WHILE DOING THEIR DUTY

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 112, 8 November 1917, Page 7

WHILE DOING THEIR DUTY

CASUALTIES AT THE FRONT

Mrs. J. C. Gavin, of Karori, has received advice that her fourth son, Capt. N. J. H. Gavin, M.0., R.A.M.C., M.0., attached to the 14th Royal Irish Rifles, has died at the front as the result of an accident. Capt. Gavin was educated at the Terrace School and at the Wanganui Collegiate School. Subsequently he was for one year a student of Otago 'University, completing his medical course at Edinburgh. Prior to joining the army, Capt. Gavin was for some years engaged in work in mental hospitals in England. In August, .1915, he, joined the R.A.M.C. and in the following year won the Military Cross, in addition to which, in October last, he was awarded a bar. The lato Capt. Gavin was brother of the R«v. G. H. Gavin, who is serving as a chaplain to the New Zealand Forces.

Advjco has been received that R.flmn. Iramc Walhs, son of Mr. and Mrs P .15. Wallis, of Short-street, Masterton, was killed in action on 23rd October. At last evening's meeting of the Hutt .River Board, on the motion of the chairman (Mr. H. Baldwin.), a motion of sympathy was passed with Mr. Geo. Bowers a member of the-bongd, in the Joes of his son, Pie. W. Bovvers, recently Ifillcd in action. Deceased was farming in the Wairarapa at the time he enlisted in the 22nd Reinforcements. Pte. J. Spear, who was an old Napier High bchool boy, volunteered with the 13th Reinforcements. He was gassed and wounded and reported missing in France, and he was found later in a hospital in England. His old boy friends will be pleased to learn that he is im- j proving. Pte. J. Spear is a nephew'of i Mr. H. Spear, of Willis^treet. Pte. Charles H. Mo2'ton, third son of Mr. Frank Morton, of Sydney, the wellknown journalist, who left Australia son*:> time ag6, has been dangerously wounded in the chest, but is reported to be progressing. Pte. Morton, was former, ly with the Evening Post. Sgt. L. F. Copper (wounded) is a Wei- j lington boy. His parents have received ! word that lie has Veen admitted to the I New Zealand General Hospital, Brocken- j hurst, suffering from a gunshot wound in the left leg, and a compound fracture, severe. ' ' Lt. David Doull, of the Australian j Forces, who was severely wounded at i Quinn's Post during the Gallipoli cam- j j paign, i« at present on a visit to Wellington. At the last Federal election he contested the Cook seat (Sydney) against i the Labour candidate (Mr. Catts), and though defeated polled 13,000 votes. ! Pte. J. W. Omand, only son of Mr. P. S. Omand, Eoslyxi, diedon26fch Oct. from a gunshot wormd in the ch«st, received while in action on 12th October. He was educated at the Kaikorai and Maori Hill Schools, obtaining the dux medal at the | latter in 3908. Aftar leaving Ecbsol he i was employed in the business of Omand Bros, till the time of his enlistment with the 17th Reinforcements. He was an accomplished violinist, and was for a number of years an active member of the Philharmonic Society. Shortly after arriving in France he was requested to remain with an orchestra for entertaining the soldiers, hut he preferred to go into the trenches with his mates. From the latest advice received he was acting as brigade runner for Headquarters Staff. He was 22 years of age.

Sgt. Normand G. Ross (better known as "Tim" by the players of the Dunedin Football Club), with seven other companions, enlisted on the first day it was possible. He was one of the first ten who went iuto camp, and they took charge of the horses. He was the advanced rider in the route march that was of intense interest to the Dunedin public. He served on Gallipoli from beginning to end of the campaign, and went with thi; first New Zealanders to France. He was killed in action in the last great fight of the New Zealanders. Pte. Harry Philp Carse, son of Mr. H. Cane, master of the Kaiaka School .'near Mongonni, and nephew of Mr. A. B. { Philp, of Wellington Post Office staff, i has been wounded on the right leg by a gun shot, and is now in hospital in France. Before he enlisted he was farm- ', ing in the Mongonui district. He left with the 27th Reinforcements. Pte. Harry Todd (killed in action) was only 19 years of age when he left with the 19th Reinforcements. lie is the third and youngest member of the legal firm of Messrs. Bell, Gully, Bell, and Myers | to be killed at the front. A message of sympathy has been sent by the members of the firm to his relatives.