Roll of No. 14 Mess, NZEF, HMT Briton, 1918

This is a small postcard-format record of some members of the NZEF who returned to New Zealand on the H.M.T. Briton in 1918/19. The troops listed were in No. 14 Mess: all their surnames begin with "H" and all are South Islanders. We do not have a lot of information about the ship "Briton", but it appears that she was built in 1897 and was a Union Steam Ship Company (later Union-Castle Line) passenger ship. Many of her voyages, both in peacetime and wartime, were between Great Britain and South Africa, and she served as a troopship during both the Boer War and World War I. We assume from this card that, having docked at Devonport in December 1918, H.M.T. Briton left on Xmas Day 1918 for Lyttelton to set her passengers ashore nearer home ... But, is that a correct assumption? Please tell us if you know or believe otherwise! Here's the list of "H" men in no 14 Mess... Spr. W.C.R. Hill, Christchurch Driv. D. Harries, Christchurch Gnr. F. Homsley, Christchurch Gnr. G. Hoffman, Christchurch Rfm. W.R. Hay, Timaru Rfm. H, Hoffman, Hokatika [i.e. Hokitika] Rfm. F.D. Hewer, Christchurch Pte. J.L. Haley, Southbridge Pte. W.E. Harkerss, Little River Pte. C. Hall, Greymouth Pte. J. Henshaw, Christchurch Pte. H.E. Hill, Christchurch Pte. C.R.W. Hill, Christchurch]\ Pte. J.J. Hill, Ashburton