148 Stellin Street, Boulcott, Lower Hutt, new street sign 2018
Reason for the name
This Lower Hutt Street was named in honour of James Stellin, Wellington Mounted Rifles, Gallipoli veteran of World War 1.
James Stellin was a sergeant in the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, a mounted infantry regiment from New Zealand, raised for service during the First World War. It was assigned to the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, part of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.
Author: The Poppy Places Trust
The regiment, with an establishment of twenty-six officers, 523 other ranks and 600 horses, was formed from three squadrons belonging to pre war Territorial Force regiments; the Queen Alexandra's 2nd (Wellington West Coast) Mounted Rifles, the 6th (Manawatu) Mounted Rifles and the 9th (Wellington East Coast) Mounted Rifles. It also included a small headquarters and, until 1916, a Maxim machine-gun section. The Maxim guns were withdrawn but the regiment's fire-power increased during the war, by the end of which each squadron had four Hotchkiss machine-guns, one per troop.
As mounted infantry, the regiment rode into battle on their horses, but were expected to dismount for battle, and then fight on foot. The regiment fought predominantly against the forces of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. In the Gallipoli Campaign between May and December 1915, they participated in the largest battle of that theatre at Chunuk Bair, and also in the fighting for Hill 60. Evacuated to Egypt, they then took part in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign from 1916 to 1918. The early battles there included those at Romani, Gaza and Beersheba. Later in the war they were part of the force that occupied the Jordan Valley, and took part in the raid on Amman and the raid on Es Salt. Their final war time operation was in connection with the capture of the Turkish Fourth Army. During the four years of war the regiment had 369 dead and 453 wounded, several of those like James Stellin, wounded more than once. After the war, the regiment played a minor role in the Egyptian Revolution of 1919, before being disbanded in June 1919.
Prior to 14 August 1915 James Stellin was a single man. His next of kin was Mrs W.A. Thacker (sister), of Marton.
11/1399 James Stellin (Jim) joined the Army for World War I, 1914-1918. He was promoted to Sergeant and joined the Sixth Reinforcements, Wellington Mounted Rifles,
Sergeant Stellin embarked on 14 Aug 1915 from Wellington and arrived in Suez Egypt on 19 September 1915. Stellin travelled on HMNZT 28, the vessel was the Tofua
On the Auckland War Memorial Museum Scars on the Heart WWI` “The En Zeds” Display is a photograph showing Jim Stellin on a camel. Also in Scars on the Heart, WWI " The Bedouin" display is a photograph of 'Sergeant Stellin with some of his dusky friends
Stellin was twice wounded firstly on 23 Dec 1916 and again on 14 Jul 1918.
