Husband William Clifford Becroft [10282] 1
Born: 13 May 1890 - Port Albert, Rodney, Auckland, New Zealand 1
Christened:
Died: 12 Oct 1917 - Ypres-Passchendael Sector, Flanders, Belgium 1
Cause of Death: Killed in action, World War I
Buried: - Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium 2
FamilySearch ID: KZBN-5PJ
Find A Grave ID: 11968539
Father: Lewis Philip Becroft [10283] (1858-1926) 1
Mother: Elizabeth Morgan [10284] (1859-1929)
Marriage: Did Not Marry
Events
• Military: New Zealand Rifle Brigade. List of Dead • He was described as 5' 5 1/2" tall, 10.2 lbs, fair hair, blue eyes, fair complexion.
• He was a member of the Church of England.
• Military: World War I, 1917. • Event: Centaph Record. Full Name Third Battle of Ypres (often referred to as the Battle of Passchendaele).
Also, Findagrave.com memorial 190447389 in Port Albert Cemetery, Port Albert, Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand.
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10988
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Casualty
Service Number: 10988
First Name: William Clifford
Surname: Becroft
Rank: Rifleman
Date of Birth: Not known
Next of Kin: L.P. Becroft (father), Port Albert, Kaipara Line, New Zealand
Occupation: Fruit grower
Nationality of Force: New Zealand
Force: Army
Unit: 3 New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade, 1 Battalion
Casualty Details
Date of Death: 12 Oct 1917
Age: 28
Conflict: WW1
Cause of Death: Killed in action
Embarkation Details
Body of Embarkation: New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Place of Embarkation: Wellington, New Zealand
Embarkation Date: 1 May 1916
Transport: HMNZT 51
Vessel: Ulimaroa
Destination: Suez, Egypt
Memorial
Memorial: Tyne Cot Memorial
Memorial Reference: N.Z. Apse, Panel 7.
Country: Belgium.
William Clifford Becroft
Rank Last Held
Rifleman
Forename(s)
William Clifford
Surname
Becroft
Also Known As
Cliff
War
World War I, 1914-1918
Serial No.
10988
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
13 May 1890
Place of Birth
Port Albert, Kaipara Line, New Zealand
First Known Rank
Rifleman
Occupation before Enlistment
Fruit grower
Next of Kin
Lewis Philip Becroft (father), Port Albert, Kaipara Line, New Zealand
Marital Status
Single
Enlistment Address
Port Albert, Kaipara Line, New Zealand
Enlistment Date
12 January 1916
Body on Embarkation
New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Embarkation Unit
6th Reinforcements 1st Battalion, E Company
Embarkation Date
1 May 1916
Place of Embarkation
Wellington, New Zealand
Transport
HMNZT 51
Vessel
Ulimaroa
Destination
Suez, Egypt
Nominal Roll Number
30
Page on Nominal Roll
18
Military Training
Certified as 1st Class Signaller
Campaigns
Battle of Passchendaele October 12th
Military Awards
British War Medal (1914-1920)
Victory Medal
Last Unit Served
New Zealand Rifle Brigade, 1st Battalion
Place of Death
Ypres, Belgium
Date of Death
12 October 1917
Age at Death
28
Year of Death
1917
Cause of Death
Killed in action
Memorial Name
Tyne Cot Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories
Family memorial, Port Albert Cemetery
Port Albert War Memorial, WW1, Port Albert, Rodney District
Wellsford War Memorial Library, Wellsford, New Zealand
Roll of Honour, WW1 & WW2, Wellsford War Memorial Library, Wellsford, New Zealand
Roll of Honour, Port Albert Public School, Port Albert Hall, Rodney, New Zealand
Memorial Reference
N.Z. Apse, Panel 8
Obituary
Death notice: "BECROFT. On October 12, killed in action in France, William Clifford Becroft (Cliff), dearly-loved second son of Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Becroft, of Port Albert; aged 28 years." (Auckland Weekly News, 15 November 1917, p. 30)
Biographical Notes
Son of Lewis Philip and Eliza Becroft, of Belmont Avenue, Mount Albert, Auckland.
Two sons, brothers Philip Verne Becroft and William Clifford Becroft (10988) died in service in WW1.
Description of Image
Portrait, original displayed in the Albertland Museum, Wellsford (photographed with permission 2011)
Portrait, Auckland Weekly News 1917
Family memorial, Port Albert Cemetery (photo John Halpin 2010)
Family grave plot with memorial, Port Albert Cemetery (photo John Halpin 2010)
Name panel beginning Booth - Port Albert War Memorial, WW1 (digital photo John Halpin 2010)
Dedication panel, Port Albert War Memorial, WW1 (digital photo John Halpin 2010)
Port Albert War Memorial, WW1 (digital photo John Halpin 2010)
Looking through the open WW2 Memorial gates, Port Albert War Memorial, WW1 (digital photo John Halpin 2010)
Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories Name panel Beaumont - Beechey and Beehan (photo J Halpin September 2010)
Roll of Honour, WW1 & WW2, Wellsford War Memorial Library (photo J. Halpin November 2010)
Wellsford Memorial Library, front (photo John Halpin November 2010)
Wellsford Memorial Library, side (photo John Halpin November 2010)
Roll of Honour Port Albert School, Port Albert Hall (photo J. Halpin May 2011)
Roll of Honour Port Albert School, Port Albert Hall, detail (photo J. Halpin May 2011)
Archives NZ source
Military personnel file
Passchendaele Casualty form.
Further References
Albertland & Districts Museum, Memorial Park, Wellsford, New Zealand
Sources Used
Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington: Govt. Printer, 1917
Military Service Record
.
Wife
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Children
Death Notes: Husband - William Clifford Becroft
Burial Notes: Husband - William Clifford Becroft
Inscription
Erected to the memory of
Rifleman William Clifford Becroft who was killed in action in France 12 Oct. 1917, aged 27 years.
also of
Pvt. Philip Verne Becroft who fell ill and died while on duty at the Awanui Wireless Station on 21st Feb. 1945, aged 20 years.
"They did not count the charges. They only heard the call."
The beloved sons of L.P. & Eliza Becroft.