BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3231, 16 February 1916, Page 25

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND PRIVATES. Regimental Quartermaster-sergeant Leslie AshweJl, Headquarters Staff, joined tlie Second Reinforcements as trooper in tne Canterbury Mounteds, and was promoted alter reacning Gailipoli. He was there eight months without being absent Irom duty for a single day until wounded aa JL)ecGinl>6r 14*» Lance-corporal W. L. Colley, who wai killed in action on December 3, laio, was born at the Nuggets Ho commenced his education at the Manukau Heads and completed it at Remuera, Auckland. i±& entered the locomotive department of the New Zealand Railways, and was last stationed at Mercer. On the outbreak of war he offered his services, and was sent with the railway engineers in the advanced party to Samoa. After service in Seuaoa he returned to New Zealand and joined the Fifth Reinforcements, leaving Wellington on June 13. His brother Stanley of the Sixth Reinforcements, died in Wellington Hospital on June 11. Ibis news he received by cable at Albany. He reached Cairo on August 2 after landing horses in India, and was drafted to the First Company, First Platoon, C. 1.8., and served in the trenches until sent with his company for rest to Mudros. In the last letter, dated November 18, he had returned to the Sergeant David George Beaumont, of Auckland Mounted Rifles, who died of pneumonia at the New Zealand General Hospital, Alexandria, on January 20, 1916, was born in Wellington, and served his apprenticeship at William Cable's foundry. After working at Price's (Thames) and J. J. Niven's (Napier) he went to Sydney, thence to Honolulu, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, and Glasgow, gaining experience in heavv castings and brass and loam moulding. While working in Hyde Park Foundry, Glasgow, he had the honour of being the only New Zealander to work on a turbine cylinder for H.M.S. New Zealand. On coming back to New Zealand ho entered the employ of S. Luke and Co., and then joined the Expeditionary Force and went to Samoa. On July 10 he entered the Non-Com. Camp, Palmerston, and became a sergeant-major for the Sevenths, but remained with several others to train the non-coms, for the Ninths, and finally decided to go with the Eighths as sergeant. Deceased was an enthusiastic yachtsman, and was a member of the Port Nicholson Yacht Club. Rifleman John S. B. Bruges, of the Ist Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigado (Earl of Liverpool's Own), who is reported as wounded, is 26 years of age, and is the son of Mr F. H. Bruges, of Cashmere Hills, Christchurch. He was educated at Christ's College, and for some time was on the staff of the Christchurch Meat Company. Two years ago ho removed to the company's branch at Burnside, where he was at the outbreak of war. He enlisted in Dunedin. Rifleman Bruges was a prominent cricketer, and represented Canterbury against Otago, and during the last two seasons ho was in the Otago team, playmg against Canterbury and Wellington. With the exception of the Otago coach (J. N. Crawford), Rifleman Bruges made the highest aggregate of runs in representative cricket for Otago last season. Cable advice has since been recei \red that Riflemaii Burges has joined his ba+*->'ion of the Earl o{ Liverpool's Own Rifleman George Wm. Dunn (wounded) was born in Kaitangata, and will be 24 years next month. He left with the Seventh Reinforcements in the Earl of Liverpool's Own. He received his education at the Kaitangata School, and had been working at the Kaitangata mine since leaving- school He took a great interest in football. ,„ _ _ _ Bugler Cyril Leslie Betts, N.Z.R.B. (wounded, now in Twenty-first Hospital, Alexandria), was born at Luggate, Otago, and is now 22 years of age. He was educated at the Cromwell Public School, where he passed his proficiency. £{e served about two years in the Telegraph Office, Dunedin, which he. left to take up fruit-farming. He was a member of the local tennis and football clubs, and was a Trentham representative.