NEW G.O.C.

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 67, 20 March 1937, Page 10

NEW G.O.C.

COLONEL J. E. DUIGAN

SIR W. SINCLAIR-BURGESS RETIRING

The appointment of Colonel J. E. Duigan, D.5.0., of the New Zealand Stall' Corps, commanding the Northern Command, as General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, in succession to Major-General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess, K.8.E., C.8., C.M.G., D.5.0., was announced today by tr- Minister of Defence (the Hon. j F. Jones). Sir William is retiring at the end of the month on superannuation. Colonel Duigan has had a distinguished career on active service and in the Permanent Defence Forces, and he has had wide experience in almost every branch of Army work. He was born in New Zealand in 1883, and was c active service in South Africa, where he served for two years in the ranks in the 2nd Brabant's Horse and 2nd Kitchener's Scojts. For three months he held a commission in the 10th New Zealand Contingent. • On returning to the Dominion he joined the Permanent Forces, and was appointed a cadet in January, 1903. He received h: commission in September, 1905, and held the rank of lieutenant until June, 1909, when he was promoted to a captaincy. In January, 1915, he was awarded his majority, and from October, 1918, to July, 1919, held the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel. The appointment was made permanent in August, 1919, when he became Chief Staff Officer of the Northern Command. On the retirement of Colonel \ H. H. Potter in 1930, Colonel Duigan | succeeded him as Officer Commanding the Northern Command. From July, 1908, to December, 1912, the new G.O.C. was instructor for signalling and engineer services in Wellington. Then for a short period he served as General Staff Officer (third class), and fro.n June, 1915, to November of that year he wes General Staff Officer of the Auckland military district. In December, 1915, he was appointed officer commanding the New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, and served in that capacity until January, 1917. He served for a month as General Staff Officer (third grade) at the Divisional Headquarters of the N.Z.E.F. before being promoted to General Staff Officer (second grade) attached to the 6th Army Corps, British Armies in France. From July 17 to December, 1917, he acted as General Staff Officer (second grade) to the New Zealand Infantry Reserve Brigade, and for the next three months he held the position of instructor at the Senior Officers' School of the N.Z.E.F. at Aldershoi. His next assignment was a special ap-' pointment from the War Office for propaganda work in the United States in connection with the Liberty Loan. Ho returned to New Zealand towards the end of 1918 and was given the position of Chief Infantry Instructor at Featherston Camp. From January, 1919, to July, 1919, he acted as General Staff Officer for the Auckland district, and since that time practically the whole of his activities have been in the Auckland Province, where he has won distinction as an outstanding officer. Colonel Duigan specialised in military engineering, which has become of great importance since the mechanisation of the Army, and for a period ho attended the Staff College for special instruction. He also studied at Quetta, a place of great strategic importance in Baluchistan. He was awarded the D.S.O. in 1919, and his work in the field was mentioned in dispatches. In 1936 he was appointed Aide-de-Camp (additional) to the King, in succession to Colonel F. Symon.