WHILE DOING THEIR DUTY

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 80, 1 October 1918, Page 8

WHILE DOING THEIR DUTY

CASUALTIES AT THE FRONT

At the age. of 23, Lance-Corporal Mar- I dock Alex. M'Donaldj whose widowed mother lives in Whangarei, has given his lifo for his country. Three of his brothers are in khaki. The late Lance-Corporal M'Donald passed through, the Auckland Training College, and took the B.A. degree. In June, 1914, he was appointed assistant-master of the Coromandel District High School. He volunteered foxactive service, and left the Dominion in January, 1917, with the 21st, Rein- 1 forcements. In England, while on leave, he was offered a position as instructor in the educational scheme for soldiers, being. inaugurated by. the Imperial Government, but preferred to return to duty at the front.

_ Private G. Windrum, who was killed in action recently,.was the son of Mr. G. ; 'Windrum, of the film.of G. ; -Windnimj and Sons; shipowners, of Liverpool andManchester.' Prior .to- arrival in New" Zealand he was engaged in sheep-farming in the Argentine,, coming to the Dominion some eight years ago^, ;In October,;. '1912,, he married Miss M.. E. Mason, daughter of Mr. F. Mason, of Onerahi, Whangarei, and, purchasing a property at Titoki,. he took -up sheep-farming there. He leaves a widow and one son." He' left New Zealand. with ;the -34th' Rein-' foreemepts, and was subsequently transferred to the Rifle Brigade. -In musical circles in Whangarei his, services as a first-class performer were much, in request. \, ■ : ;;,: •.; ■ .'• ■.■ ■ ■ .. ■

Private John M'Kay (killed in action), was the son of Mr. D. M'Kay, of Embo, Sutherland, : Scotland.: He; had ibeen on work since Septeihb'er.iWM/lbeing a 6_eainan,;also vi the R;\N.R. ,■ He left Wellington .with.the. .transport.; which,carried the troop's.to'Samoa,.and later went with tho 7th Reinforcements to" Egypt. . Then he had i a year's ,seryice;,on the hospital ship Maherio, and joined the naval transport which took the 21st Reinforcements Home. : Returning to New Zealand he enlisted in Auckland'in > June, 1917, and went away witbjthe, 33rd Specialists. His only , brother.was killed.in the battle of Mons. ■• ''■ '':."'■ -" '■"". -■■ '-. ■■ .;■ ■

Rifleman, Clarence F. Bezar, who iis suffering from a gunshot;; wound in the right hand, is the .-son of'Sgt:-major F. W: Bezar, of Wellington;(late 12th Reinforcements), and a grandson of Sergeantmajor E. Bezar, a British war veteran^ Rifleman Bezar, who left with the 35th Reinforcements, received his education ai the Marist' Brothers' School,; Newtown, and is very well known "in; swimming circles in Wellington, being the holder of some valuable trophies. He was* at one time on the staff of the Evening Post; and just before enlisting 'was in the service of the Union Steam Ship Company. >

Among the soldiers recently killed in action was Private E. A. Hogg, of Opotiki, brother of Lieutenant H. , R. Hogg, who has been twice wounded, and is now in. a serious condition. :

Private -W. J.; Fleet, of Petohe, who was.; dangerously ill as the result 'of wounds received in France, has now been reported removed from the dangerously ill list. Private, Fleet is the second son of Mrs. 'B. A. and the late Mr. H. Fleet, of Esplanade, Petona. He was a keen^sportsman airid well known in' football arid,cricket circles.

Sergeant Ernest 11. 'Dodd /(killed in . action) was in former years a' prominent Rugby- footballer, and .played in Wellington, . North Island and' New . Zealand representative matches. Sergeant : Dodd was a son of Mr. F. H. Dodd, formerly of the Post' and Telegraph Department. He was an old boy of Wellington College, and was for a number of years in the Wellington office of the New : 'Zealand Shipping Company. .'■■ \ ■'■. , L .. -Vi^'

' Flight-Lieutenant Jasper Naish, killed; in >Franco, was the only son of the, tote; Mr. Paul Naish, inspector of the, South 1;; African Bank, Cape Colony, airii griiml?; son of .the late -Mr. James 'Lissariian; Rangiora. Lieutenant Naish had served through the East African campaign, and •after recovery from an attack of malaria, ho_ went to England. He had been flying in. France for some months, and was wounded in July last. After spending ten days in England, b.e returned to France, where he was killed soon after; his arrival.

News has been received of the death in action of Lance-Corporal David Prouse Smith, Middlesex Kegiment, ImperiW Forces—an old Wellingtoniau. Larice-Cbrporal Smith was in Southall, England, when, war broke out, and he immediately enlisted with the Imperial Forces, and up- to the time of his death had seen four -years of active service.

■A case among the many severe Wows and sad losses sustained by New Zealand settlers individually, few could have fallen harder than that which camo to Mr. and Mrs. , Harry JElansen, of Strathmore, who lost their, twin song by the influenza outbreak on a transport at the beginning of this month (says the Taranaki Herald). One was buried at sea, and the other died a, few days later at Devonport. : Both were highly-esteemed young ', men and great comrades, and both died •; in the came •way within a few days of each, other.

Major J. J. Hammond, who has met his death while' on active service, was born in Feilding 32 years ago. He began flying in England twelve years ago, and was the first aviator 'south, of the Line. Returning to Europe, he waa one of the first in the air when'war broke out.. He had ' seen years .of.. servfee. Some six months ago he was reported as haying been sent to-'. America as an aviation instructor. It is not known yet how he lost his life. ' Major Hammond leaves a wife but no children.