Tribute to bursar

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34046, 9 January 1976, Page 5

Tribute to bursar

By

W. R. L.

Donald Dobson, a former; bursar and for many years al Fellow of Christ's College, died recently’. He was educated at thei • college and later at Canter-; bury University College! where he studied law. While) •there he became a New Zea-! ; land University Rugby rep-1 re.-dntative. ' After war service overseas he joined A H. Turnbull and Company, Ltd, becoming a; director, and he remained; identified with meat andj' ' shipping interests in Christ- ; church and Wellington until he assumed the bursarship lof Christ’s College in 1940. Mr Dobson’s contribution! to the administration of the j college, through the difficult years of the Second World War and until he retired in 1960, was much valued by the school. He was a soldier of some qualitv. He went overseas in October. 1914, with the Main Body. Ist N Z. E. F.. as a second lieutenant with the Canterbury Battalion. He served in Egypt, in Gallipoli. . and in France and won the! Military Cross. ! In the Second World War; he became a brigadier, com- j manding the loth Brigade in’ New Zealand. He had won wide recognition as a leader of men in' ithe First World War and iwas rated by many as being ! the ideal companv commander. He had something of the adventurous practicality' which marked a distinguished forebear. Sir Ar- • thur Dudley Dobson, the civil engineer, surveyor and explorer. His unit's trenches bore the mark of intelligent : : husbandry and markedly, contributed to the high reputation of the New Zealand Division for the excellence in trench organisation and • maintenance. On the personnel side, few companies • ; could rival his own for •esprits de corps. In battle and out of it, at work or in games there was a remarkable spirt of unity, comradeship and loyalty He appreciated public relations)

too, and co-operated with) Ithe local population of) i France, demanding respect ! I for their women, helpfulness' to the old mesdames in the; forward areas, and proper) regard for men compelled to' | stay at home. ’ He was a firm and yet; (friendly leader and had that • greater, if less common: 'attribute of leadership — personal courage. Mr Dobson, whose wife) •died 18 months ago is sur-i Ivived by his two sons, John) jand Joseph.