N.Z. REGIMENT IN KOREA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27306, 24 March 1954, Page 12

N.Z. REGIMENT IN KOREA

Commander’s Return To New Zealand fNJZ. Army Information Service) KOREA, March 22. Lieutenant-Colonel J. Bums, Commanding Officer of the 16th New Zealand Field Regiment since February last year, was given a rousing farewell when he left Korea at the weekend to return to New Zealand. Generals and gunners alike said farewell to Colonel Burns, who had so ably led the regiment for some months before the fighting ended and who, after the truce, made the regiment’s area one of the finest in Korea. When he left the regiment two long tow-ropes attached to the front of his jeep and a large party of men dragged the vehicle from the orderly room through the camp to the main gate, where a special guard of honour paraded. Cheering gunners lined the road through the camp, and at the main gate a large party of Maoris, led by Padre R- Rangiihu. gave a haka. The popularity of Colonel Bums extended far beyond the regiment. On the drive to the divisional airstrip his jeep was stopped at a road block by guards of the 4th Royal Canadian Horse Artillery and he was not allowed to continue until the commanding officer of the unit had presented him with a special pass which permitted him to leave the area. The new commander of the 16th

New Zealand Field Regiment will be Lieutenant-Colonel J. A Pountney, Royal New Zealand Artillery, a Regular soldier who has been serving in a staff appointment at Army headquarters.