AUCKLAND MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24142, 8 December 1941, Page 9

AUCKLAND MEN

UNIT COMMANDERS DEATH OF COLONEL OAKES ALL BLACK AMONG MISSING Reported killed in action, LieutenantColonel T. H. E. Oakes, M.C., was a well-known Auckland business man. His sister is the Countess of Orford, whose New Zealand home is at Manure wa. Educated at Lancing College and the .Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, Lieutenant-Colonel Oakes served in the Great War with the Royal Artillery. He later went to India with his regiment, but retired from the Army about 1926. He came to Auckland in 1928 and entered business. On the outbreak of the present war he enlisted and for a period was officer commanding the stli Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery. He went overseas with the Second Echelon and recently was in command of an anti-tank regiment. Lieutenant-Colonel Oakes was keenly interested in horses and hunting, and was a prominent member of the Pakuranga Hunt. The well-known Rugby All Black, Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Page 5> is reported as wounded and missing in operations in Libya. He was promoted to the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel in February, 1940, and was posted to command the 27th (CanterburyOtago) Battalion temporarily. He represented New Zealand at Rugby football in 1931-32-34-35, touring Great Britain with the 1935 team. After playing in three games he was injured and in the opinion of prominent critics his absence weakened the attacking combination of the side.

Reported to be missing, LieutenantColonel H. C. Kippenberger, of Christchurch,' distinguished himself in the Crete campaign, where, for his courage and skill as the commander of a composite' brigade, ho was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Aged about 44 years, he is a son of Mr. and Mrs. K. Kippenberger, of Waimate, and was educated at the Christchurch Roys' High School. Joining the Canterbury Regiment in 1916 as a private, he went overseas with the 12th Reinforcements, and was wounded in France just before the end of the war, being invalided home. In 1936 lie was appointed lieutenant-.colonel in command of the Ist Battalion, Canterbury Regiment. He enlisted at the outbreak of the present war and left with the First Echelon. He practised as a solicitor at Rangiora. Official advice has been received that Lieutenant-Colonel C. Shuttleworth, X.Z.S.C., is reported missing. Lieut-tenant-Colonel Shuttleworth, who is one of the youngest officers in the New Zealand Staff Corps, received his rank to command an Auckland infantry battalion in the Third Echelon. Possessor of a notable record in both the Great War and the present conflict, Lieutenant-Colonel G. Dittmer, M.8.E., M.C., N.Z.S.C., commander of the Maori Battalion, is among the wounded in Libya. Lieutenant-Colonel Dittmer went overseas with the Main Body in the last war, being a sergeant in the 6th Hauraki Company, Auckland Battalion. He served in Gallipoli, and was granted a commission on May 31, 1915. From Gallipoli and Egypt, lie went to France and Belgium, serving throughout the war, and returning to New Zealand in 1919, -having been wounded more than once in action and being awarded the Military Cross for gallantry.

In New Zealand, Lieutenant-Colonel Dittmer was one of the members of the first group of N.Z.E.F. officers to be

accepted fb# the JtfeW Z&al&nd Staff Cw:ps, Practically the whole of his eer* viqe was in the Northern Military Dis* tribt, his last pre-war appointment being as commandant of the Northern Military District School of Instruction at Narrow Neck. After the outbreak of war he was area staff officer to the No. 1 Area, and was in charge of the Auckland area recruiting for the Expeditionary Force. Later he assisted in recruiting for the Maori Battalion and was promoted its commander with his present rank prior to the unit going overseas. Lieutenant-Colonel Dittmer gave heroic service during the Grecian campaign. Major A. C. Trousdale, of Howiek, who has been wounded in the Libyan campaign, is an officer in an Auckland infantry battalion and saw service in Greece, where he played a prominent part in helping a large number of Australian and New Zealand troops to safety in the retreat from island to island. Major Trousdale was for a time officer commanding Guards Vital Points at Auckland after the outbreak of war and went overseas with the Second Echelon. He was a member of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council. the National Party and the Farmers' Xlnion, and a former chairman of the Howiek District High School Committee.

