BIRTHDAY HONOURS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24347, 11 July 1940, Page 6

BIRTHDAY HONOURS

LONG MILITARY LIST GENERAL DUIGAN KNIGHTED MANY AIRMEN INCLUDED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 10. His Excellency the Governor-Gene-ral Viscount Galway, announced today that his Majesty the King had been graciously pleased to confer the following honours on the officers and warrant officers whose names appear hereunder:— Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [K.B.E.] Major-general John Evelyn Ouigan, C. 8., D. 5.0., N.Z.S.C.. Chief of the General Staff. New Zealand Military Forces. Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [C.B.E.] Colonel Owen Herbert Rlead, D 5.0., N.Z.S.C.. A.D.C., Adjutant-general of the New Zealand Military Forces. Group-captain Leonard Monk Isitt, R.N.Z.A.F.. A.D.C. Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [0.8.E.] Lieutenant-colonel Albert Edward Conway, N.Z.S.C, Director of Mobilisation of the New Zealand Military Forces. Major James George McKay, V.D Wing-commander Hugh Bartholomew Burrell, R.N.Z.A.F. The Rev. George Trevor Robson, M.C., chaplain to the New Zealand Naval Forces. Lieutenant Herbert Albert Haynes, R.N. (retired). Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire [M.B.E.] Alfred James Harvey, commissioned gunner, Royal Navy. Flight-lieutenant Ivan Edward Rawnsley. R.N.Z.A.F. Flying-officer Albert Tom Giles, R.N.Z.A.F. Squadron Sergeant-major Charles Ethelbert Howell. Staff Sergeant-major William Leonard Glanville, New Zealand Permanent Forces. Regimental Sergeant-major Frank Allan Wetherall, R.N.Z.A. Warrant Officer James Edward Duncan, R.N.Z.A.F. AIR FORCE CROSS Squadron-leader H. N. C. RamsbottomIshenvood, R.A.F. Squadron-leader J. F. Moir, R.A.F. Flight-lieutenant J. R. Maling, R.A.F. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES Sir John Duigan Major-general Sir John Duigan has been in command of the military forces in New Zealand since 1937. In March of that year he was appointed General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces, and in October of the same year, on the reorganisation of the defence system, the title was changed to Chief of the General Staff. A New Zealander, born in 1882, he has been 40 years a soldier. His distinguished military career includes experience of almost every sphere of army work. He first saw active service in South Africa, serving for two years with the Second Brabant's Horse and the Second Kitchener's Scouts. For three months he held a commission in the Tenth New Zealand Contingent. He returned to New Zealand after the war and joined the permanent force as a cadet. In September, 1905, he received a commission, and in 1909 was promoted to captain. He was then instructor for the signalling and engineer services in Wellington, a position which he retained till 1912. Afterwards he was appointed General Staff Officer and from June, 1915, by which time he had attained the rank of major, he was General Staff Officer for the Auckland military district. . In December, 1915, he was appointed to command the New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, with which he served till early in 1917. After being attached for a short time to Divisional Headquarters of the N.Z:E.F., he was transferred to the headquarters of the Sixth Army Corps of the British armies in France. At the latter end of 1917- he acted as General Staff Officer for the New Zealand Infantry Reserve Brigade. Subsequently he was appointed instructor at the senior officers' school at Aldershot. The War Office then sent Major Duigan to the United States to carry out important propaganda work in connection with the Liberty Loan. Towards the end of the war he was appointed a temporary lieutenantcolonel, and on his return to

SOME OF THE OFFICERS WHO ARE MENTIONED IN THE NEW LIST OF HONOURS.

New Zealand |he: was made chief infantry instructor at Featherston Camp. For the fiij;t seven months of 1919 he was again <! eneral Staff Officer for the Auckland District. He became Chief Staff Officer! of the Northern Command and in'trie 10 years that followed he made an outstanding reputation for his energy! and administrative ability. His specialty of military engineering was of importance in view of the growing mecwimisation of army methods. He had ! joeen awarded the D.S.O. in 1919. his avork in the. field having also won me:a tion in despatches. In 1930. on the re'3 rement of Colonel H. R. Potter. Colonial Duigan was appointed Officer Commanding the Northern Command. In 3)36 he was named aide-de-camp to the liKing in succession to Colonel F. Symo«i. On the retirement of Sir William i Sinclair-Burgess in March. 1937. he fyvas appointed his successor as GeneraltfDfficer Commandins the New Zealanq Military Forces, which position he hrjs held since. His term of office has twice been extended bv the Government fin recognition of the value of his servij 'es. i Colonel O. 11. Mead Colonel O. H. Mead], C.8.E., was born in Blenheim in 1892, \.nd was educated at Marlborough College. He served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Great War, risia Vg from the rank of lieutenant to maj&j in March, 1917, and laier to lieutenant-colonel. He held command cf the';flrst, second, and third battalions of j the Canterbury Regiment until his remrn to New Zealand in November, JJ|3l9, 'and in the same year he became Ka captain on the New Zealand Staff Cqrps. He was at the Staff College at Cgmberley for two years, and was attached to the War Office. London, in 1929. Subsequently he held the position jof adjutant and quartermaster-generals to the New Zealand Military Forces and second member of the Army Boars at Army Headquarters, Wellington. A fter some years in charge of the Southern Command, with headquarters in Qunedin, he was appointed officer commanding the northern military district, Auckland, and last year he became adjutant-gene-ral at Army Headquart* :rs, Wellington. Group-captaiij Isitt

Group-captain L. M. Isitt, C.8.E., served with the New? Zealand Rifle Brigade and the Rove|' Flying Corps during the Great Wan He was appointed to the New Zeafmd Staff Corps for air duties in November. 1919, and transferred to the New; Zealand Royal Air Force on its forniition in 1923. For some time he was olj} icer commanding the Hobsonville air. base in Auckland, but in April, 1937,1 he was transferred to air headquarters in Wellington, where he became Mr Force member for personnel. He i'was promoted group-captain in July, i;1938, and was recently appointed to g represent the New Zealand GovercQ.nent on > the supervisory board set fup to administer the Empire air tißahing scheme in Canada. j, ■: ' ' Squadron-leader EJawnsley Squadron-leader I. sl. Rawnsley, M.8.E., was appointed chief instructor to the Wellington Aero plub in April; 1937. Before that he f/as instructor to the Hawke's Bay arid East Coast Aero Club, to which he l*vas appointed in September, 1935. He' was born in Wellington and was ediaiated at Wellington College and at , .Victoria University College. He has in" the New 'Zealand Territoriajl Air Force since its inception. He jjhas also held a commission in the Roi al Air. Force and has seen service in | England and Egypt. In his air experience, extending over 20 j r ears, he h?j 3 flown some 20 different types of twin and singleengined aircraft and hasf won a number of valuable air patient and air competition trophies. W 't ■■ :.' ■