213528 Pte. Michael James Scannell New Zealand Expeditionary Force 13th Company 1st Canterbury Btn. from:Lyalldale, South Canterbury, NZ (d.7th Jun 1917) Michael Scannell was my grandfather's cousin. My grandfather (Dan Brosnahan), Michael and Michael's brother Charlie Scannell had their photograph taken together in uniform, presumably before they all went off to war. Of the three, only Dan Brosnahan survived the war. He served with the Imperial Camel Corps in Palestine and was wounded in the second battle of Amman. He also survived the influenza epidemic in 1918. Michael on the other hand was killed in the attack on Messines on 7 June 1917. Charles had died just a couple of weeks earlier in South Africa, having fallen down a hold on the troop ship en route to Europe and being put off in Durban due to his injuries. He died there.
Michael Scannell was a railway porter in Timaru when he enlisted in May 1916. He came from the small farming district of Lyalldale just south of Timaru and was born 5 February 1888. He served with the NZ Railway Engineers as a territorial before transferring to the Canterbury Regiment. On his enlistment record the medical officer wrote "a very suitable man". I have never heard any stories about Michael's character from the family but he looks like a really solid bloke in the photograph and the enlistment annotation is unusual in my experience.
Michael went overseas with the 16th Reinforcements and was a member of the 13th Company, 1st Canterbury Battalion, 2nd Brigade when he participated in the attack on Messines. He has no known grave. On Anazc Day 2013 I had the privilege of visiting the New Zealand Memorial to the Missing at Messines and paying my respects. I don't think any members of the family had been there before. My connection with Michael has made Messines a special place to me and I am very pleased to support your efforts to commemorate all those who perished in the battle there in 1917.
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