The Penny brothers of Blenheim

 A real photographic postcard portrait of Private Walter Blaymires Penny taken at Oakley’s Studio in Blenheim before his departure for war service. He never returned to Blenheim; he was killed in action on 4 October 1917.

The Marlborough Express reported on the loss of one of its sons:
“Another son of Mr E.H. Penny has made the supreme sacrifice. This is Private Walter Blaymires Penny, his second son, news of whose death in action on October 4 was received by his parents last evening. The deceased soldier, who was only 21 years of age, was born in Blenheim, and educated at the Borough School and the Marlborough High School. He then joined the local branch of the National Bank, and was a member of the staff up to the time of his enlistment in the 11th Reinforcements. He was recently in hospital in England, and his parents were not aware that he had gone back to France. It is just over two years since Mr Penny’s eldest son, Private ‘Sam’ Penny, who was one of the first Blenheim boys to enlist on the outbreak of war, laid down his life on Gallipoli. General sympathy will be extended to Mr and Mrs Penny in their second bereavement.”

Walter's brother Private Samuel Murray Penny, killed at action at Chunuk Bair, 7 August 1915.

Source: Auckland Weekly News, 10 June 1915.

A lost boyfriend

Real photographic postcard of Sgt Eric Wanden, Maggie Macnabb and friend. 

Eric wears the collar badge of the 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles and shoulder epaulettes with "10" and "NZMR"

Happier times. The New Zealand soldier pictured is Sergeant Eric Wanden, a Blenheim lad sharing a personal moment with two girl friends. 

On the reverse of this postcard is the handwriting from one of the girls pictured;

“Eric Wanden, Maggie Macnabb & self but they say I am too serious therefore not natural. This is a snap of a boy friend who has enlisted & leaves New Zealand this week. The other young lady is a cousin staying with us. I feel Eric’s going just as if a brother.”

Eric was just 21 years of age when he left New Zealand with the Canterbury Mounted Rifles as part of the Main Body sailing to Egypt. About ten months later, Eric was hit by a bullet that inflicted much damage to his lower jaw. He was invalided back to New Zealand on the troopship Willochra. He regained fitness and returned to the firing line in Egypt in 1917.

It was on the 25th September 1918 that tragedy struck. A witness report made by another Main Body man, Sergeant Charles Frederick Scrimgeour described how Eric met his fate;

“On the 25^th Sept we were together at a redoubt just before Amman. When galloping into action I saw him hit in the heart by rifle bullet and was killed instantaneously. He was buried that afternoon near the spot where he fell. A cross was made for the grave but I did not see it in place.”

The Wanden family would suffer another cruel blow when Eric's older brother Corporal Herbert Winn Wanden  died of wounds on 27 March 1918 in France. He is buried at Auchonvillers Military Cemetery. Younger brother Mervyn survived the war.