ARMY COMMANDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25084, 23 December 1944, Page 8

ARMY COMMANDS

DISTRICT CHANGES GENERAL BELL RETIRING SUCCESSOR APPOINTED (O.O.) WELLINGTON. Friday It is announced that Brigadier L. Potter, D.5.0., N.Z.S.C., lately of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific, has assumed command of the Central Military District, in succession to Brigadier A. B. Williams, D.5.0., R.N.Z.A., formerly head of the New Zealand Joint Staff Mission in Washington. Brigadier Williams is expected to succeed Major-General P. H. Bell, C.8., D.5.0., N.Z.S.C., who has commanded the Northern Military District since late in 1940. It is anticipated that General Bell's retirement from the service of which ho has been a member for many years will tako effeOt early in the New Year. General Bell's Service General Bell's command of the Northern District embraced the most difficult period, that of the emergency caused by Japan's entry into the war, which has ever been experienced by the home defence forces. The Northern District was the chief area of activity and the administration commanded by General Bell carried out its task as efficiently as it faced the subsequent time of reduction. General Bell's share in the work which was done was recognised in the last New Year honours, when he was awarded the C.B.

After being educated at the Wanganui Collegiate School, General Bell was employed in Wanganui for a time before he enlisted at the outbreak of tho last war for service with the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force. While in Wanganui he was a prominent oarsman and Rugby footballer. His service in tho last war was of unusual distinction and in addition to tho award of the D.S.O. and the French Croix de Guerre, he was thrice mentioned in despatches. He rose to the command of the Ist and later the 3rd Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade, his service being in Western Egypt and France. After the war General Bell had varied service in the New Zealand Regular Forces, including periods at Hamilton, Wellington, Christchureh and Auckland. In 1928 he was selected to command the Samoa Military Police, a speciallyrasied force sent to Samoa during the Mau trouble. He returned from Samoa in 1929. At tho outbreak of war General

Hell was officer commanding the Southern Military District, but early in 1940 he went to Army Headquarters, Wellington, as Quartermaster-Genoral. He relinquished this appointment in October of the same year on appointment to the command of the Northern District. He was appointed an additional aide do camp to the King in February, 1942. New Commander's Work Brigadier Williams, who is expected to succeed General Bell, has had varied service in the last few years. He was on loan to the Australian Military Forces in 1939 and while in Australia took a large detachment of Royal Australian Air Force personnel to Darwin during the Commonwealth's preparations Tor war. Ho later went to Singapore for special duty. After his return to New Zealand Brigadier Williams became commander of the Royal New Zealand Artillery. He next spent 18 months in Washington as head of the Now Zealand Joint Staff Mission. On his return to New Zealand about n year ago he was appointed to command the Central District. In the last war Brigadier Williams served with distinction in the New Zealand Field Artillery, won the D.S.O. and was mentioned in despatches. Brigadier Potter was general staff officer (first grade) at Northern Military District headquarters at the outbreak of war and held this appointment until late in 1940, when a reconstitution of the home defence forces was effected and be was appointed to command the Central Field Force in the Central Military District. However, he was shortly afterward appointed to command one of the tank battalions of the Ist New Zealand_ Army Tank Brigade, formed and trained in New Zealand as an Expeditionary Force reinforcement. Early in 1942 he was given command of a brigade whitfh served in Fiji. He returned to New Zealand in 1912 and left again at the end of the same year for service in New Caledonia and later the Solomons with the Third Division. He was awarded the D.S.O. for service against the .Japanese. DRIVER'S LEG BROKEN i().C ) WHANG AHET. Friday A fracture of the left log was suffered by Mr L. Payne, a truck driver, of Maunu, this afternoon in Wliangarei when the engine of the motor-truck he was cranking back-fired and the handle, swinging back, struck his leg. Ho was admitted to the Whangarei Hospital, i