‘Presumably insane’: tale war’s effect on young man
IT sits there, tantalisingly, on page 270 of the official history of the Otago Regiment.
‘‘A tragic affair occurred in the 2nd Battalion lines on March 3. Captain R.J. Hill MC and 2ndLieut. D. McLean MM were fatally shot without apparent reason by a private in the Battalion transport who, presumably insane, subsequently shot himself.’’
After noting a funeral service was conducted at Hondeghem Cemetery the next day, the official history turns the page and lets the sands of time fold over the events in the small northern French town on March 3, 1918.
Such an event would be frontpage news today, but in warweary New Zealand the army was not releasing details: Hill and McLean were ‘‘accidentally killed’’.
A century later you might think it would be hard to discover details of such a briefly described incident, but in this case time is the friend of truth.
With the increased interest in family history — and especially family military history — service records of New Zealand armed forces personnel from past wars are readily available online.
It takes a few minutes to find the records of Hill and McLean, photographs of the two men — and one of their funeral.
Soon after, the records of Avon Roderique — the private who killed them — and his picture, are also on screen.
The files contain the documents generated by the army board of inquiry into the ‘‘tragic affair’’ and witness statements.
All the details are there but, ironically, the more you have the less you know.
What brought these three men together and linked them forever in time?
Avon Roderique left no final note; if he gave a friend or fellow serviceman an explanation, it is not recorded.
The documents tell a story, but you can only guess what the story is. Battle of Messines the previous year.
On March 3 Hill was doing what he did most mornings: working in his office by the quartermaster stores.