A good day to remember William Hardham, VC
It is 102 years since WWI ended and Armistice Day is a good time to remember William Hardham, VC.
Hardham received his Victoria Cross in the Boer War and was the first New Zealand-born soldier to get a VC.
Born in Wellington, he was a blacksmith by trade and a well known sportsman.
He played rugby for Petone and 53 games for Wellington.
Hardham volunteered to serve in the Boer War and held the rank of farrier sergeant major.
On 28 January 1901, Hardham was on a patrol in the Transvaal when it was ambushed by twenty Boers. Although the patrol was able to withdraw, one man was wounded and his horse was shot from under him. Hardham rode to his aid and pulled him to safety while under heavy gunfire.
Hardham was subsequently awarded the VC by the Prince of Wales.
He subsequently had a distinguished career in WW1. Wounded at Gallipoli he returned home before returning to New Zealand. He returned to Palestine and became seriously ill with malaria.
After the war, he suffered from ill health and had numerous jobs, including working for a newspaper.
William James Hardham VC died of stomach cancer in 1928 aged 51. His funeral was attended by Prime Minister Gordon Coates and he is buried in the Karori Cemetery.
The Hardham Cup is still played for by Wellington club rugby teams.
The Petone Rugby Club has a replica VC, his club cap, a citation by the then mayor of Petone and a photo.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Calling All Puzzle Masters! Can You Solve This?
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height.
Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was.
If the tree grew by five centimetres each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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