William Campbell Sharp - The fight to set the record straight

	William Campbell Sharp

World War I soldier 12/3818 WILLIAM CAMPBELL SHARP was so keen to fight in the Great War of 1914-18, that he twice presented himself to the recruiters before finally enlisting as his older brother Gordon. PAUL THURSTON was captivated by his Great Uncle’s story, of how he fought and died under his brother’s name, and the following struggle to set the record straight.

Willie Sharp was born at Waikumiti (now Oratia), near Henderson.

Aged just 17 when World War I broke out he twice attempted to enlist but was rejected on the grounds of his being underage and not being able to obtain his father’s consent.

On 20 October 1915 he volunteered as his older brother Gordon, some eight years his senior. As Gordon he served and died.

Why did Willie take Gordon’s identity to get to the war? A possible reason relates to a shooting accident prior to the war. There are conflicting accounts of what happened. Was it while hunting rabbits as an old identity of the district told me? Was it while firing at cans thrown in the air by Gordon as one of his descendants told me? Whatever the circumstances it is agreed that Willie fired a round of buckshot hitting Gordon in the chest and arms. Gordon recovered from the wounds but subsequently suffered the effects for the rest of his life. Gordon later enlisted for the 18th reinforcement but was rejected on medical grounds due to his injuries.

Another anecdote recounts that when Gordon received his call-up papers, Willie, still carrying guilt for what he had done, intercepted them and proceeded to enlist as Gordon. On enlistment, the attestation form for soldier 12/3818 was signed by one Ronald Gordon Sharp and certified by the Attesting Officer. By that act Willie became Gordon and is recorded as such on all military records. At the time of enlistment Willie was aged 18 years three months. It would appear that the certifying doctor might have had some misgivings by writing “apparent” before “age of 25 years and 11 months”.

Willie’s reinforcement arrived in Egypt in February 1916. As soldier 12/3818 Willie and the New Zealand Division arrived in France mid 1916. Initially the New Zealanders held the line at Armentieres for several months. On 11 September they joined the push on the Somme which had started in June.

Willie never made it, becoming a casualty on 7 September. Initially in the Field Hospital, then no 10 General Hospital at Rouen he was embarked for England on the ABERDONIAN. On arrival in England he was admitted to the New Zealand No1 Hospital. Military records do not clarify if Willie saw action before becoming a casualty or if he suffered war wounds or illness. After a month in hospital and almost a year recuperating he returned to the New Zealand Division in France spending some time with the Australian tunnellers.

Early in 1918 the New Zealand Division was in reserve preparing to reinforce the Fifth Army when they were rushed to the front line to counter a German push which became known as the Saint Michael’s or Spring Offensive. The official history recounts the action: The first units of the Division arrived on the new front in the neighbourhood of Colincamps and Mailly-Maillet, on the morning of 25th March. They had been in Corps Reserve about St Omer on the 21st when the German attack began, and the arrangements for reinforcing the Fifth Army were already in existence, but from day to day the situation changed for the worse and the route and destination were, perforce altered. When the leading units arrived, they found the German’s advancing in small detachments over undefended country and held them, and other units arrived, reinforced the line and extended the original Divisional front. Attacked heavily on the 27th, they gave ground only at one point.”

From that day the New Zealanders never took a step backwards for the rest of the war. However, stemming the advance came a cost. Eighty seven of the New Zealanders who died that day have no known grave – Willie Sharp is one of them.

His mother received this telegram on 11 April 1918: Regret to advise you cable received this day reports that your son 12/3818 R G Sharp was killed in action March 26 or 27. Please accept my sincerest sympathy in the loss which you and New Zealand have suffered. J Allen Minister of Defence.

But the façade Willie began in 1915 didn’t end with his death. A 1929 memorial register of Grevillier Imperial War Cemetery listed 446 New Zealanders their graves known only to God. Among them Sharp, Pte, Ronald Gordon, 12/3818, 1st Battalion, Auckland Regt. Killed in action at Mailly-Maillet 26th/27th March 1918. Son of Humphrey Ewing and Margaret Sharp of Oratia, Auckland

An attempt to execute Willie’s will was made on 28 May 1918. There was good reason to establish it was he who had died, as he had taken out a life insurance policy for £200. He handwrote his will two days before attestation at Trentham. It begins: I William Campbell Sharp enlisted in the Ninth New Zealand Reinforcements under the name of Ronald Gordon Sharp . . .

Despite this evidence as well as an affidavit from his mother and another from George Edleston, a witness to the will, Judge Theophilus Cooper wasn’t happy. He suspended the case until further evidence including an affidavit from Gordon was presented before granting probate a week later.

The memorial at Grevillier was re-engraved in 1988 after application and evidence from relatives to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. That at the Auckland Museum still bears the incorrect initials.

Gordon married and had seven children. He died 11 June 1973 aged 83 years.

The “Unknown Warrior” returned to New Zealand in November 2004. Coming from the battlefields of this area of France he represents the many New Zealanders who died for their country and have no known grave. If any soldier typifies the “Unknown Warrior”, it must surely be Willie Sharp.

Author Paul Thurston’s grandmother was Willie Sharp’s sister.