Duffy, Francis

Francis Duffy, an old Crimean veteran, and veteran of the Maori War, has died at Helensville. He was a gumdigger, and was given a pauper's funeral.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 146, 21 June 1892, Page 1

An old Crimean veteran named Francis Duffy, who had resided in the Helensville district for 20 years, is dead. It appears that the old soldier had been following a gumdigger's life of late, and lived in a whare by himself at Maeretahi, near Shelly Beach.

He was found lying dead across the door of his miserable shanty, clad only in a shirt and one sock, by a gumdigger named Henry McGoldrick. An inquest was held on the body on Saturday last, and a verdict was returned, "That deceased had died a natural death accelerated by the want of proper and common necessities of life."

Afterwards the poor old fellow was interred in the Helensville cemetery. Duffy joined the British army at the age of 18 years, and was a native of the north of Ireland. He had war medals for service in the Crimea and in the Indian mutiny, and also for service in the 65th Regiment in the war at Taranaki.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 146, 21 June 1892, Page 4

Of the death of an old Crimean veteran, the Auckland Weekly Herald thus writes:- Frank Duffy —such is the irony of fate was awarded a pauper's funeral and interred in tho Helensville Cemetery.

He joined the British army at the age of eighteen years, and made one of the famous "thin red line topped with steel," consisting of the gallant 93rd Highlanders, who, under General Sir Colin Campbell, resisted the Russian horsemen 1500 strong in the famous battle of Balaklava — an act that the historian of the Crimean war describes as one of remarkable pluck and bravery for a regiment of British infantry in line successfully repulsing a charge of cavalry.

Although a soldier of a Highland regiment, Duffy was a native of the North of Ireland. He was not known to have any relatives living. He has in former days shown people his war medals, but none were found amongst his belongings. Two medals he possessed were for service in the Crimea and in the Indian Mutiny. The other medal was for service in the 65th Regiment in the War at Taranaki, New Zealand.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 2387, 1 July 1892, Page 2