BRIGADIER HARGEST

Evening Star, Issue 25037, 2 December 1943, Page 4

BRIGADIER HARGEST

SAFE ARRIVAL IN LONDON ; FINE ARMY RECORD (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 1. Brigadier J. Hargest, who was recently reported,to have arrived in Spain after having been for some time in Switzerland, where he went when he escaped from a prisoner-of-war camp in Italy, has arrived in England. Advice of his safe arrival was received today by the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. W. Nash, from the High Commissioner in London (Mr W. J. Jordan). " Everyone in the Dominion will be pleased at the news that Brigadier Hargest is free," Mr Nash said. "As the message I received is from Wimbleton, he is obviously staying with Mr Jordan, whose home is there. I expect that after he has' had a good rest in London Brigadier Hargest will

be doing what he can to help there prior to returning to the Dominion." Brigadier Hargest was taken prisoner in the Libyan campaign in 1941 when his headquarters were overrun by German mechanised., forces, and he was transferred, along with other captured New Zealanders, to a prison camp in Italy. About the end of March he and Brigadier R. Miles, whose death in Spain was announced last month, escaped into Switzerland. Brigadier Hargest, who is member of Parliament •for Awarua, was appointed to command the Fifth Infantry Brigade of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. in January, 1940. He has had a distinguished military career, dating back to 1914, when he left New Zealand with the Main Body Avith the rank of second lieutenant, He rose rapidly, and at the age of 26 was lieutenant-colonel in charge of the 2nd Battalion of the Otago Regiment.

For his services in the Greek and Cretan campaign in this war Brigadier Hargest received the Greek Military Cross (first class) and a Bar to his D.S.O. He also holds the Cross of the Legion of Honour, awarded to him by the French Government in the last war.

Tribute to Brigadier Hargest's military record in the last war was paid in the official history of the Otago Regiment, which stated: "In the course of his long connection with the regiment, Lieutenant-colonel Hargest, by his thoroughness, his soldierly abilty and bearing, his great sense of military honour, and his extraordinary energy and dash in action, commanded the highest admiration and confidence of all ranks . . ." .