SOLDIER’S BODY RECOVERED

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27612, 19 March 1955, Page 8

SOLDIER’S BODY RECOVERED

DISCOVERY ON ROCKS AT TIKAO BAY The body of Staff-Sergeant Frederick i Hastings Kirk, aged 52. one of two| men from the Army ordnance depot at: Tikao Bay. in Akaroa harbour, who were drowned when they went out in a dinghy to inspect a set net in the bay on the night of March 10. was recovered yesterday from the rocks nearby. The body of Staff-Sergeant Kirk’s companion, Private Donald George Dixon, was recovered on the morning after the accident. Mr George Brasell, of Akaroa. accompanied by Mr Hapi Hokianga went to Tikao Bay in his launch yesterday, and saw Staff-Sergeant Kirk’s body about midday. The two men immediately went to the Army depot to report the discovery, and then reported it to the police at Akaroa. They were accompanied back to Tikao Bay by Constable M. Egan. who. is in charge of the Akaroa police, and Mr R. Campbell, a friend of Staff- j Sergeant Kirk. With them the men took a stretcher and a dinghy. Going j ashore at Tikao Bay in the dinghy, they put Staff-Sergeant Kirk’s body on the stretcher and took it in the dinghy across to the Army depot. The body was brought to Christchurch last even--Sergeant Kirk joined the ordnance depot at Burnham in 1939 as a civilian member of the staff. He joined the 2nd N.Z.E.F.. and went overseas i early in 1940. He was taken prisoner in 1941 while serving in the 23rd Ba’-; talion, and remained a prisoner for four and a half years. On his return, to New Zealand he joined the temporary staff, and was posted to the ordnance depot at Burnham. In 1948 he became a member of the Regular Force. He was transferred to Tikao Bay in 1950, and from that time wa« non-commissioned officer in charge of the holding depot there. Staff-Sergeant Kirk was married, and had three children.