Rifleman William Edmond Vague had a longer period of military service than did most of the men from Papanui who were killed in World War I. He was relatively old at aged 33 when he enlisted in 1916, and had been previously employed as a farm labourer in Ashburton. He arrived in France in December 1916 and endured several weeks in 1917 sick in hospital, suffering from a recurrence of scabies (three admissions) and mumps. Despite this, he spent many weeks of front line service in the trenches, and fought at Messines in June 1917. Continuing illness saw him miss the bloodbaths at Broodseinde, Passchendaele and Polderhoek Chateau. He rejoined his unit in January 1918, and then was given two weeks' leave in England. He returned to his unit on 15 February, and moved with them to the Somme area in March. He was shot in the abdomen on 29 March 1918, and despite being admitted to the Canadian hospital in Doullens died of his wounds later in the day and was buried in Doullens. He is commemorated on his parents' headstone in St Paul's Churchyard, Papanui. (see below)
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