OFFICER'S DEATH

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24141, 6 December 1941, Page 13

OFFICER'S DEATH

captain Mcdonald . ' FOUGHT IN GREECE OTHER WAIKATO LOSSES (0.C.) HAMILTON. Friday Advice has been received by Mrs. McDonald, of River Road, Hamilton, that her husband, Captain H. H. McDonald, N.Z.S.G., has been killed in action. Captain McDonald, who was 38, was educated at Wliangarei and the Auckland Grammar School, before entering the permanent staff of the New Zealand Military Forces. He was stationed in Timaru and Auckland before coming to Hamilton in 1937 as adjutant of the First Battalion of the Waikato Regiment.

On the outbreak of war, Captain McDonald took a prominent part in the organising and early training of the Hamilton National Military Reserve. He participated in the Greece campaign and was evacuated from there to Egypt. Besides his wife," he leaves two young children. Reported killed in action, Sergeant Ronald Henry Bonish, formerly of Frankton, went overseas with the third echelon. Born in 1903 at Oxford, Canterbury, Sergeant Bonish was educated at Christchurch, and was a Canterbury Rugby football representative. Before enlisting, he was employed by the Railway Department at Frankton. Mrs. A. G. Hornsey, of- Morrinsville, has been advised that her second son, Lance-Corporal Wilfred John Hornsey, was killed in action in Libya on November 25. Lance-Corporal Hornsey, who was 29, went overseas with the second echelon. He was educated at the Morrinsville High School, and subsequently entered the service of the Post and Telegraph Department, being stationed at Morrinsville, Whakatane, and then at Gisborne.

Mr. and Mrs. F. Martin, of Hamilton East, have received cabled advice that their son, Private Hames Martin, has been wounded in action. Private Martin, who was educated at the Marist Brothers' school, went overseas with the third echelon. A younger brother, Able-Seaman Albert Martin, is serving in the Royal Navy.

MAORI CAPTAIN KILLED PROMINENT RUGBY FOOTBALLER (0.C.) GISBORNE, Friday Three prominent Poverty Bay footballers are included among the casualties in the Libyan campaign, according to official advice received by their relatives to-day. Captain Parekura Tureia, of Gisborne, has been reported killed in action with the Maori Battalion. He was with the unit from its inception, and also' served with the Maori Pioneer Battalion in the last war. Captain Tureia was an outstanding Rugbv footballer. Ho played for tbe New Zealand Army team at the close of the 1914-18 war, and later for New Zealand Maori teams. He captained the Maori team which toured Australia. In civil life he was an employee of the Native Department, and was a gifted translator. Lieutenant Tuti Wi Repa, who has been wounded, is a son of Dr. Wi Repa, East Cape, and also gained distinction as a representative Rugby player. _ The death is reported of Private Patrick Haisman, another Rugby footballer of district prominence. He went overseas with the third echelon, and was in the campaigns in Graece and Crete. He was a Poverty Bay Rugby representative. KILLED IN WESTERN DESERT SIGNALLER FROM WHANGAREI (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Friday Advice has been received by Mrs. G. Rush, of Mill Road, Whangarei, that her eldest son, Lance-Corporal Alfred George Rush, was killed in the fighting in the Western Desert on November 25. Lance-Corporal Rush, who prior to enlisting was a member of the Post and Telegraph Department's staff, was well known in Northland, as he was for a period relieving officer and so was employed at many post offices in the area. He was born in Whangarei. He went overseas with the First Echelon, attached to the Headquarters Signallers. He saw service in Greece and was returned to Egypt, thus missing the Crete campaign.