Matakana Cemetery Stories - The Lost Sons

One Sunday we visited the Boyd's Hill Cemetery on Kawau Island to find young Allan Wallace's grave. He was the infant son of George Wallace who lies in the Wallace Family Plot in Matakana Cemetery.

George Wallace was born in Matakana in 1858, his father was George Blair Allan Wallace and his mother Mary Davies. Both, from Lockwinnoch, Renfrewshire, Lowlands of Scotland. George senior and his wife immigrated to New Zealand in 1855 aboard the barque "Cornubia". Also onboard were Mary's father, Hugh Davis and his family along with George Fraser.

Around 1875 George junior now 15 years of age is working on Kawau Island as a gardener for Sir George Grey and this is where he met his wife Florence Creighton, who was working in the Grey's House (Mansion House).

This is the grave of their first-born child - Allan Wallace.

Alan Wallace NZ Engineers service no: 4/72A. Died from his wounds received at Gallipoli. 

Their fifth child they also named Alan, sadly was killed at Gallipoli, his memorial can be found at Lone Pine and Bertram. He was a Rhodes Scholar, a brilliant young man, tragically lost to us.

Bertram Wallace: Buried at Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France

Bertram Wallace, their 6th child was killed in France. A Gunner in WW1, New Zealand Field Artillery, 4th (Howitzer) Battery. Killed in action 14 July 1916 Somme, Northern France at only age 22.

Today we remember them all. Lest we forget.