✨ Military Deserters Report
Printed and Published by W. C. Wilson, for the New Zealand Government, at the Printing Office, Shortland Crescent.
REPORT OF DESERTERS FROM HER MAJESTY'S FORCES SERVING IN NEW ZEALAND.
Auckland, 9th April, 1863.
| Regiment. | Number, Rank and Name. | Age. | Feet. | Inches. | Complexion. | Hair. | Eyes. | Date of desertion. | Place of desertion. | Date of enlistment. | At what place enlisted. | Parish and County in which born. | Marks. | Trade. | Coat or Jacket. | Breeches or Trousers. | Remarks. | Signature of Officer commanding. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Engineers. 40th | 5725, Sapper Lancelott Smith | 28 | 5 | $5\frac{1}{2}$ | fai | light brown | blue | 23 March, 1863 | Auckland, New Zealand | 20 Sept., 1858 | Westminster, Middlesex | St. Paul's, Norfolk | none | carver | tunic | regimental | Looks younger than he is. | H. STROVER, Capt. R.A., Bt-Major. |
| do. 57th | 242, Drummer Boy, William Jos. Etherington. | 16 | 5 | $4\frac{1}{2}$ | fresh | fair | blue | 11 March, 1863 | do. | 9 March, 1859 | Melbourne, Victoria | Bermondsey, Middlesex | none | none | regimental | do. | Regimental clothing found on the beach; supposed to have gone on board some ship. | ARTHUR LESLIE, Colonel. |
| do. | 237, Private Henry Baxter | 22 4-12 | 5 | $7\frac{1}{2}$ | fresh | darkbrown | hazel | 18 Feb., 1863 | Wanganui | 16 Dec., 1858 | Peterborough | Cotterstock, Northampton | none | groom | do. | do. | May probably have changed his dress to blue smock and moleskin trowsers. | R. W. LOGAN, Major. |
| 70th | 3476, Private Michael Coffee | 5 | $11\frac{1}{4}$ | fair | fair | brown | 11 Dec., 1862 | Camp, Dunedin Otago | 2 Feb., 1854 | Clonmel | Fethered Co., Tipperary | none | laborer | do. | do. | G. W. RYAN, Major. | ||
| do. | 2869, Private Patrick Brown | 34 | 6 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | fresh | brown and very curly | grey | 22 Dec., 1862 | do. | 15 Sept., 1848 | Cork | Gort, Galway | none | laborer | do. | do. | Do. | |
| do. | 3576, Private Thomas Jones | 30 | 5 | 6 | sallow | darkbrown | hazel | 11 March, 1863 | Camp, Ota-huhu | 14 Feb., 1856 | not known | Brentwood, Essex | none | labourer | (civilian's) shepherd's plaid | ribbed moleskin; brown felt wide-awake | This man was a deserter awaiting trial in the regimental guardroom. He also took with him a blue greatcoat and forage cap and number; his hair is short behind; he has a long beard beneath his chin. | T. CHUTE, Colonel. |
| do. | 238, Private George Fraser | 26 5-12 | 5 | 8 | sallow | darkbrown | hazel | 28 March, 1863 | do. | 1 Dec., 1858 | not known | Edinburgh | letter D | shoemaker | regimental | regimental | Do. | |
| do. | 826, Private Joseph Hunter | 18 8-12 | 5 | $3\frac{1}{2}$ | fresh | brown | grey | 5 April, 1863 | do. | 11 Aug., 1858 | Cork | Shandon, Cork | none | none | white cloth black cloth cap (No. LXXX.) | Bandsman. | Do. |
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
139
NZ Gazette 1863, No 13
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🛡️ Report of Deserters from Her Majesty's Forces Serving in New Zealand
🛡️ Defence & Military9 April 1863
Deserters, Military, Report, Royal Engineers, 40th Regiment, 70th Regiment, Auckland
8 names identified
- Lancelott Smith, Deserter from Royal Engineers
- William Jos. Etherington (Drummer Boy), Deserter from 40th Regiment
- Henry Baxter (Private), Deserter from 40th Regiment
- Michael Coffee (Private), Deserter from 70th Regiment
- Patrick Brown (Private), Deserter from 70th Regiment
- Thomas Jones (Private), Deserter from 70th Regiment
- George Fraser (Private), Deserter from 70th Regiment
- Joseph Hunter (Private), Deserter from 70th Regiment
- H. Strover, Captain, Bt-Major
- Arthur Leslie, Colonel
- R. W. Logan, Major
- G. W. Ryan, Major
- T. Chute, Colonel