N.Z. COMMANDER OF MARINES

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27368, 5 June 1954, Page 6

N.Z. COMMANDER OF MARINES

GENERAL WEST ALL’S CAREER Lieutenant-General J. C. Westall, a New Zealander who has been pro-] moted to the rank of general, is the brother of Mrs F. S. Wilding, of Riccarton. The son of the late Mr J. C. Westall, a barrister and solicitor, of Napier, General Westall left New Zealand for England when he was a small boy. He returned’again in the early 1930’s when

he served for about two years as captain of Royal Marines in the Diomede. While he was in the Diomede in February, 1931, she was ordered to Napier after the disastrous earthquake of that year. General Westall, who was born m 1901, was educated at Dulwich College. In 1919 he joined the Royal Marines, and in 1930 he was promoted to captain, and in 1939 to major. During the Second World War he served in Malaya, India, and Burma. After ths fall of Singapore he escaped to Australia. In 1947 he was appointed staff officer, intelligence, in South Africa. Two years later he became commandant at the Royal Marine barracks at Plymouth, and in the following year commandant of the Marines at Deal.. In 1951 came his promotion to majorgeneral and in the same year he wal made chief of staff of the Royal Marines. Since 1952 he has been com-mandant-general of the Royal Marines. At one time General Westall was a member of the Combined Services Rugby team in England.