SOUTH ISLAND AREAS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 90, 12 October 1940, Page 9

SOUTH ISLAND AREAS

COMMANDERSAPPOINTED

The announcement of further appointments 'of area commanders for the^Home Guard has-been made by the Minister of National Service (the Hon. R. Semple).

"The area commanders now appointed," said Mr..Semple, "all belong to the South Island. All the appointments have been made after; consultation. with the Dominion Commander, MajorGeneral Young, the Returned Soldiers' Association, and local • authorities, and I am- very pleased to notice the fine records of; those who are giving their time gratis to this • worki" .•

The following appointments were announced:— -

Area 10c Headquarters, Ashfcjurton.— Captain Eric Cockrof t: Captain Cockroft served'with the N;Z.E.F. in Samoa in> 4915, returning to New Zealand in 1916., He then proceeded to- France, where he served in 1917 and 1918 as a lieutenant in the New Zealand Machine-gun Corps. , Since the last war he has had service .in the .Territorial Force, and has-been promoted to therank of captain. Captain Cockrof t is a schoolmaster; at Ashburton.

Area lla Headquarters, Oamaru.— Major John ; Franklin, Tonkin, M:C: Major Tonkin . served - with the N.Z.E.F. in Egypt, > Gallipoli, -. and

France' from 1915 to 1919. He was awarded the Military .Cross, the French Croixde Guerre, arid" mentioned in dispatches. On returning to New Zealand he. continued to serve for some time with' the ■ Canterbury Regiment. Major Tonkin is manager at Oamaru for Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd.

Area 11 Headquarters, Dunedin.— Lieutenant. Francis Boyd Adams: Lieutenant Adams • served in . the N:Z.E,F. with the Otago Regiment from 1916 to 1919. He is well known in Dunedin, and "is Crown Prosecutor in that city. . ■ ■■;

Area . 12a' Headquarters, Gore.— Lieut-Colonel ' Ernest Frank Selby,7 SI.C.:" Lieut-Colonel. Selby left. New Zealand with. the - Main \ Body as" a sergeant in the Otago . Regiment. He; gained his commission in the. field, serving in Egypt, Gallipoli,: and France, and rose .to.the. rank of temporary major. '.On returning- to New Zealand in 1919 .he continued to serve with the Territorial Force for a number of years, rising to the rank of lieutenantcolonel, and commanding the Ist Battalion of: the Southland Regiment. Lieut-Colonel Selby is an accountant, and is' a well-known member of the Returned' Soldiers' Association at Gore. •

Area 12 Headquarters, Invercargill.— Captain William Bell: Captain Bell served in the SN;Z.E.F. from 19.14 to 1920. He took" part •in campaigns in Egypt, Gallipoli, and France. He is a farmer, living at Wopdburn, , and is

very well known in: Invercargili,

Mr. Semple also said that at present he was considering further recommendations for the ; North. Island, and anticipated that . a . further announcement concerning these would be made; next;week.