WAR CASUALTIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24340, 31 July 1942, Page 4

WAR CASUALTIES

MISSING AUCKLANDEES MILITARY CROSS WINNER NAMES AMONG THE WQUNDED Reported missing, Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Nelham Watson, of Auckland, is a young soldier who lias been given extraordinarily rapid advancement since b*3 left New Zealand with the 2nd Echelon. He won the Military Cross on Crete for gallantry at Malemi and for what were cited as outstanding qualities of leadership, tenacity and skill in handling his company and, at one stage, a whole battalion. He is an o bov of Nelson College. ... f Lieutenant-Colonel Watson s interest in the Army dates back a number ot years and at the time of his appointment to the Expeditionary Korce he held the rank of captain in a Wellington battalion. He was promoted to company commander while the 2nd Echelon was in Britain and rose to the rank ot major after his return to Egypt from Crete. His advancement to his present rank came recently. Meeting with Mr. Churchill Captain Noel M. E. Gibson, who is reported wounded, is the son of Mr. * • M. P. Gibson, headmaster of Dilwortn School. Captain Gibson left New Zealand with the 2nd Echelon and was given world-wide publicity when, in June of 1940, he and two other rsew Zealand officers were seen and spoken to bv Mr. Winston Churchill when they were passing No. 10 Downing Stiee • Later they were entertained to tea m the House of Lords by Lord GilfordCaptain J. E. Batty, reported missing. believed prisoner, is a member ot a well-known Auckland Rugby iaimly. He plavcd as a forward for Auckland Grammar School and the Grammar Old Boys' senior team, also gaming Auckland B representative honours. Hp was an enthusiastic golfer and a member ot the Titirangi club. His elder brother Sergeant W. Batty, Auckland and ISew Zealand Rugby representative, won tno D.C.M. in the first Libyan campaign. Played Against Springboks •V well-known Rugby footballer, Sergeant D. M. Whillans, has been reported Wounded. He came to Auckland from Canterbury after baying represented the latter grovince in 1J37, and being one of the try-getters against the Springboks. He joined the North fehote Club in 1938 and captained the senior team for two seasons. Sergeant Wlullans represented Auekland eight in 1938 and four times in 1939. A tan and fast forward, he was always prominent, in the loose. He was a : me ' nb of the police force, but resigned _ t join his father in business at lurakina. Second-Lieutenant A. E. Andrew s, reported missing in the Middle Eas , the eldest son of Mrs C. H. A " of Woodley Avenue, Remuera. He was j educated at Nelson College and is age 27. His wife resides m kelson. Lea\ g New Zealand late in 1940 as a bombaidier, Lieutonant Andrews served in the first Libyan campaign, gaming bis commission last May. Mentioned in Despatches Private Richard Lewis Luxford, who has been reported missing, is the vonnfer son of Mr. J. H. Lurford, 'senior stipendiary niacisiratejit Aeckland and Mrs. Luxford, of Orakei Road, Remuera. Private Luxford, who is machine-gun battalion in the lst Echelon and served m Libya, Greece and Crete. He was mentioned in dpsnatches for gallant conduct in Greece! at the. Remuera ' school, Ifi lfi School, at Apia, and the ' Whangarei High School, Private Lux- : ford took up sheep farming after leaving school. Before enlisting he was submanager of a_ station tor the Maher estate, near Wellington.. ~ Advice has been received by Mr. , George McMillan, of 6 Dilworth Avenue, Remuera, that his son, Gunner George McMillan, who has been serv- : ing in the Middle East with an artillery regiment, is reported wounded. Aged 34? Gunner McMillan, who was edu- . cated at King's College played senior cricket for the Parnell Club before going overseas. A brother, SecondLieutenant N. H. McMillan, was re- ; ported last week to have died ot wounds. AIRMAN KILLED THREE OTHERS MISSING Advice that their eldest son, Ser-geant-Pilot Malcolm Vernon Cato, has been killed in an aircraft accident has been received by Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Cato, of Te Kaha, Bay of Plenty. He was aged 25. He was educated at the Te Kaha Native School, where his father was master, and the Mount Albert Grammar School. Always a keen student of the Maori language, Sergeant Cato was very popular among Maoris in the Te Kaha district. When news of his death was received, a tangi | was held in his memory. Sergeant Cato was always prominent in Rugby football as a five-eighths, having played for ' his school and later for the North Shore club. The greater part of his j flying training was received in New i Zealand, although he passed through Canadian training schools before going on operations in Great Britain. Pilot-Officer J. J. Neville McCarthy, whose promotion to commissioned rank in a Royal Air Force bomber squadron > was announced recently, is ■ ported missing on air operations. WellI known in sporting circles, Pilot-Officer • McCarthy was one time champion ; walker of the Dominion. He was also a member of a police team which went to Sydney. Before going overseas, PilotOfficer McCarthy was a physical training instructor at a southern Air Forc«* r station. • Pilot-Officer D. A. Anderson, who has i been reported missing on an aircraft r flight over a sea route, is the youngest j son of Mr. and Mrs. T. D. Anderson, of 3 Avenham Walk, Mount Eden. Aged 25, he was educated at Kowhai School and Mount Albert Grammar School. Before enlisting with the R.N.Z.A.F. two years ago, Pilot : Officer ' Anderson passed his final examination > in accountancy. His wife resides at 106 Paratai Drive, Orakei. Leading-Aircraftman Arthur Norman Clayton, who has been reported missing in an aeroplane which carried MajorGeneral 0. H. Mead and others, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Clayton, of Cambridge. Born at Ngaruawahia 2-1 years ago. lie was educated at the Hamilton Technical High School. He was a motor mechanic before joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force two years ago. He is married. DEATH PRESUMED A WAIKATO AIRMAN (0.C.) HAMILTON. Thursday After being missing since last August Acting - Flight - Lieutenant Alexander George Herbert has been presumed dead. Flight-Lieutenant Herbert was the son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Herbert, of Frankton. He was born in Hamilton 24 years ago and was educated at the Hamilton Technical High School. Ho was employed in his father's bakery business before joining the Royal New I Zealand Air Force in July, 1940. FlightLieutenant Herbert was trained in New Zealand and received his commission before leaving in January, 1941. He was appointed to a bomber command and received rapid promotion in England before he failed to return from a bombing raid he was leading a year ago.