NEW YEAR HONOURS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 11 January 1944, Page 2

NEW YEAR HONOURS

MILITARY APPOINTMENTS FURTHER LIST ANNOUNCED Wellington, This Day. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, has received advice from the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs that His Majesty the King has been pleased to approve as New Year’s honours the following appointments to orders and promotion and appointment to the Royal Red Cross.

To be a member of the military division of the third class of Companion °f the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C. 8.): Brigadier William George Stevens, C.B.E. (Wellington).

To be commanders of the military division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (C.8.E.): Colonel James Roberts Boyd, M.C. (Wellington); Right Reverend Bishop George Vincent Gerard, M.C. (Napier).

To be officers of the military division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (0.8. E.): LieutenantColonel Eardley Lorimer Button (Wellington); Lieutenant-Colonel James Ferris Fuller (Dunedin). To be members of the military division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (M.8.E.): Major David Adamson Clark (Wellington); Major Alban Vincent Knapp (Wellington); Major Donald Stuart Gore Marchbanks (Wellington). To be a member of the Royal Re 4 Cross (R.R.C.): Matron Doris Irene Brown, A.R.R.C., of Tauwhare, Hamilton. To be an jsociatc of the Royal Red Cross (A.R.R.C.): Sister Edith Jo Wilson, of Pukekawa R.D., Tuakau. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES BRIGADIER STEVENS Brigadier Stevens served in the last war and became a major in February, 1918. He remained with the army on his return to New Zealand and shortly after the outbi’eak of the present war went to England with the acting-Prime Minister. From January, 1941, he was appointed assistant adjutant and quar-ter-master-general with the headquarters of the Second N.Z.E.F. and was promoted colonel in July of that year. In April, 1941. he was mentioned in dispatches and appointed C.8.E., military division,, for distinguished service in the Middle East. He became a brigadier in 1941 and in August, 1942, was appointed commandant at Maadi Camp, in addition to his other appointment. BISHOP GERARD Bishop Gerard, following a distinguished sports career at Christ’s College, Christchurch, obtained a commission in the Royal West Kent Regiment in the last war and was awarded the Military Cross while serving in France. During the present war he was captured by the enemy but was repatriated in April, 1943. He is at present overseas with the Second N.Z.E.F. in the Pacific. COLONEL BOYD Colonel Boyd served in the Great War and gained a Military Cross in France for conspicuous gallantry in rescuing men who had beep buried in a dug-out. Returning to New Zealand he resumed medical practice and at the outbreak of the present war he was appointed to command the medical division of No. 1 General Hospital. LT.-COLONEL BUTTON Lieut.-Colonel Button left New Zealand with the Expeditionary Force early in 1940, as a major attached to No. 1 General Hospital, and was subsequently given command of No. 4 General Hospital, relinquishing this appointment to become officer commanding the surgical division of No. 3 General Hospital. LIEUT.-COLONEL FULLER Lieut.-Colonel Fuller went overseas with the Second N.Z.E.F. as assistant Director of Dental Services and was promoted lieut.-colonel in July, 1941. Major Marchbanks served with the Railway Construction Company and was mentioned 1 in dispatches in March, 1942. Major Clarke served overseas with the Railway Operating Company and returned to New Zealand last year and resumed civilian employment with the Railways Department. Major Knapp left the Post and Telegraph Department to proceed overseas with the Second Echelon and became assistant Director of Postal Services in the Middle East. He subsequently proceeded to England on a tour of duty. Matron Brown left New Zealand with the First Echelon and was mentioned in dispatches in 1941 and 1942. She was made an associate of the Royal Red Cross and returned to New Zealand in July, 1943.

Sister Wilson left with the Second Echelon and returned to New Zealand in 1942.—P.A.