COLONEL JAMES HARGEST

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22921, 18 January 1940, Page 8

COLONEL JAMES HARGEST

DISTINGUISHED CAREER AS SOLDIER RAPID RISE TO HIGH RANK

The military record during the Great War of Colonel J. Hargest, who has been appointed commanding officer of the sth Infantry Brigade of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, was a distinguished one. Leaving the: Dominion with ; the Main Body wrtlr the rank of second-lieutenant, to which he was appointed on Augus't 5, 1914, he rose to lieutenant-colonel in command of the 2nd the Otago Regiment at the early age of 26 years. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross.

Colonel Hargest was born in Gore and he spent his early Ate farming in the Mandeville district. On the putbreak of the Great War he left the Dominion with the . Otago Mounted

Rifles. He served in Egypt and was patrol officer to the regiment. At the Suvla Bay- battle in August, 1915, he was wounded in a leg early in. the action, but he carried through to his objective, and was the only officer of his squadron tc survive the attack. He was invalided to Egypt and back to New Zealand late in 1915. Recogmition of Work Leaving the Dominion. again early in 1916, he rejoined the division in Egypt and transferred to the Otago Infantry Regiment. He was promoted captain just before the Battle of the Somme in command of the 10th (North Otago) Company, and led it in two successful attacks in that battle. He was awarded the Military Cross and, received rapid promotion to major, and was appointed second, in command of the battalion.

In the preparations for the Battle of Messines in June. 1917, .Major Hargest was placed in charge of all the work in the forward area, which he undertook with marked success. In March. 1918, he was temporarily commanding the Ist battalion when the division was ordered south from Ypres to assist in stemming the German advance after it had; crushed .the British sfh Army.

Commander's Thanks Major Hargest commanded the battalion at. Bapaume and Harnincant Wood. "At. the former the battalion was personally thanked by the divi-sional-commander, General Sir Andrew Russell, for its achievements. Major Hargest was then transferred to -the 2nd Otago Battalion with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and led it until the end of the war.

Returning to New Lealand,.-Lieu-tenant-Colonel Hargest spent several months in hospital at Rotorua, and then purchased property • at, Rgkauhauka, where he now lives.* He commanded the Southland Regiment for about six years, and then the 3rd Infantry Brigade for four years until he entered Parliament in 1931 as mehiber for :Invercargill. He. transferred to the Awariia seat in 1935, and still represents it in Parliament.

LIEUTENANT-GOEONEL . R, E. SLEIGH .

LTHE PRESS Special Service.! DUNEDIN, January 17. Lieutenant-Colonel R. E. Sleigh, of Dunedin, who has been appointed to the command of the sth Field; Regiment of the New. Zealand. Field Artillery, began his military, training with the Christ's College senior cadet corps. He joined the 14th Medium Battery (Otago) as gunner in 1922, became a second-lieutenant in 1923. and received his lieutenancy in the following year. Two years later he was promoted to the rank of captain, and in 1933 he was given the'command of a battery, and was further promoted to the rank of major. His period of command was extended until early in 1938, when he was given the rank of .lieutenantcolonel, and appointed to the command of the ■ 3rd . Artillery Brigade Group. Before .the outbreak»of war Lieuten-ant-Colonel Sleigh was. employed by the National Mortgage - and - Agency Company of New Zealand,. Ltd., where he had been employed for a considerable period.

RECRUITING CAMPAIGN

COMMITTEE'S PLANS AND ' ';... PROGRESS /

Arrangements for a'recruiting meeting' to be addressed by the .DeputyPrime '■ Minister (the Hon. P. Fraser) during his visit to Christchurch next week, arid for a recruiting meeting to be held in conjunction with the civic reception to.Lord and Lady .Willingdon during their visit to the city on January 26" and ,27 were made by - the, Canterbury Recruiting Committee at their meeting last evening. Cr. T. Milliken presided. . According to report's on the'progress of recruiting.plans,.slides are now being shown at principal city theatres, and at theatres at Sydenham, Kaiapoi, New Brighton," Amberley, ; and Rangiora. A ''recruiting barometer," showing daily changes in figures, has also been erected jn one of % the. .Trarnway Board's shelters in Cathedral square. The secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association (Mr E. F. Willcox) also reported that country subbranches were co-operating in recruiting efforts. .■■•'■.-', Members of county councils have been asked to'arrange -meetings, arid have : been notified that speakers .will be provided on request to the central committee." •■■■. "; '"' A meeting of representatives of -all sports' bodies, amateur and professional, had been called,- Mr R. H. Livingstone said, and their co-opera:-tion was assured.

NO. 10 AREA STAFF OFFICER LIEUT.-COL. SMYTHE APPOINTED RETIREMENT OF MAJOR H. G. LIVINGSTONE Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Smythe, D.5.0., N.Z.S.C, will succeed Major H. G. Livingstone as No. 10 Area Staff Officer, 'rne change will be made in about two weeks, Major Livingstone relinquishing his duties to return to his civil occupation. » The post of Area Staff -Officer is usually held by a regular officer with staff training, said Colonel P. H. Bell

when making' the • announcement yesterday. He would be lacking in appreciation if he did riot express his thanks to Major Livingstone for his work in an exacting position. Major Livingstone' had come to the assistance of the staff at considerable personal sacrifice and at a period when regular officers were not available to fill i the vacancy. However, his previous, experience stood him in good stead and his administration of the area had been of a very high standard. _ "Although Major Livingstone is relinquishing his office to return to civilian life, I feel sure that should his services again be required they will be immediately available," said Colonel Bell.

RECRUITING RALLY TO-MORROW

A further recruiting rally will be held in Cathedral square to-morrow evening. The Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry band will march from King

Edwa'rd Barracks to the Square, leavr ing at 7.15 p.m. Addresses will be given from Warner's Hotel balcony, the , speakers to be Mr" H. E. Denton and Mr C. Miln, with Mr W. R. Lascelles as chairman.