In a first for New Zealand rugby, the military’s highest award, the original Victoria Cross (VC) won by William James Hardham, and Wellington club rugby’s prestigious Hardham Cup are being displayed together, offering a unique historical convergence underscoring his dual legacy.

The two historic items have come together for the first time as part of the Petone Rugby Football Club’s (RFC), 140th anniversary (1885 -2025) celebrations.

Petone RFC is one of New Zealand's oldest rugby clubs, of which William Hardham was a member.

As part of the celebrations the New Zealand Remembrance Army (NZRA), in collaboration with the United Services Medals Trust and New Zealand Defence Force’s - Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles, presented a set of miniature replicas of Hardham’s military medals to Petone RFC.

“We are excited to bring together the worlds of rugby and military history in celebration of a figure who excelled in both arenas,” says Simon Strombom, Managing Director of NZRA.

“Hardham was a club legend in its early days and was the only New Zealander awarded a Victoria Cross during the South African War (1899-1902).

“He was also the first New Zealand born person to receive the award and only solider from the Mounted Rifles to ever receive the award.

William James Hardham, was born in Wellington in 1876, who distinguished himself through an act of conspicuous bravery in action. Posted to the 4th Contingent in 1900, he was on a patrol in the South African Transvaal when it was ambushed.

He rode his horse to the rescue of a wounded soldier while under heavy fire and for this he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Returning to civilian life after the war, he played representative rugby for Petone Rugby Club and Wellington Provincial Team. He also continued to serve in the militia (like today’s Territorials).

A stalwart of the Petone rugby club, Hardham played more than 50 matches for Wellington. The ‘fast dashing forward, full of go from kick-off to cease play’ played in Wellington’s successful 1904 challenge against Auckland for the then new Ranfurly Shield.

When the First World War began in 1914, Hardham served as a captain in the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt and at Gallipoli, where he was severely wounded in 1915. After recovering, he re-enlisted and returned to active service in Palestine in 1918.

At war’s end he returned once again to civilian life, where he worked for the Dominion (now the Post) newspaper and later the Public Works Department as well as being involved in veterans' affairs helping to organise Wellington’s annual Anzac Day celebrations.

On return to the Petone RFC he became increasingly involved in rugby administration with the Wellington Rugby Football Union.

"Today’s is event is not just about remembering the past, it's about inspiring today's youth to carry forward the legacy of dedication and service embodied by Hardham.

“At the time they described him as his 'ideals were high, his work splendid, and although he has crossed the last goal line his spirit still lives.'”

"Part of the NZRA’s mission is to keep the stories of heroes like William Hardham alive, ensuring that their legacies inspire future generations,” says Simon.

William Hardham contracted malaria while serving in Palestine, as a result he died in Wellington on 13 April 1928, aged 51. He is the only VC recipient to be laid to rest in the Karori Soldiers’ Cemetery.

The trophy that bears his name was donated to the Wellington RFU for competition in his honour in 1939.

Notes:

The NZRA is dedicated to preserving and commemorating the memory of New Zealand’s military personnel. Through meticulous restoration of war graves and memorials and educational initiatives, they ensure that the sacrifices and stories of those who served are remembered and that their examples of heroism continue to inspire New Zealanders.

Victoria Cross award - South Africa War

The citation for his award, which appeared in the London Gazette on 4 October 1901, described Hardams’s actions: “On the 28th January, 1901, near Naauwpoort, this non-commissioned officer was with a section which was extended and hotly engaged with a party of about twenty Boers.

“Just before the force commenced to retire, Trooper McCrae was wounded and his horse killed. Farrier-Major Hardham at once went, under a heavy fire, to his assistance, dismounted, and placed him on his own horse, and ran alongside until he had guided him to a place of safety.”

Discharged from the New Zealand Military Forces in 1901, he rejoined for another period of service in the Second Boer War but was only briefly in South Africa before being sent to England for the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

WWI Service

When the First World War began in 1914, Hardam volunteered for service abroad with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) and was posted to the Wellington Mounted Rifles (WMR) as a captain. Severely wounded during the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign, he was repatriated to New Zealand.

Captain William Hardham, V.C., [1] Wellington Mounted Rifles, wrote from hospital in Alexandria on 17th June 1915 while recuperating from wounds received at Gallipoli.

“I got a pretty hard knock, but it is healing up wonderfully fast. I expect to be up and out any day now. I got a bullet through the back of my left hand and then one through my chest on the left side, just below the collarbone. It was a straight, clean wound, and a few more weeks should see me as fit as ever again. The hand has already healed up and, except for a thumb and forefinger being hard to bend, is as good as ever. The wound through the chest is healing rapidly and the doctors and nurses are very pleased with the rapid progress.” [2]

On recovery he was made commandant of Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer Springs but desired a return to the NZEF and a posting overseas.

He rejoined the WMR, then in Palestine, in late 1917 but his health was poor and affected the remainder of his service in the military. Having reached the rank of major by the end of the war in 1918, he was discharged from the NZEF.

	Painting by Matt Gauldie, former NZ Army Artist, of the action that earned William James Hardham the Victoria Cross. (Photo/Supplied)
	Mr William Hardham VC in uniform. Crown Studios Ltd :Negatives and prints. Ref: 1/1-038669-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22316105.(Photo/Supplied)
	Replica miniature medals of William James Hardham, presented to Petone Rugby Football Club, by the New Zealand Remembrance Army (Photo/Supplied)

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