Pte. John Edward Constance

John Edward Constance was born at Southbridge in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island on 1 May 1895 (reg. 1895/17731). He was the son of Georgio Constantino Tomo Constance (1826-1914) and Margaret Constance (1865-1898). His mother died in 1898, and his father on 9 May 1914. John worked as a butcher's assistant for the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company. During World War I,he served with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion. John was wounded at Gallipoli on 26 August 1915 and admitted to the hospital ship Formosa before being evacuated to Egypt. He was admitted to the 19th General Hospital at Alexandria on 30 August 1915, and died there of his wounds on 2 September 1915. 20-year-old John was buried in the Alexandria Chatby Military Cemetery. He is also remembered in the Ellesmere Public Cemetery in New Zealand. Bio by Debbie McCauley (31 January 2025).

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~sooty/genealogy/nzefrohco-cu.html / Ref 6.4.2021