LATE PETONE OFFICER

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 98, 26 April 1916, Page 7

LATE PETONE OFFICER

NEWS OF HIS DEATH.

Mrs. Hilda Hastings, wife, of Major Norman F. Hastings, D.5.0., New Zea- X land Expeditionary Force, and formerly of Petone, has been advised that her i husband died of. wounds at Gallipoli on or about. 12th August last. • Firs' be was reported wounded, then missing, and | now the worst fears of his relatives and friends have been confirmed: . Notwithstanding' every effort made by the military authorities, no trace of the deceased officer could be found after his arrival at the hospital ship. The late Major Hastings, who was the eldest son. of Mrs. G. F Hastings, Brooklyn, was thirty-five years, of age, and lived ■at Petone. In civil life_ lie was an engineer. Ho served in the BoeiWar with Damant's Horse and Hamilton's Brigade, returning to New Zealand with the King's Medal and two clasps and the Queen's Medal with three clasps. After the Boer War he took an activts' part in military matters in New Zealand, and in 1912 was gazetted captain of the Maimwatu Mounted Rifles. On the day of the declaration of war with Germany he offered his services, and left for the front with the Main Body as captain ia the Wellington Mounted Rifles. He was afterwards promoted to the rank of major, for which rank he had qualified before leaving the Dominion. For his services at Gallipoli he received the Distinguished. Service Order, and was awarded the Chevalier's Cross, Legion of Honour, by the President of, France. Colonel Meldrum, C.M.G., O.C. of the. Wellington Mounted Rifles, writing to Mrs. Hastings, states: "I would have written sooner, but have been in hospital, and am only just getting about again. lam very sorry to say that; after making the fullest enquiries, I can only come to the one possible conclusion : that your husband died at sea about 12th August, 1915, from wounds received at Gallipoli. He was wounded at Chimuk Bair on the morning of 9th August. I saw him just after he was wounded. He held out his hand to me and said, ' I'm f sorry, colonel; I did my best; but they've got mo this time.' I said, 'I know you did, old chap.' I then asked him if he would take the risk of being earned down to the dressing-station, or wait till dusk for the stretcher-bearers. He said he thought he had better go down at once. I lifted him on to Sergeant Peed's back, and the sergeant .carried him down the. hill. That was the last I saw of him. He was one ofmy best officers, was always to be depended upon, and always did good work. I was glad to see he received such distinguished honours for his services."