007 Allenby Street, Masterton
Reason for the name
Allenby Street is a small street in the suburb of Lansdowne, Masterton. Most of the streets in this part of Masterton are named after leading British and New Zealand military figures honouring this country's efforts overseas. This is typical of Masterton street-naming. Therefore it is unknown whether a councillor, council staff or a citizen suggested the name. Clearly, given its association with nearby streets, the Allenby referred to is Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, 1861-1936.
Allenby Street is a small street in the suburb of Lansdowne, Masterton. Most of the streets in this part of Masterton are named after leading British and New Zealand military figures.
These include Gordon Street (Gordon of Khartoum, died 1885); Roberts Road (Lord Roberts VC, c-in-c South African War, died 1914); French Street (Sir John French, cavalry leader in South African War, c-in-c BEF 1914-1915); Raglan Street (c-in-c British Army, Crimean War, died 1855); Kitchener Street (Lord Kitchener, victor at Omdurman, c-in-c after Roberts in South African War, War Minister 1914-1916, died 1916). These streets were named before World War One.
Additional streets named after military figures were added after World War Two as this part of Masterton expanded. This latter group included Churchill Avenue, Wavell Crescent, Gort Place, Montgomery Crescent, Montgomery Place, Kippenberger Street and Allenby Street.
Allenby Street was a small subdivision off Roberts Road. Thirteen suburban sections are in the no-exit street.
Author: Neil Frances Wairarapa Archive
Edmund Allenby joined the British Army in 1880 and became a cavalry officer. He fought in the South African War, and was a colonel at war’s end.
When the BEF went to France in 1914, Allenby commanded the single cavalry division in the force, latter commanding the expanded Cavalry Corps and V Corps on the Western Front. He was promoted to full general in June 1917.
After the failure of British attacks in Sinai Palestine in 1917, Allenby (seen as a more forceful general) replaced Sir Archibald Murray as commander of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force and captured Jerusalem in December 1917. He commanded the EEF until the defeat of the Turkish Army in October 1918.
Under his command was the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade which was part of the Anzac Mounted Division. The Anzac Division was one of the most effective parts of Allenby’s command. Its mobility was used to outflank and raid Turkish forces.
