A distant cousin Arthur Gutsell on my mother’s side was discharged on 28
March 1919 “in consequence of being no longer physically fit for war service.”
He had joined up in 1917 as a 20 year old farm labourer from Nightcaps.
One of 5 sons, his mother was already widowed when the boys were called up for
service in WW1. Goodness knows how worried she must have been when
all five signed up and went to Europe.
Perhaps Arthur should never have gone. In Gore May 1917, he was seen by
the doctor from the Travelling Medical Board. The military medical record
describes him as 5 foot 5, dark hair and brown eyes and “in good bodily and
mental health and free from any physical defect likely to interfere with the
efficient performance of his duties”. However, on the bottom of his
health certificate the Dr comments: “This man has a slight flat foot and an old
injury to his left eye, but is very keen.” He had very poor eyesight
in his left eye.
Following the doctor's report on 24 May 1917 Arthur was attached as a
Private to the NZ Expeditionary Force 30th Reinforcements,
Otago Infantry Regiment. He was sent to the Featherston Camp for training.
He must have been a bit of a lively lad as in August 1917 as he went
AWOL twice and was docked several day’s pay in punishment.
Arthur spent 1 year 92 days in overseas service. He embarked from
Wellington on troop ship no 93 destined for Liverpool. Arriving in the cold of
December they marched 220 miles to the NZ training depot at Sling on the bleak
Salisbury Plain, then on to Codford Camp, south of Salisbury where 2,400 NZers
were stationed. By Jan 1918 while at Codford he was ill with influenza.
Recooperated, in March 1918 they were sent to France for the battle of the
Somme.
The NZ division was stationed at Auchonvillers near the Ancre River in
the Somme area. Diaries say the NZ Division fought with colossal toughness as
they had attracted the full attention of the enemy. Shelling, new Whippet tanks, machine guns, mustard gas and air attacks took their toll
with huge casualties and exhaustion on both sides. These battles, that we can
see in retrospect through research into soldiers' diaries, were fraught
with difficulties, poor communications and organisation. Allied back up troops
often arrived late and were-ill informed of what was going on, so much so, that
they were fired on by planes from the same side. Soldiers were terrified by the
new Whippet Tanks, which had not been explained to them: they thought they were
German tanks, when they were from the same side.
Whatever went on – Arthur's battle service was short, just three months
in the field. By 6 June 1918 he had been transferred back to the camp and then
Military hospital in Codford. In August he was certified unfit for
military service, not only because of the pre-war partial sight in his left
eye, but also for hyperthroidism or shell shock.
At that time it was believed that men with such
mental /psychological afflictions were cowards. Some were shot. Their families suffered
more than grief but also the stigma involved.
Luckily Arthur survived because the New Zealanders had a strong
medical response. Following treatment at Codford on 3 Dec 1919 he embarked from Liverpool for NZ via Tahiti. He was given
a war pension, a silver war badge and a King’s Certificate. By 1921 he was
awarded a British war medal.
He married in Dec 1919 and lived in Dunedin. His occupation was a
labourer. They had two girls. Arthur died in 1959 aged 62. He had never kept
good health.
~Tania Kopytko
