BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 117, 20 May 1941, Page 8

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Major-General Sir John Duigan, who has been a soldier since his youth, has the distinction of being the first New Zealander to be appointed Chief of the General Staff in New Zealand. He has held this position since March, 1937, when he succeeded Major-General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess. His term of office has been extended three times.

A son of the late Mr. James Duigan, who was a former editor of the "Wanganui Herald," he was born and educated in Wanganui, and was one of the youngest men to serve in the Boer War. He joined the New Zealand Permanent Forces in 1903 and received his commission in 1905. In the Great War

he was mentioned in dispatches and decorated. After holding responsible posts overseas, he returned to the Dominion, and in 1919 was appointed Chief of Staff of the Northern Command, with headquarters at Auckland. Later he became Officer Commanding the Northern Command, and held that appointment until he was appointed Chief of the General Stiaff. A great deal. of responsibility fell upon him when the present war broke out in the organisation of the country's defences, the development of the mobilisation scheme, and the general furtherance of the military side of New Zealand's war effort. Last year Sir John led the New Zealand delegation to the Eastern Group Conference at Delhi, and later visited Egypt, where he saw the New Zealand troops, and Greece. He has also paid visits to Australia in connection with defence matters. Major-General Sir Guy Williams succeeded General Sir Edmund Iron-side-as G.0.C.-in-Chief, Eastern Command, in October, 1938. He is " 59 years of age. His appointment to the Eastern Command was described as an excellent one. One rniltary writer at that time said that there were few officers who had such varied experience or knowledge of the Army. He commanded a tunnelling company during the war of 1914-18, at the conclusion of which he was Infantry Brigadier. Subsequently he had much staff exIperience in India as well as the com-