FRED DUREY

George Frederick Durey was another member of the “Dinks” – the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. A cousin of the Clarke brothers, he was born on 3 November 1887 and had been educated at Harewood School. Fred Durey (so named to distinguish him from his father, after whom he was named) had enlisted on 29 September 1916, and after training had arrived in France on 8 July 1917. On 19 August 1917 he was wounded in the left thigh and right forearm, evacuated to England for treatment at the New Zealand hospital at Brockenhurst and discharged to the Convalescent Unit at Brocton, where he was given light duties until he recovered his strength. He returned to his unit in May 1918. On 30 August, he was initially posted as missing but was subsequently discovered to have suffered wounds to his thigh and back. He was admitted to the Field Ambulance then transferred to the No 3 Casualty Clearing Station, where he succumbed to his wounds on 3 September 1918. He was buried in the Bagneux Cemetery at Gezaincourt. According to The Press , “He was very musical and willingly assisted at local social gatherings. At a memorial service held at Harewood on the 22nd inst., the Rev W.H. Orbell spoke feelingly in regard to the sacrifices which people were called upon to make in order to uphold the highest principles of humanity.”

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