SERGEANT ROBERT HENRY HALLIGAN, DCM, MM

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DescriptionNZ Remembrance Army
about an hour ago
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? ?? WE’RE LOOKING FOR THE FAMILY OF SERGEANT ROBERT HENRY HALLIGAN, DCM, MM
The New Zealand Remembrance Army is trying to locate descendants or family of 6/3335 Sergeant Robert Henry Halligan, a highly decorated First World War soldier who is buried at Hokitika Cemetery.
Why?
Because there is a significant omission from his headstone.
His Military Medal — MM — is missing.
Halligan was awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and the Military Medal (MM) for his service during the First World War.
Yet his headstone does not record the MM.
We have approached Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand about having this corrected, but they will not replace the headstone until family have been located.
So we need your help.
If you are related to Robert Halligan, know one of his descendants, or have information that could help us locate his family, please contact the New Zealand Remembrance Army.
And his is a story worth remembering.
Halligan served with the Canterbury Infantry Regiment on the Western Front.
During one action, he was operating a Lewis gun when the weapon jammed.
With German soldiers in front of him, Halligan and three other men went forward armed with bombs.
They attacked the enemy position, killing four German soldiers, driving off the remainder and recovering valuable enemy documents.
Halligan survived the war having earned two significant decorations for gallantry and distinguished service — the DCM and MM.
His DCM was later presented to him by King George V.
After returning to New Zealand, Halligan married Maude Foster in 1919, and the couple had four children.
He worked as an attendant at the mental hospital at Hokitika and was involved with the Returned Soldiers’ Association at Ross.
Sadly, in December 1922, Robert Halligan died aged just 35.
More than a century later, he lies at Hokitika Cemetery — but his headstone does not tell his complete story.
The MM is missing.
For a man who earned that decoration under the extraordinary conditions of the Western Front, we think that omission matters.
We would like to see his service properly recognised.
But first, we need to find his family.
Please share this post, particularly with anyone with Halligan or Foster family connections on the West Coast.
Someone out there may be the person we are looking for.
?? Sergeant Robert Henry Halligan, DCM, MM
We will remember him — and we want his headstone to remember him properly toContributorNZ Remembrance Army

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EventSERGEANT ROBERT HENRY HALLIGAN, DCM, MM

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SERGEANT ROBERT HENRY HALLIGAN, DCM, MM

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