 1916 and his service record show that he was promoted to Corporal and then Sergeant and was perhaps conducted training at the XVII Corps School. He served as part of the 2nd Reinforcements, New Zealand Tunneling Company, but it seems only briefly in context of the war coming to an end.He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant 21st October, 1918 and posted "overseas" through Bolougne on 5th November, 1918.
See also: Auckland Museum Online Cenotaph.
819218 Lieutenant Richard Bruce Townley, New Zealand Defence Engineer Service Corps.
In the Second World War upon re-enlistment he started out as a Sapper again, but immediately recommendeded for a commission with the Territorial Force, with the rank of Captain, Defence Engineer Service Corps. He was given a commission, but as Lieutenant. He is listed in the New Zealand Gazette as a Road Engineer, for the Public Works at Blenheim from 1926, and it is in this capacity that he continued service during the war.
He died in 1947 and given the respect of a "Great War Veteran," his gravestone bearing that of the image of a Silver Fern. His is buried at Omaka Cemetery, Blenheim, New Zealand.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Baldwin No. 1398 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
11th November 1908 | 29th May 1909 | 27th August 1909 |
Initiated into Baldwin Lodge No. 1398, Dalton-in-Furness, the same as his father Richard. He was listed as a 28 year old Surveyor from Haverthwaite, Alverston. His latter degrees were taken the next year in St. Albans Lodge No. 2597 located in New Zealand. Despite this, he retained the membership of his mother lodge. He contributed throughout until at least 1921 and there is no explicit war service recorded in the contribution register.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley