James Courtney (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
James Courtney MC
(15 February 1888 - 22 June 1934).
Lieutenant
James Courtney was awarded the Military Cross
for his marked gallantry and able leadership on 4 November 1918 at Villereau, in northern France
.
, in the South Island
of New Zealand
. Courtney moved to Auckland
and he married Elizabeth Amy Cartwright in 1911, they had one daughter, Joyce Dean Courtney, who was born in 1921.
At the time of his marriage, Courtney was a constable at the Newton
Police Station in Auckland and when he was called up for service he was a farmer at Mapiu, in the King Country
of the North Island
.
His first feat of gallantry in the field occurred at the beginning of July 1916, in France. No Man's Land wiring was one of the infantryman's most important and dangerous duties. Sergeant James Courtney, he was promoted to Lieutenant later, was in command of a wiring party when hostile machine gun fire was directed at them. Two men were killed and two were wounded. Courtney ordered the remainder of the party back, he himself carrying one of the wounded men. The other walked in by himself, but in ignorance of this Courtney went out again with the stretcher-bearers to find him. He found the body of one of the dead men and brought it in. Then finally he went out to search the ground to ensure no one was left in No Man's Land. All this was done under continuous heavy machine gun fire and whilst he was negotiating his own wiring (Stewart, pp. 38-9 & Wright, Chapter 3-The Somme p. 69).
Courtney was awarded the Military Cross
for marked gallantry and able leadership. On 4 November 1918 during operations near Villereau, Courtney was in charge of a leading platoon when the advance was held up by machine gun fire, he personally reconnoitred forward, and then leading a party of his own men to the flank, rushed the machine gun, killing a number of the crew and taking the remainder prisoners, also capturing the gun. The capture of the gun saved many casualties (McDonald, p. 71).
James Courtney farmed at Te Puke
, in the Bay of Plenty
of the North Island
.
He died on 22 June 1934, aged only 46, and is buried at the Te Puke Cemetery.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(15 February 1888 - 22 June 1934).
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
James Courtney was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his marked gallantry and able leadership on 4 November 1918 at Villereau, in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Early years
James Courtney was a son of John Courtney and Ellen Kane. He was born on 15 February 1888 at TimaruTimaru
TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:...
, in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Courtney moved to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and he married Elizabeth Amy Cartwright in 1911, they had one daughter, Joyce Dean Courtney, who was born in 1921.
At the time of his marriage, Courtney was a constable at the Newton
Newton, New Zealand
Newton is a small suburb of Auckland City, New Zealand, under the local governance of the Auckland City Council. It had a population of 837 in the 2001 census....
Police Station in Auckland and when he was called up for service he was a farmer at Mapiu, in the King Country
King Country
The King Country is a region of the western North Island of New Zealand. It extends approximately from the Kawhia Harbour and the town of Otorohanga in the north to the upper reaches of the Whanganui River in the south, and from the Hauhungaroa and Rangitoto Ranges in the east to near the Tasman...
of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
.
First World War
James Courtney was a Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion of the Wellington Regiment in World War I.His first feat of gallantry in the field occurred at the beginning of July 1916, in France. No Man's Land wiring was one of the infantryman's most important and dangerous duties. Sergeant James Courtney, he was promoted to Lieutenant later, was in command of a wiring party when hostile machine gun fire was directed at them. Two men were killed and two were wounded. Courtney ordered the remainder of the party back, he himself carrying one of the wounded men. The other walked in by himself, but in ignorance of this Courtney went out again with the stretcher-bearers to find him. He found the body of one of the dead men and brought it in. Then finally he went out to search the ground to ensure no one was left in No Man's Land. All this was done under continuous heavy machine gun fire and whilst he was negotiating his own wiring (Stewart, pp. 38-9 & Wright, Chapter 3-The Somme p. 69).
Courtney was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for marked gallantry and able leadership. On 4 November 1918 during operations near Villereau, Courtney was in charge of a leading platoon when the advance was held up by machine gun fire, he personally reconnoitred forward, and then leading a party of his own men to the flank, rushed the machine gun, killing a number of the crew and taking the remainder prisoners, also capturing the gun. The capture of the gun saved many casualties (McDonald, p. 71).
Later life
After returning to New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
James Courtney farmed at Te Puke
Te Puke
Te Puke is a town located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It is particularly famous for the cultivation of kiwifruit...
, in the Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
.
He died on 22 June 1934, aged only 46, and is buried at the Te Puke Cemetery.
External links
- James Courtney's Military Record - Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database