THE THIRD BRIGADE

Evening Star, Issue 20585, 10 September 1930, Page 9

THE THIRD BRIGADE

NEW COMMANDING OFFICER The appointment of Lieutenantcolonel H. E. Barrowclough, D. 5.0., M.C., late officer commanding the Otago Regiment, to the command of the Third Infantry Brigade, vice Colonel J. Hargest, D. 5.0., M.C., whose term of service has been completed, is gazetted. Lieutenant-colonel Barrowclough is transferred from the Reserve of Officers to the active list with the rank of colonel, while Colonel Hargest is posted to the Reserve of Officers Originally with the 7th Regiment of New Zealand Mounted Rifles, James Hargest enlisted with the main body and was posted to the 7th Squadron, Otago Mounted Rifles, and went into camp at Tahuna Park with that unit for training. He was commissioned before leaving New Zealand and appointed troop leader., : Though not in the landing, he saw service with his regiment on Gallipoli, where he was wounded and later invalided to New Zealand. Inaction was foreign to his nature, however, and he returned to the front almost immediately and rejoined his unit, which was then doing garrison duty at Ferry Post oh the Suez Canal.

On the reorganisation of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and its expansion to a division in the April of 1916, Second-lieutenant J. Hargest, with a number of other mounted rifle officers, was transferred to _ the Otago Regiment, with which unit' he proceeded to France. Soldierly qualities will out, and by September, 1916, he had been promoted to the rank of captain and commanded the 10th (North Otago) Company, First Otago. During the twenty-three days the regiment was engaged in the Somme fighting Captain Hargest was most conspicuous by his personal disregard for danger and his natural powers of leadership, the successful record of his battalion being in ho small way due to his efforts.

Throughout the lighting at Messines, in the vicinity of Ploegstert Wood and in the Ypres Salient, he (now Major Hargest) took the lion’s share and commanded temporarily both the First and Second Battalions with outstanding success. It was'in front of Messines that Major Hargest was instrumental in performing, one of the most amazing feats in the history of the regiment. On the night of April 13, 1917, 400 men of them first battalion constructed an assembly trench 1,100 yards in length under the very eyes of the enSray without a single casualty being incurred. The trench was necessary as a jumping-off place for an impending attack, and shortly before 10 o’clock the men left the trench and commenced digging the positions. On account of the large number of men employed and the close proximity of the enemy trenches the undertaking was a hazardous one, but apart from a certain amount of desultory shelling the night passed off without incident, and by 3 o’clock the whole party was clear of the area.

To Major Hargest, as commander of the First Battalion, Otago Regiment, fell the honour of being the first New Zealand commander to pursue the enemy when he commenced to “ run ” in the vicinity of Hebuterne on August 13,1918. His splendid work during the next few weeks led to his promotion to lieutenant-colonel in command of the second battalion of his regiment, and the record of this unit is one of which any commander would feel justly proud. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross, and was twice mentioned in despatches, while the French Nation admitted him to the Legion of Honour (Croix de Chevalier).

After his return to New Zealand at the conclusion of hostilities Lieutenantcolonel Hargest was appointed to the command of the Second Battalion, Otago Regiment (now the First Battalion, Southland Regiment), with headquarters at Invercargill. His success in peace time was just as marked as it was during his period on active service, and on August 1, 1926, he was appointed colonel and given command of the Third N.Z. Infantry Brigade, which appointment he now vacates, having completed the prescribed term of four years. Colonel Barrowelough’s connection with the Otago Regiment dates back to 1913, when he joined the Otago University Platoon nf C Company as a private. The following year he attended a non-commissioned officers’ class on the outbreak of war in preparation for going into camp with tne Expeditionary Force. Early in 1915 Semc-nt (temporary) Barrowclough joined the Otago Company in camp at Trentham, where he was confirmed jn_ his rank. His appointment to commissioned rank came through in May, 1915, when he was transferred to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. With his unit Lieutenant Barrowclough proceeded to Egypt in October, 1915, and took part in the Senussi campaign, in Western Egypt, and the defence of the Suez Canal. In March,. 1916. with the rank of captain he was appointed second in command qt A Company, Second Battalion, Third New Zealand Rifle Brigade. The following month Captain Barrowclough proceeded

to France, and was in all the actions in which the brigade took a part, including Armentiers, Somme, Laventie, and Messines. He was wounded in the latter engagement and in\ alided to England. On his return to duty ho was appointed to the command of t)io . :ftlt (Reserve) Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, at Brockton, with the temporary rank of major. Returning to the western front in Deoembei, lull. Major Barrqwclough was ippo.nted to the command of the brigade school at Ouderdom, which position he filled-till his return to' his unit in 1918. After taking part in the Somme opera lions of that year he was appointed second in command of the Fourth Battalion. On the commanding officer (Colonel Beere) becoming a casualty Major, Barrowclough assumed command of the battalion, with the temporary command of lieutenant-colonel, a rank which ho held till the signing of the armistice in. November, 1918. At the cessation of hostilities ho was appointed Assistant Director of Education to the New Zea- ' land Expeditionary Force in Franco and Germany, being attached to tho headquarters staff of the New Zealand Division. ,

In 1919 he returned to New Zealand, and was appointed second in command of the First Battalion. Otago Regiment, and later succeeded Lieutenantcolonel J. H. Moir as officer commanding the unit, which post he held till September, 1929. Colonel Barrowclough is best remembered in connection with the sensational capture of Le Ouesnov in the final davs of the war, when his unit scaled the walls of the old-fashioned town by, means of ladders in the face of a heavy machine-gun fire. For his war service Colonel Barrowclough was awarded the Military Cross, the Croix de Guerra (aveo palraes). and a Distinguished Service Order, in addition to being mentioned in despatches. .