RAPID PROMOTION

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 114, 31 January 1918, Page 6

RAPID PROMOTION

MARLBOROUGH MAN'S RECORD. ' Lieutenant-Colonel Owen Mead, of Blenheim, who has been appointed to command the Ist Battalion of the Canterbury Regiment, has had a rather remarkable career. He left with the Main Body as lieutenant, and whilst only twenty-five years of age has risen to the rank of lieutenant-col-onel with an important command. Lieutenant-Colonel Mead was born in Blenheim, and was educated at the Marlborough High School. Since his boyhood be was always passionately fond or soldiering, and had passed his lieutenant's examination, and was the officer in charge of the Senior Cadets when the war broke out. He was then on the Blenheim staff of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., awl at once volunteered, being given command of a platoon in the 12th Nelson Company. On their mobilisation atAddington ho was appointed assistant-adjutant to the Canterbury Regiment, ana left New Zealand as a platoon commander in the Second South Canterbury Company. He saw action on the Suez Canal; landed on Gallipoli with his company on the historic April 25, 1915, and was wounded early in the day, but remained ashore until night. After being invalided to Alexandria, ha returned to Gallipoli in time to take part in the fighting at Capo Holies and elsewhere on the Peninsula. A. severo attack of dysentery, followed by enteric, was the cause of his being invalided to England. On hi? recovery he was one of the Anzac officers selected to proceed to Egypt to assist in the organisation of the New Zealand Division as distinct from the Australian Division. On March 1, 1916, Lieutenant Mead was promoted captain, and was given the command of the 13th North "Canterbury and ■ffcstland Company, with which company he proceeded to France. He was in the thick of the Battle of the Somme. on the penultimate day of which great fray he was seriously wounded, and had to be invalided to England. For his plucky leadership in that light he was mentioned in dispatches. " After a lengthy convalescence lie was given liejit staff duties, and was one. of the officers engaged in the organisation of the Fourth Brigade. _ On March 15 last lie gained his majority, and was posted to the 3nd Canterbury Battalion. With that brigade he went back to France, and took part in the Battle of Messines, 'being shortly afterwards made second in command of his battalion. On September 25 last ho was given temporary oomanind of the 2nd Battalion of the Second Brigade with the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel, and in that capacity went through the Passchendaele Ridge fight. On October V.i In: was given full rank as lieu-tenant-colonel, and took over the command of the Ist Canterbury Battalion of the Ist Brigade (the one until which he hiid left New Zealand). Lieute.rant-Colonel Mead has just celebrated his twenty-sixth birthday.