ART OF WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 125, 28 May 1915, Page 3

ART OF WAR

AS TAUGHT AT TRENTHAM SERGT. -MAJOR INSTRUCTORS "BACK-BONE OF THE ARMY." LENGTHY TERMS OF SERVICE. The staff sergeant-major has frequently been referred to as "the back-bone of the Army." He is certainly that at Trentham, and it is largely due to his efforts there that New Zealand is turning out euch well-trained soldiers to not only maintain bdt ateo increase the size of her Expeditionary Force in the field. An article recently published in The Post gay© credit to Headquarters Staff and the Staff of Instructors for the very valuable work being done at Trentham, and in this .the warrant officers and 6taff-sergeant-majors, of whom a large number are employed, must be given their share. They have, almost all of them, long periods of service to their credit, both^ in the Imperial and New Zealand Armies, and many of them have seen active service in the field, some in as many as four campaigns. The article referred to gave brief sketches of the careers of the Headquarters and Training Staffs. The Post now gives similar particulars of the service records of the warrant and non-commissioned officers, New Zealand Permanent Staff, instructing the troops at Trentham. Warrant Officer W. Colbert was a, sergeant in the Royal New Zealand Engineers for 12 years, and has served on the New Zealand Permanent Staff for 6£ years, completing 185 years' service. Staff-Sergeant-Major M. A. Stedman concluded 8 years' service' in the New Zealand Engineers as a sergeant, and was then appointed to the New Zealand Permanent Staff, upon which he has served 4 years. Staff-Sergeant-Major W. H. Donaldson, who has been a member of the New Zealand Permanent Staff for 4 years, previously spent 8 years in the New Zealand Field Artillery (latterly as » sergeant), 2 years as a sergeant in the South Canterbury Rererve, and 1 year in Rimington's Guides. He served for 1 year in the South African War, receiving the Queen's Medal with 5 clasps. Staff-Sorgeant-Major N. A. Smeal has devoted 16 years to soldiering — 9 years in the Dunedin Highland Rifles, in which he rose to the rank of sergeant, 5 years as » sergeant in the Timaru City Rifles, | and finally 4 yeaTs on the New Zealand Permanent Staff. He wears the New Zealand Medal for Long and Efficient ServW. Staff Sergt. -Major E. J. Watts commenced in the 2nd Australia Regiment, New South Wales, in which he put in 7 years, , latterly as a sergeant. He served 2 years in the Senior Cadets, Auckland, as a lieutenant, and for 1 year held a commission in the 6th (Hauraki) Regiment. He then joined the New Zealand Permanent Staff, in which he had completed three years' service. Staff Sergt. -Major J. L. OliphantRowe spent 9 years with the Hamilton Rifle Cadets, of which he was captain for the last two years. He then entered the Royal New Zealand Artillery, and, after completeing 24 years' service, was promoted to the New Zealand Permanent Staff, of which he has now been a member for 3 years. Staff Sergt. -Major R. Meecham first spent 3 years in the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, then 5 years in the Royal Navy, and then 5^ years as a lieutenant in the Ashburton Rifles. He then joined the New Zealand Permanent Staff, in which he has now completed 3 years. Staff Sergt.-Major S. M". Betteridge originally served 8£ years in the 17th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers, being , pit>moted to the rank of sergeant. He was then a reservist in the Imperial Army for 4 years, and for the past 3 years has been a member of the New Zealand Permanent Staff. He served in India for 2£ years, and saw active service in the South African war for 2 years, receiving the Queen's medal with 4 clasps. Staff Sergt.-Major W. Burr, who has completed 13 years on the New Zealand Permanent Staff, served 7 years in the N«w Zealand Volunteer Mounted Rifles, and was a member of the New Zealand Diamond Jubilee contingent. He saw active service in South Africa, and wears the Distinguished Conduct medal, Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal, Queen's South African medal with 4 clasps, and the New Zealand Long and Efficient Service medal. Staff Sergt.-Major W. N. Bates, who spent 8 years in the "Volunteers in Canterbury, went to South Africa as a corporal in the Bth New Zealand contingent. He received the Queen's medal with 4 clasps, and on his return to New Zealand again identified himself with the Volunteer Forces being given a commission. He joined the New Zealand Permanent Staff some 4 years ago. Staff Sergt.-Major P. R. Chapman was in the Army Service Corps for 21 years, and has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff 6 months. Staff Sergt.-Major R 5 . F. Bale served 13 years in the Royal Engineers, from ! 1902 to 1915. Staff Sergt. -Major C. Dorizac served I with the Royal Army Medical Corps in the South African war, and has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff 7 months. Sergt. -Major W. Eastbury, who has been a member of the New Zealand Permanent Staff for 3 * years, served in the Grenadier Guards for 22£ years, holding the rank of sergeant. Sergt.-Major C. A. Smith was first identified with the South Warwickshire Volunteers, in which he completed 2 years. Coming out to New Zealand he served 3 years in the Wellington Guards, and was then for 2 years a lieutenant in the Wellington Senior Cadets. For the past 2 years he has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff. Sergt.-Major J. S. Thomson was a sergeant in the Ranfurly Rifles, in which he put in 4£ years, and was then for 1 year a company sergt. -major in the Taranaki Rifles. He has served 2 years on the New Zealand Permanent Staff. Sergt.-Major J. N. Hendry, who wears the South African medal, was guide and interpreter to General Methuen for 3 months during the campaign. He was 3 years in the East Coast Mounted Rifles (New Zealand), and has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff 2 years. Sergt.-Major H. W. Lacey served 12^ years in the Royal Navy, and has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff for the past two years. He spent 9 months on active service in Samoa. Sergt.-Major C. N. Rabone has completed 10£ years' service, made up as follows: — M.H.S. Senior Ca-dets, 5 years, colour-sergeant ; Wellington Guards, 1 year, corporal ; Wanganui Rifles. 1 year, corporal ; Wellington Regiment, 2 years, sergeant ; New Zealand Permanent Staff, li years, sergeant-major. Sergt.-Major L. C. Dudson was a corporal for 3 years in the Carterton Rifles, and a colour-sergeant for 3 years in the 9th, sth, and 17th Regiments. He has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff 1 year, Sergt."Major A. A. Luckham was 14| j'ears in the Ist King's Dragoon Guards, and for a considerable portion of that time filled the duties •of reg. Q.M.S. He was 1% years in India, and served in tho South African Wg^ wipinjgjUie.Queeii'fi medal with 3

