SAMUEL ALLINGTON

Private Samuel Allington's military career was somewhat varied. He had been born in Rangiora in 1888 and after his family moved to Christchurch, he attended school in Opawa. Later the family moved to papanui, and when was was declared, Samuel was working as a chef for his father. He enlisted on 13 Febaruary 1915, sailed with the 5th Reinforcements and arrived in Gallipoli on 9 August 1915. He reported sick on 25 August, later being diagnosed as having contracted gonorrhoea. He was returned to Egypt for treatment, and subsequently contracted influenza and later swelled veins. Having recovered from this, he embarked with the rest of the New Zealand Division for France. He was found absent from parade at Morbecque on 1 May 1916, and was given 7 days' Field Punishment No 2 (a combination of pack drill, loss of leave privileges and rostering onto menial tasks). On 27 September 1916 he was wounded in the chest and shoulder as part of the battle of the Somme. After treatment at a Casualty Clearing Station, he was treated at hospital in Etaples, and then evacuated to England to the New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst in November 1916. He died from empyema, an infection of the lungs related to his chest wounds, on 21 November 1916, and is buried in St Nicholas Churchyard in Brockenhurst with many other New Zealand casualties.

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