FORMER AUCKLANDER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21359, 7 December 1932, Page 11

FORMER AUCKLANDER

MR. F. W. DOIDGE HEALTH TRIP ARRANGED LONDON; Dec. 5 Mr. F. W. Doidge, formerly of New Zealand, secretary to Lord Beaverbrook's Empire, Crusade, will sail bv the Moldavia on a. health trip to Australia. Mr. Fred W. Doidge was born af Coot a . mundra, New South Wales, in 1885. He came to New Zealand from Australia by the Elingamite. which was wrecked on the Three Kings. He was one of those who reached Houhora in one of the ship's boats and were picked up by the Clansman and brought, to Auckland. For some years Mr. Doidge was engaged in journalism in this city. He went to the war in 1916 and fought at Gallipoli and in France. Invalided to London he became a. member of the staff of the. Ministry of Information. There he came under the notice of Lord Boaverbrook, managing proprietor of the Daily E\'| ross. After (ho armistice Mr. Doidge was offered a position on the literary staff of tho Daily Express, and very soon grew into prominence. He was I lion appointed circulation manager of the. Express, and so successful were, his efforts that it, was not, long before (lie paper's circulation increased from 650.000 daily to 1.000,000. Lord Beaverbrook showed his appreciation by appointing Mr. Doidge general manager of (lie Sunday Express, at a salary of £2OOO a voar. Later he joined the directorate of the Sunday Express. In I 1926 he was advanced io the board of directors of the Daily Express, of which Lord Beaverbrook is chairman. The Evening Standard was acquired by (ho Beaverbrook interests in 1927, and two years later Mr. Doidge was appointed a director of that journal.