TERRITORIALS.

Evening Star, Issue 16626, 8 January 1918, Page 2

TERRITORIALS.

' [By SKtnmanEß.J Items of interest concerning Corps (Town and Country), shooting and Terntonal notes generally will be accepted. Copy, addressed to “ Skirmisher,” should be in hand not later than Monday morninrj. According to tho latest * Gazette,’ Lieutenant R. D. Yeitch is temporarily attached for duty to the South Island Battalion of tho New Zealand Post and Telegraph Corps, having heen transferred from the North Island Battalion. Dated Bth December, 1917. Tho undermentioned second lieutenants to ho lieutenants ns from 27th November, 1917, both of 14th (South Otago) Regiment:—Robert -W. Stanley Dotting, under the provisions of paragraph HI., General Regulations, 1913; and Vernon A. Norrish. Captain W, H. Borrie, M.8., Univ. N.Z., Medical Corps, has been promoted to major as from 14th October, 1917. The Auckland ‘ Herald ’ recently gave an account of an extremely peculiar position in which an unmarried man of military ago found himself in regard to liability to active service. When the national register was behig compiled the man in question duly sent in his name,, received his certificate of registration, and waited for his name to bo drawn in the ballot. The announcement that tho First Division was exhausted found tho youth still uncalled. He straightway offered himself for enlistment, but was informed by the local military authorities that he could not bo accepted for service, because voluntary enlistment for full-age First Division men had been officially closed. His employers became concerned as to their responsibility for. employing an unenlisted man of military years, but their anxiety was appeased by tho production of an official certificate that ho had offered his services as a soldier and been rejected. Apparently someone, somewhere, had blundered in allowing him to escape fronf the military drag net, for he was officially informed that no responsibility for the odd situation rested upon himself, and that he could continue his work with equanimity. A monolith at the Featherston Cemetery, erected in memory of soldiers who had died while in training at Featherston camp, was unveiled by the Minister of Defence in .the presence of a large gathering of soldiers and civilians. Colonel Adams and Sir James Allen made impressive speeches. As the flag fell from the column 10 trumpeters sounded the ‘ Last Post,’ followed immediately by ‘ Lead, Kindly Light,’ played by tho camp band. A very fine and artistic souvenir of the Featherston camp has been, published, which gives the history of the camp from its inception. The ‘book affords most interesting reading, and is full of splendid photographs taken from time to time. The following names are engraved on tho monument as a roll of honor: —Privates William Payne, John R. Reid, William H. Ellis, Reynold V. Colenso, Arthur G. Tyler, Rodger J. Byrnes, John F. Burnett, Andrew McGregor. Alton G. Ogle, James Smith, Thomas L. Wilson, Ralph C. Tucker. Thomas King, James Cruickshank, Matthew J. Biggar, R.Q.M.S. William F. Bright, Private Patrick J. Joyce, and Sergeant Albert E. Foot’d. An indication of the amount of work being done by the Financial "Assistance Board, and of the amount of assistance that is being given, is contained in a report presented to the Minister of Defence. The total annual value of the assistance grants already given by the board is £117,573, and this represents a total number of 3,441 grants made. During the month of November tho Minister approved of the payment of 782 grants, of a total annual value of £27,289. It is expected that the remainder of Glass A of the ’ Second Division of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force-Reserve will be called up en bloc in a few days’ time, but the men will not be required to enter camp before June. .Defence Headquarters has received a limited supply of new ribbon to suspend the New Zealand long and efficient service medal. The ribbon is a crimson band with two white stripes in tho centre. Buies have been laid down by General Headquarters for medical attendance on all sick and .wounded soldiers who are members of the Expeditionary Force, the Home Service Branch, Military Police, Ordnance Department, Army Pay Department, and Territorial and Senior Cadets when on service. The principle underlying the rules is that all soldiers are to be treated in public hospitals (either as inpatients or out-patients). In Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch the A.D.M.s will take direct medical charge of all men who otherwise would bo out-patients. Any soldier requiring medical assistance must apply to the nearest Defence Office, whore he will ho told the name® of the medical officer he must consult. In the event of medical attention being required urgently, the soldier may call in the nearest available doctor, who must notify the nearest Defence Office within 12 hours. Soldiers from camp and on home service must themselves see that notification is given. The department will pay ol, ly. f° r emergency medicines ordered in writing by an authorised doctor. Tho department will not recognise any liability if these instructions are disregarded Captain E. P. Lacey returned on Saturday night from Auckland, having proceeded there to take charge of the South Island draft of invalided soldiers who returned to New Zealand by troopship 130 via Sierra Leone and Hobart. Captain Lacey states that the men were milch benefited by the voyage home. There were no cot cases, and only two severe cases of shell shock. Among this draft was Captain Geo. H, Ferguson, who returns to New Zealand on dutv.

A Royal warrant issued regarding the medals of an officer or soldiers dying on service .prescribes that, if there is a "will, the medals shall bo sent to the person who, in the opinion of the Secretary of State, is intended to receive them. In default of and subject to such disposition, the medals shall he sent to tho next of kin in the following order of relationship: Widow, eldest surviving son, eldest surviving daughter, father, mother, eldest surviving brother, eldest surviving sister, eldest surviving half-brother, eldest surviving half-sister. In the case of a universal or residuary bequest to more than one person, or where medals cannot be disposed of as mentioned above, they may be sent to any relative or other interested party who, in the opinion of the Army Council, will preserve them with due care as a memorial of the deceased. The insignia of orders and decorations issued after death are to be handed to the next of kin. An extract from a letter written by Sir Thomas Mackenzie appears in 1 Defence Notes ’ by “ Bullseye ” in the ‘ Weekly Press,’ and sets forth how a young submarine commander won the V.C. The letter inns as follows:—“A Victoria Cross has heen given to a young submarine commander for a deed which shows that the spirit of our Navy is still of tho very highest. One day he suddenly sighted two German submarines, one of which he was smart enough to sink, and tho other was so taken by surprise that the crew surrendered. Ho then took command of the German submarine (it might bo said that he is an excellent German scholar), transferred tho uniforms from the German officers to his own, and set out for Heligoland, and on arrival ho sent a wireless purporting to detail his exploits and the number of British ships ho had sunk, and asking for further instructions. He was told to proceed in a certain direction, accompanied by a German destroyer. In due season he sank tho destroyer, returned homo, 'and received a well-earned Victoria Cross.