OBITUARY

MAJOR-GENERAL C. W.MELVIUL

The death 'ocourred:at Bowen .Street Hospital last '^evening ;of : Major-General O. W. Melyill, C.8.; G.M.G.,yD.5.0., General , Officer Commanding' the New; Zealand Military. Forces. -The news will be received with deep regret 'throughout the Dominion,. as .general Melvill -was not only universally popular but ;was re-J cognised as pne'of -NeVf Zealand^ most brilliant soldiers,, 'He'! was' ,47. years- of a ße-';.' ;;. '.;-V,' : '-'' , ''■■'.;-. ■ :': ■";:.'■'!' :. ■

General Melvill was the youngest son of the late LieutenantrTeignmouth Melvill, V.6.; 24th Regiinignt, who saved the colours at IsandlwanaV. Zululand.' Hie was born bn sth' September; .1878. He was, educated: at Wellington College, England,' and chose a military career, receiving his commissionr in the South Lancashire Regiment in 1897. He left as captain andi adjutant in 1906. when hecame out to New Zealand and took: up sheep-farming in Otago. He joined the New. Zealand .Staff, Corps in^ 1911, and served as Brigade-Major, Auckland Infantry Brigade, from 17th March, 1911,

to 30th April,' 1913. His ability being recognised; rhe was sent to Staff College, Camberley^: where. he graduated.. On the outbreak of the Great War. he rejoined his old'iegiment, /the "South Lanes," and went; with. theV'old: conteinptibles" to ' France- in ■August, 1914. He was wounded in the fighting a month' later, and in January, 1915, received . the,, important .■'•: appointment of chief instructor of School rof;.'ln'struetion,Western Com-mand.'. From May to September, .1915, he was":Brigade-Major of the Tay Defences, '...and in 'the • latter montli joined the Ne\y Zeidaiid: Expeditionary. Force 01) Gallippli,.- as General Staff Officer. ..'He participated : 'iii\ the evacuation, and was „ then ■ appointed Brigade-Major,"; New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, Egypt. He tlienreceiv'ed command of the 4th Battalion, New Zealand Rifle'- Brigade, and proceeded with it to the .Wesfprn.Frpiib In -December, 1916, he took command of tho 2nd New. Zealand Infantry Brigade, with the'.'raiik of Colonel.. In iTane, 101,?, hs wjm vtomaUA ,W wa MOmyud. p| £•

Ist New 'Zealand ..Infantry- Brigadewith:the rank of Brigadier-General, and commanded it with special distinction until the end of the war, and also during the period the New Zealand Division formed part • of the Aimy. of Occupation. He. commanded theiNew .Zealand/Infantry Reserve Group (Englarid) from. 3rd December)^ 1917, to 18th February^ 1918,. For : a fortnight in' June,, 1918,-i' he tern-. gorarily commanded; the. New Zealand ivision. He was General Officer in Charge of Administration N.Z.E.F.,- and General Officer Commanding N.Z,:E:F J.'in' the United Kingdom from 10th February, ,1919, to Bth July, 1919. , ■■?--..; .Apart; from service on the Western Front and orrGallippli during the first year/of the War,, he participated- in operations /against ■ the' Senrfssi and in the Battles of the Somme, Messines, Ypres, Bropdseinde, ■' : Paßscnendaele ; ' Arras, Ancre, -Albert, Bapaume, ; Hindenburg Line, : Havrincourt, Canal dv .Nord, Cambrail Lille, Gambre, Fless-Cpurce-lette, Morval,'.! Lo Quesnoy. -v.'''-.', '■'-. . '■; On his i .to ■■ New Zealand •{n7 1919 ..he: wag .; appointed;. Officer Commanding 1 ••■ the .^ellirigton Military District,'; and on. Ist February, 1921; when the four Military Districts were abolished and three. Commands substituted,. he was appointed; Officer Commanding Central ; .Command, with the rank of Colonel-Commandant.'-. On retirement of Major-General Sir E. W. C. Chaytor-hft 'was/appointed^General Officer" Commanding 'tne:. s New,Zealand

Military Force* and i -was .promoted MaiorrQeneral, holding; his . appointment with distinction ;from , Ist April of last year.\";' .•■ ::,;:, : i '■'' \\'' ' \ '.■,'■' '■•'•.■ •':]''■■. '.The" death of General Melvill will be sincerely mourned by jail ranks of the New" Zealand. :Military {Forces, by.- whom he was justly revered as a brilliant sol-: dier and an' able: commander, who inspired," Alien." fullest- confidence.'. As G.0.C.. ne was-'.indefatigable' in carrying out his duties, never sparing. himself in inspecting units, and he earned the reputation of being one of ■ the hardest workers. .'.■ :,. . .' ..

' Foi^his (services. during th c Great War, General ■ Melvill; received 'the C.8., C.M.G., and D.5.0.;- the French Croix de Guerre, and the Belgian Order, de;.laCouronne Officier. He vvashon. Aide-dc-Canip to tho Governor-General. : ■He leaves a widow, with whom sincere sympathy will, be felt. Mrsi. Mclyill is the third dailfrh.ter'of Mr.- William Burnett, of.Dunedin, and a sietet; of Mi-Pi gfathsifli'-wife of : tliH,Sf)sakw of the Hsujsi uf EeiirieeßtaUyu, _, : ■ ]