Hero, soldier and an employee of predecessor
On a day when everyone is remembering those who went to war – The Post is remembering a Victoria Cross winner who also worked for one of Wellington’s daily newspapers.
Wellingtonian Major William James Hardham was serving in the Boer War when he saw one of his soldiers fall wounded and his horse killed.
So he acted. Hardham rode into heavy fire, dismounted and put the wounded Trooper John McRae, of Masterton, on his own horse and ran alongside to get him to safety.
Hardham became the first New Zealandborn man to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
Usually called Billy, he was born in Otaki in 1876, grew up and was educated in Wellington, going to Mount Cook School.
He made his debut as a rugby player for Wellington in 1897.
Hardham became a farrier, blacksmith and part-time soldier. He volunteered to serve in the Boer War.
Posted to the Fourth Contingent, nicknamed the Rough Riders, he was just 24 when he and his company were ambushed by about 20 Boer soldiers on January 28, 1901 while on patrol near Naauwpoort – and he performed the heroic rescue of McRae.
Hardham was presented his Victoria Cross by George, Prince of Wales, who was visiting South Africa at the time.
Two months later he was discharged and he returned home.
Back in New Zealand as a civilian, he was a keen rugby player and was part of the Wellington team that won the Ranfurly Shield off Auckland in 1904. In all, Hardham represented Wellington more than 50 times.
He became part of the rugby administration with the Wellington Rugby Football
Union. A competition trophy, the Hardham cup, played for in Wellington senior club rugby, is named for him.
Hardham volunteered to return to service in World War 1, serving as a captain in the Wellington Mounted Rifles regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt and at Gallipoli. The regiment was not part of the initial landings at Gallipoli arriving later, on May 12 (without their horses). During an attack on Anzac Cove, the company fended off attackers.
During a battle for No 3 Post, Hardham was seriously wounded in the chest and a hand.
He returned to New Zealand and while he recovered, he was the Commandant of Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs.
He re-enlisted returning to active service in Palestine in 1918 but after poor health he was discharged at the end of the war at the rank of major.
After loyally serving in the armed forces for years he returned to Wellington where he worked for then newspaper (the forerunner of on the commercial team and then the Public Works department.
Hardham died in 1928 in his Perth St, Ngaio, home, at the age of 51, of stomach cancer and is buried at the Karori Soldiers Cemetery.