Hector Rhind

Hector Rhind (Service no. 6/1967) a First World War soldier with links to Lyttelton and Heathcote.

Hector Rhind was born to Alexander and Margaret Rhind. His enlistment documents record his date of birth as 22 August 1893, however, Births, Deaths, and Marriages records his birth year as being 1896.

Prior to enlisting, Hector worked as a cycle mechanic at Bell Bros in Christchurch. He lived with his family at 117 Richardson Street in Opawa. His military personnel file describes him as being 5 feet 7 3/4 inches tall, with grey eyes, fair hair, and a fair complexion. He was Anglican. 

Hector enlisted on 2 January 1915 at Trentham and embarked from Wellington on 7 April 1915. He joined his battalion in the Dardanelles on 8 August 1915.

On 20 August 1915, he was wounded in action, receiving shrapnel wounds to his right side and chest. He was admitted to the hospital ship, Guildford Castle. On 24 August, he was admitted to the No. 4 General Hospital in Alexandria. From there, he was transferred to the convalescence depot at Mustapha. After recovering, he was attached to the strength at the base depot on 21 September.

Hector rejoined his unit in the Canterbury Infantry Battalion at Mudros on 28 October 1915. At the end of the year he returned to Egypt and disembarked at Alexandria on 30 December 1915. 

On 14 January 1916, while at Ismailia, he was sent to hospital with ingrowing toenails. He arrived at the New Zealand General Hospital in Cairo on 18 January. He returned to camp at Zeitoun on 1 February 1916. On 20 March he was sent to the New Zealand General Hospital at Abbasia.

Hector rejoined the 2nd Battalion in Moascar on 28 March 1916. On 8 April 1916, he embarked from Alexandria for France. During his time on the Western Front, Hector underwent promotion. On 3 May he was appointed lance corporal and on 8 July he was appointed to corporal. 

Hector was killed on 16 September 1916 at the Somme. His name is on the Caterpillar Valley Memorial in the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery in Longueval, France. 

Hector is remembered on the Lyttelton War Memorial and the Heathcote War Memorial. 

Resources

Hector Rhind. Military personnel file. Archives New Zealand.

Hector Rhind. Online cenotaph record. Auckland War Memorial Museum.