The group, which works with families and descendants to gather information and restore historic military grave sites in Dunedin cemeteries, is keen to learn more about those at Port Chalmers.
Group co-chairs Marlene Pooley and Peter Trevathan visited Port Chalmers Cemetery recently to explore and identified about 50 graves and memorials to those who served in a range of conflicts, including the American Civil War, the South African (Boer) War, Crimea, World War 1, World War 2 and the Vietnam War.
Mr Trevathan said the group’s work at the cemetery would begin with making contact with the descendants of Lieutenant-colonel Arthur Bauchop (1870-1915) CMG, NZSC), who served in the South African War (1899-1902) and with the Otago Mounted Rifles in World War 1.
Lt-col Bauchop fell at "Bauchop’s Hill", Gallipoli, on August 7, 1915, died of his wounds and was buried at sea.
The group would like to clean up the Bauchop family grave site and create a sign detailing his service, Mr Trevathan said.
Another memorial of particular interest is that of Leading Signalman Campbell Buchanan, who died of wounds sustained during the World War 2 attack of New Zealand ships HMNZS Kiwi and Moa on the Japanese submarine I-1.
On HMNZS Kiwi, LSig Buchanan kept his searchlight trained on the I-1 throughout the battle, despite being mortally wounded, winning the United States Navy Cross for his bravery and a posthumous mention in dispatches.
Campbell Buchanan Lane in Port Chalmers is named after him.
Ms Pooley said LSig Buchanan’s memorial in the cemetery was small and contained no information, so it would be good to highlight his story.
"In fact, we would like to collate information about the military graves and memorial throughout the cemetery and highlight it with a sign and map for visitors," she said.
Alongside its cemetery work, the Otago Military History Group is working on a range of other projects, including a display relating to the 150th anniversary of the Otago Medical School at King’s Birthday weekend, research on the "70th Foot" garrison in Dunedin and the ongoing hunt for the barrel of a German siege gun buried under the grass at the Oval.
• Descendants of Lt-col Bauchop and LSig Buchanan can contact the Otago Military History Group on 027501-8224 or peterbond58@hotmail.co.nz
