24 Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi News Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>23</strong> <strong>2017</strong> Local News Now <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Fire rages, homes at risk Bid to reunite family with soldier’s WW1 relic • By Kurt Bayer AN ENGLISHMAN who uncovered a Cantabrian’s battlefield identification note rolled inside a World War I bullet casing is attempting to reunite the rare artefact with the old soldier’s descendants. David Murray was holidaying near Ypres, Belgium, about 40 years ago when he bought a box of mixed WW1 memorabilia. It included a German cartridge case and bullet that has sat in a drawer at his Manchester home for decades. But last year, he took a closer look at the bullet case and found a piece of paper coiled inside it. After several hours, with the aid of medical tweezers, he managed to extract the note which read: ‘Gunner E. A. Kermode - Headquarters Staff N.Z.F.A. 7/2058 France’. Mr Murray understands that even with the issue of ‘dog tags’, many soldiers put personal details inside things like cartridge cases for identification purposes if they were killed. Now, he wants to trace gunner Kermode’s descendants to return the item to its rightful home. “His grandsons could still be alive and well and, if I was his grandson, then I’d be very pleased to get that,” Mr Murray said. Edward Arthur Kermode was born at Isle of Man in the Irish Sea in 1895. His mother, a Mrs Goulding, came from the Devonshire market town of Honiton. At the outbreak of war in 1914, gunner Kermode was working as an engineer in Christchurch. A year later, the 20-year-old bachelor, with the stature of a jockey, standing at 160cm and weighing just 55kg, enlisted. He left with the New Zealand Field Artillery and served in Egypt and France. Having survived the war, he returned to Christchurch and was discharged in 1919, the war War ID: Edward Arthur Kermode survived World War 1 and now an Englishman who found a relic of his from the war is trying to trace his descendants. records show. Mr Murray says he’d happily send the bullet casing and note to New Zealand if the rightful owners came forward. “If it was in an antiques shop, it’d probably be a couple of quid,” he told the NZ Herald. “But I’ve got quite a strong sense of social and family history and I hate it when people throw things away that are a piece of personal history. It’d be better than just lying in a drawer here.” <strong>The</strong> Herald contacted Alastair Kermode who lives at Lincoln. Last year, he visited Ypres and was interested in whether any of his forefathers fought on the Western Front. He doubted any family links to the gunner Kermode he saw listed on the battlefield memorials. But, when talking to the Herald, he wondered whether Edward Arthur Kermode was related to him, given that his family history information says they also emigrated from the Isle of Man. “It’s possible. My grandfather, with I think 13 kids in the family, all came out here from Isle of Man,” Kermode said. He wanted to ask other relatives and hunt for “concrete evidence” of a link to the WW1 veteran, but was interested in talking further with Mr Murray. •Anyone with information or suspected family links to Edward Arthur Kermode can contact David Murray via kurt.bayer@nzherald.co.nz. 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We approached Jesse and it did not take us long to decide number 45 was ours!!” “We appreciate the way Jesse has made everything so easy for us and our transition to a new home and, we are sure, a wonderful retirement.” More reasons to move to Elloughton Village: Advanced care facilities Available on site if you need them Leave no pet behind Your family pet is welcome here Peace of mind St John medical alarm in every home Affordable, brand new villas Villas range from $380,000 - $400,000 75 Blenheim Road, Christchurch. Freephone: 0800 POOL QUIP Phone: 343 3441. Fax: 343 3262 email: paramount.chc@xtra.co.nz Hours: Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm Saturday 9am-1pm www.paramountpools.co.nz To find out more, call Jesse on 0800 155 155 For a virtual tour of the Village and a villa go to www.elloughtonvillage.co.nz www.elloughtonvillage.co.nz 1 Pages Road, Marchwiel, Timaru 7910 Our Village sales office has more information and is open from Monday to Thursday. Bookings for tours are essential. 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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi Thursday <strong>November</strong> <strong>23</strong> <strong>2017</strong> 25