Church of England Cemetery

To Wellington this morning for the first of two days of meetings. Late this afternoon I went for a run, and came across the old Church of England Cemetery in Bolton Street. I was intrigued by this stone, giving the names of three sergeants from the 65th Regiment. Did a a bit of quick research.

The 65th regiment had the distinction of being the longest serving British infantry regiment in New Zealand, being here between 1846 and 1865. It seems that they were from Yorkshire; the North Riding. They were typified as “breezy, brawny giants, who moved about in loose clothes”. Further they were described as chatty and good natured. They were regarded as healthy and thoughtful; “living proof of the healthiness of the climate”.

The first members of the Regiment to arrive in New Zealand did so after having served as convict guards on ships from England to Hobart, in Tasmania, or to Norfolk Island. After delivering the convicts, they travelled to Sydney. When “disturbances” broke out in the Wellington area in 1846, they were shipped across the Tasman arriving on 22 May 1846. These first two companies took part in the last engagement of the First New Zealand War at Horokiri, north of Wellington in August 1846.

I couldn't find in my quick look anything to tie the deaths of these three young men to specific battles.