Ben Lewis Symonds passed away in Christchurch on 1 April 1980 aged 96 years old. He was one of only two surviving New Zealand South African veterans.
Symonds was aged 18 when he left for service in South Africa as part of the Eighth Contingent, formed in response to British requests for another contingent. More than 4000 men applied to join the contingent, but only 1000 were selected. The contingent was divided into North Island and South Island regiments. Symonds and the rest of the South Island Regiment embarked aboard the SS Cornwall from Lyttelton for South Africa on 8 February 1902.
On 12 April 1902 sixteen members of the contingent were killed when their train derailed at Machavie (Machavierug) near Potchefstroom.
The return journey to New Zealand aboard the Britannic later that year was an eventful one. Symonds was critical of conditions on board which saw 38 men dying en route.
He spent the remainder of his working life farming in Murchison and Waipara.
Ben Symonds pictured in 1979.
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