clasps. He joined the New Zealand Permanent Staff 2 years ago. Sergt.-Major E. A. H. Aylmer-Blacklin has a record of service of 6 years in the i RoyaJ Navy, 2 years in the 7th Dragoon Guards, 7 years in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and 9 months with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. He has served in the Persian Gulf, China, Port Arthur, West Africa, and Samoa, and wears 6 medals with 4 clasps — Persian Gulf medal, 1 clasp, 1899 ; Chinese medal, 1 clasp, 1900; Japanese medal, 1 clasp, 1904 ; West African medal, 1906 ; Coronation medal, 1902 ; Order of St. John of Jerusalem medal, 1905 ; and Royal Humane Society's medal, 1905. Q.M.S. E. J. Fraser was 21 years in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Intantry, and served in the Mediterranean. China (special service during the Revolution), South Africa, and Straits Settlements. He was for many years Q.M.S. , and for the past 2 years has been a member of the New Zealand Permanent Staff. He holds the Long Service and Good Conduct medal. Sergt.-Major G. Keble's record is made up of 15| years in the Ist King's Dragoon Guards (latterly as a sergeant), 9 months in tfie New Zealand Railway Engineers, and 3 months on the New Zealand Permanent Staff. He served in India, and South Africa, and wears the Delhi Durbar medal. Sergt.-Major W. Denman spent 3 years as a private in the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 7 years as a sergeant in the Ist King's Dragoon Guards, and 3 years in the Volunteer Siege Artillery. He has been on the New , Zealajid Permanent Staff 3 months. Sergt.-Major A. E. Spencer, who served 1 year in the College Rifles, Christchurch, has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff 6 months. Sergt.-Major C. J. Gearing was a lance-sergeant in the Welsh Regiment, in which he served 9 years. He has been on the New Zealand Permanent Staff 6 months.