BALNEAVIS, HENRY COLIN (1818-76). Born at Ghent, Belgium, Balneavis was a younger son of Lieut-general Henry Balneavis, C.M.G., K.H., who commanded the 65th Regiment in the Peninsular war and was afterwards commandant and Governor of Malta. In recognition of his services the son was granted his first commission in the 58th Regiment without purchase in 1838. He rose to be captain and adjutant of the battalion.

Balneavis arrived in New Zealand (Apr 1845) in command of the light company, and the whole of his military life thereafter was in this country. He was present at minor actions in Heke's war and also at Ohaeawai and Ruapekapeka. At the last-named, while commanding the advanced picket, he reported the evacuation of the pa during the night, but Despard distrusted the intelligence. Balneavis led a patrol of the 58th in pursuit of the murderers of the Gilfillans at Wanganui (1847). When the 58th left New Zealand in 1858, having completed 20 years service, he retired as captain, took up his military grant of land at Maraetai and for some years was a settler. When the war broke out in Waikato Balneavis organised the Waikato militia, whose high efficiency was mainly due to him. He attained the rank of lieut-colonel in Feb 1862. He served for a while in the Wanganui district. He was keenly interested in fortifications, and constructed for a military college in Great Britain an exact model of Ruapekapeka. For his services in New Zealand Balneavis received the military good service medal and the New Zealand war medal.

After retiring from active service he was appointed sheriff for the province of Auckland. Amiable and unassuming in disposition, he had marked social qualities. He was an accomplished violinist and a founder of the Auckland Choral Society. His foreign experience as a boy gave him a ready knowledge of various European languages, and he was also proficient at Arabic, Greek and Maori. He died on 26 Aug 1876. His coffin was draped with the colours of his regiment, which he had borne as a subaltern and had been presented to him in 1866 for deposit in Auckland.

Gudgeon; Cowan; Buick; Grimstone; N.Z. Herald, 27 Aug 1876.

Reference: Volume 1, page 33

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