Advice that their younger son, Second-Lieutenant Bruce Ashton, was killed in action on November 24 has been received by Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Ashton, 146 St. Andrew's Road, Epsom. Mr. Ashton was aged 23 and was married. His wife is now living in Sydney. He enlisted at the end of 1939 and was commissioned before he went overseas early this year. Mr. Ashton was educated at the Auckland Grammar School and was employed on the staff of the TTnion Assurance Company. He took a keen interest in tennis, yachting and Rugbv football, and was a member of the Rugby Referees' Association. National Party Organiser News has been received by Mrs. J. M. Molloy, 4 Windmill Road, Mount Eden, that her only son, Captain Joseph Thomas Molloy, died on November 30 of wounds received in Libya. Captain Molloy, who was aged 29, went overseas with the New Zealand antitank regiment as a lieutenant, and after serving in Greece was promoted captain and transferred to the Field Artillery. Prior to enlisting Captain Molloy was divisional organiser for the National Party in the Auckland district. He was a member of the committee of the Amateur Operatic Society for a number of years and a member of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Formerly well-known m Auckland as a bass singer. Lieutenant Geoffrey Colledge. of Wellington, has been wounded in Libva. A son of Mrs. and the late Mr. A. G. Colledge, of Auckland. Lieutenant Colledge was born in England 35 years ago. He formerly took leading parts in productions bv the Auckland Amateur Operatic Society and the Auckland Choral Society. Official advice has been received that Lieutenant Campbell Laurie, of an Auckland infantry battalion, has been wounded in Libya. Mr. Laurie, who was a well-known Auckland commercial traveller, was commissioned __ in the Auckland detachment of the New Zealand Scottish Regiment and went overseas with the Third Echelon. Before his departure Mr. Laurie was married to Miss Mary Rogerson, daughter of Mr. H. M. Rogerson, of Auckland. Two Soldiers Killed The death from wounds of Private Jack Stanley Piatt, aged_ 22, occurred on November 23, according to advice received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. Piatt, of Henderson. Private Piatt was educated at the Henderson School and the Seddon Memorial Technical College and was on the staff of the National Trading Company. He was a member of the Suburbs Football Club for many years. His two brothers are also in the Forces. Second-Lieutenant F.. C. Piatt is in an Auckland territorial unit, and Sapper A. K. Piatt is with the forestry unit in England.

Advice has been received that Gunner Joseph Max Rogers, aged 27, of Auckland. a member of an anti-tank regiment, has been killed in action. He was educated at Te Mawhai High School and was for a number of years in the agricultural department of the Auckland Mental Hospital. Gunner Rogers was a married man with one child. NOTABLE ATHLETE i MAJOR MILLIKEN KILLED

PROMINENT IN CHRISTCHURCH Formerly of Auckland and since 1924 a prominent citizen of Christchurch, Major T. Milliken has been killed in action in Libya. Major Milliken, who was 45, was a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Milliken, of Morrinsville. Born at Culverden, North Canterbury, Major Milliken received his secondary education at the Christchurch Boys' High School, where he was dux and had an outstanding athletic record. He enlisted for service in the Great War, and had completed his training at Trentham when the Armistice was declared. Later he took the Bachelor of Laws degree at Auckland University College, and practised as a solicitor in Morrinsville and Auckland before going to Christchurch.

For some years, Major Milliken had been prominently associated with local body affairs, in Christchurch and, although he was overseas at the time, was re-elected to the Christchjirch City Council at the top of the poll in the elections last May. He was also chairman of the Canterbury division of the National Party. For many years he took a keen interest in the Territorial movement.

Major Milliken had a notable football career. He represented Auckland University College, New Zealand University and Auckland Province, captaining the last-named team in 1922 and 1923. He was later captain of Canterbury, and in 1927 he helped to select the* All Black team which toured South Africa the following year. Leaving New Zealand with the Third Echelon, Major Milliken saw service in the Grecian campaign. Of five brothers to serve in action, he is the second to lose his life, Lieutenant M. J.JNlilliken being killed at Gallipoli in 1915. MISSING ONLY FEW DAYS ;

AUCKLAND SOLDIERS SAFE

Official advice was received last night by the relatives of two Auckland soldiers reported missing a few days ago after taking part in the campaign in the Western Desert, that they are now safe. They are Temporary-Bomba-dier Louis Jacob Fisher, son of Mr. and Mrs. M. Fisher, 112 the Drive, Epsom, and Gunner George Robert Cowio McMillan, son of Mr. G. McMillan, of Dilworth Avenue, Remuera.