The Netherlands is not a country you tend to think of when you think of the Western Front. It declared neutrality at the outset, and by doing so, managed to save itself from the destruction wreaked on neighbouring countries.
As I currently live in Belgium, I decided to undertake a number of projects relating to New Zealand and the Great War. As part of this research, I was intrigued to find that there is one New Zealander buried in the Netherlands: Private Timothy Thomas Moynahan.
Timothy was born on the 17 June 1893 in the small North Island town of Mangatainoka. His parents had emigrated from Ireland 40 years previously and had been farming in the area since arrival.
On 14 June 1917, a few days before his 24th birthday, he travelled the 16km to Woodville and enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The enlistment papers help us build up a picture of Timothy. He was 5 feet 10 inches in height, 140 pounds with blue eyes, dark brown hair and a dark complexion. The complexion no doubt assisted by the nature of his listed profession, farming. He then travelled to Trentham Camp to undergo training before embarking overseas. He was given the service number 62108 and joined G Company, 30th Reinforcements only to be transferred to the 31st Reinforcements on 7 September.
Whilst at Trentham Camp, Timothy was admitted to hospital with a severe bout of influenza. He was discharged from hospital on 7 November 1917, after a stay of seven days. Just nine days later, on 16 November, he embarked from Wellington harbour onboard NZTS Tahiti and began his overseas service, from which, sadly, he would never return.
He spent Christmas and New Year aboard ship before arriving at Liverpool on 7 January 1918. Nearly three months later, Timothy once again embarked, this time for France. On 11 April he was posted to the 2nd Entrenching Battalion and the next day at 5pm the formation moved out of camp, in the direction of Meteren, France.
On arrival at the outskirts they received orders to dig in behind the village. However, several platoons were called upon to reinforce the defensive line held by the English troops. On 15 April, the Germans attacked and surrounded Bailleul. The next morning at daybreak the attack continued in strength against Meteren. Due to the ferocity of the attack, the New Zealanders had been notified that the English troops to their left would probably retire into the valley. If this happened, the New Zealanders were to retire to the newly constructed switch trench. That was the plan.
As it happened, the English troops did retire during the night, but for some reason failed to let the adjoining posts know of their actions. New Zealand Headquarters were not able to let the advanced positions know of the expected attack until daybreak on the 16th. They were to retire if attacked, but ordered to check the advance as much as possible.
The attack came, preceded by heavy machine gun fire. The attacking Germans met no resistance on the left (due to the withdrawal of the English troops), and continued to exploit the advantage until the New Zealanders were under fire from three sides. Withdrawal was now impossible. The men, their ammunition expended and with no hope of escape, decided to comply with the demand of surrender. Timothy was among the 210 New Zealanders taken prisoner. This was the largest number of New Zealanders captured in one action. Timothy had been on French soil for less than a month.
On 24 May, the Poverty Bay Herald records Timothy as missing. His family must have been distraught.
His service record reports him as missing between the 12th and the 19th but believed to be a prisoner. He was finally located on 5 July 1918, as being an inmate at Soltau POW Camp, northern Germany (Soltau was the largest German POW camp during the First World War). It is possible that he would have been put to work in one of the nearby work camps or salt mines.
At some point after the armistice, Timothy boarded a train headed for the coast. After a journey of around 300km he disembarked in Enschede, in the north west of the Netherlands, and was admitted to hospital, again with influenza. This time he did not recover, sadly dying on 19 January 1919.
In the early 1920s, his father was sent Timothy's medals, consisting of the British War Medal, the Victory Medal, and memorial plaque and scroll. It appears Timothy's father, John, died in 1929. His mother, Mary, died whilst the world was gripped by yet another conflict in 1943.
After completing this research I wanted to visit his grave to pay my respects and to photograph it for inclusion in a number of projects I am working on. Convincing my family that a weekend in the Netherlands was required, we travelled to Nijmegen, which had suitable accommodation and the added bonus of Second World War history. According to the CWGC website, the cemetery was in the town of Lonneker, an hour and a half to the northwest of Nijmegen, close to the German border.
On arrival at Lonneker, we drove to the churchyard that I had identified via Google Earth, using CWGC website instructions as being the location of Timothy's grave. I walked in, immediately noticed the CWGC headstone and went over to read the inscription. It wasn't Timothy, but a RAF pilot, killed during the Second World War. I searched every corner of the cemetery, but Timothy was not there. I asked around, but no one could help. Dejected and tired, I finally had to admit defeat and drive the hour and a half back to Nijmegen.
Back at the hotel, I posted a request for help on a forum I belong to and went out to see the city. On our return that evening I was very pleased to find a number of replies offering suggested sites. One of these was very promising, suggesting the correct site may be in the town of Enschede, ten minutes to the south of Lonneker. The following morning we drove to Enschede and located the cemetery.
Timothy is buried in Enschede Roman Catholic Cemetery. He is the only known New Zealander from the Great War to be buried in the Netherlands and the only Great War casualty in the cemetery. According to the CWGC database, he is also the only Great War casualty with the name Moynahan.
Whilst I stood in front of his well kept grave, I could not help but wonder if any members of his family had ever visited. I hope they did. But if they were not able, I'm happy to have done so on their behalf for I fear that he doesn't have many visitors. If you are passing through the Netherlands, perhaps you can pay your respects also.
Article and images kindly submitted by: Grant Tobin, Brussels (WFA Member)
This article first appeared in the WFA New Zealand Branch Newsletter, October 2010
Resources used:
- Service file of Timothy Moynahan
- New Zealand Rifle Brigade Unit History
- Papers Past website
