ON SERVICE

Otago Witness, Issue 3244, 17 May 1916, Page 33

ON SERVICE

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S GOOD WISHES. "SHOULD YOU GO TO FRANCE." (Fhom Oub Own Correspondent.} LONDON, March 10. A large draft of convalescent New Zealanders left London a few days ago to join the Main Expeditionary Force in Egypt. Previous to their departure from Horn church, Major Fletcher, in command of tho draft, received the following telegram from Sir Thomas Mackenzie: " Major Fletcher, commanding draft, Grey Towers, Hornchurch. May best of good luck go with every one of you. May your sojourn in Egypt be varied with a delightful spice of thrashing troublesome neighbours should they again give trouble. Should you go to France and unite with our brave and splendid allies, the French, and get at the men whom you actually came to fight, I am sure you will put up a record as worthy as that you have already gained at Gallipoli. It would be impossible to surpass it, but when your opportunity comes against the real enemies of mankind you will show the grit of New Zealand to the highest point. May God preserve you all. —Mackenzie." CABLED BEQUESTS FOR MONEY. Fears have been expressed in New Zealand regarding the possibility of fraud in connection with the cabled requests for money on the part of New Zealand soldiers in this country. The High Commissioner explains to me that when a man wishes to cable through the New Zealand Government Office in London he invariably has to produce his pay book, and the signatures are compared. So far, Sir Thomas Mackenzie has despatched some hundreds of cable messages to be charged against the men's pay, and there has not been a hint of impersonation or fraud. Should one man cable in another man's name, the cost of the cable would be entered in the latter's book, and the High Commissioner would, as can readily be imagined, soon hear of the matter. When the bank requires proof of identity the signature of the man who states he is entitled to the money is compared with the sianature on his attestation form. Every possible precaution is taken to guard against fraud. APPOINTMENT OF MILITARY ADYISEPv. Brigadier-geneval G. S. Richardson, C.M.G., of the New Zealand Staff Corps, who has been working with the British forces for the last 18 months—first as deputy assistant adjutant-general with the Royal Naval Division in Gallipoli, and afterwards as brigadier on the staff of the 12th Corps at Salonica, —has returned to England. He has been appointed military adviser to the New Zealand Government in England and to command all New Zealand troops in the United Kingdom. In view of the early participation of our men in the campaign in Franca, the base at Hornchnrch will assume considerable importance, and the appointment of an officer of high rank was obviously desirab'e. General Richarc'son's appointment will give compete satisfaction to New Zealand soldiers, who have had experience of his work in tho dominion for many years. PERSONAL. Commander Bernard C. Freyberg, R.N.V.R. (Wellington), -who returned from the Dardanelles recently, was at Buckingham Palace yesterday, when the King conferred upon him the D. 5.0., gained at Gallipoli. Chaplain Lieutenant-colonel IT. D. Burton (Christchurch), who remained in London when the Marama left, on account of his health, has since undergone an operation, which has proved successful. Lieut.colonel Burton is convalescing at St. Albans. Major P. Bareroft, N.Z.M.C. (Hastings) has come to England. From Alexandria to Marseilles he had charge of an Imperial transport, and then was ordered to report in London. Major Barcroft, who has been acting as principal medical officer on transports" between New Zealand and Egypt, will probably remain here for several weeks and then return to Egypt on a hospital ship. This week's; admissions to Mount Felix, Walton-on-Thames, include the following New Zealanders: —Ronald Cochrane, 12/518; Bert Samuel Harvey Hares, No. 10/885; Walter Georao James, No. 12/2540; John Alexander Larkin, 10/2670; Frank William Huia Mason, 2/803; Edwin Purcell Meachen, 4/653; Joseph Henry Milburn, 10/687; William Elvins Spiers Morgan, 11/599; Arthur Parker, 12/2075; Benjamin Blenkinsop Swinburne, 13/576 ; Ross Cecil Stratford 13/1065: Bert William Street, 7/789; Thomas William Watts, 10/72; Thomas Stimpson Winter, 10/2042. Mr F. James Livingstone (Christchurch) was a student in England for Holy Orders when war was declared, He volunteered, and was posted to duty first at Netley Hospital, and then at Alexandria. Ho has his sergeant's stripes. Last December he was invalided here with enteric and pneumonia, but he was discharged from hospital recently, and is now on furlough. Sergeant Livingstone looks forward to a visit to New Zealand at the conclusion of the war.

Major W. R. Pinwill, Liverpool Regiment, is gazetted general staff officer, first

grade, with the rank of temporary lieu- ( tenant-colonel while so employed.

Mr Kenneth Milward (son of Mr C. F. Milward, of Wanganui) has a commission as flight sub-lieutenant in the R.N.A.S. He arrived recently by the Orari. Mr Percy Brett, son of Mr R. B. Brett, of the New Zealand Press Agency, has received a temporary commission as assistant paymaster in the navy. He has reported at Portsmouth. Lieutenant D. E. Fenwick, R.A.M.C. (Dunedin), is in France, attached to the 103rd Field Ambulance. Lieutenant H. F. Holmden, R.A.M.C. (Auckland), has retuxmed to England from the Dardanelles. He went out in the middle of last year with a large force from the Suvla Bay landing, and had some exciting experiences during those strenuous times. He is at present in the 3rd London General Hospital, but expects to be discharged in a few days. Lieutenant James R. Boyd, M.D., R.A.M.C (late of Mataura), is in France. For the past month he has been on the surgical staff at the No. 1 General Hospital, Etretat. Mrs Boyd is in Edinburgh. New Zealanders confirmed in their appointments include : A. de B. Brandon, Second Lieutenant Roval Flying Corps (Wellington); A. C. H. Millar and A. Miller, Second Lieutenants Yorkshire Regiment DEATH OF A NEW ZEALAND OFFICER. I regret to state that the death occurred at Athlone, Ireland, on February 29, of Second Lieutenant Harold Jennings, R.F.A., eldest son of Mr W. T. Jennings, M.P., of Taumarunui. Mr Jennings has already suffered bereavement through the death of his youngest son, who was killed in Gallipoli, and his remaining son—Sergeant Alfred Jennings—is with the New Zealanders in Egypt. The deceased officer joined the 2nd Battalion London Scottish at the outbreak of the war, and obtained a commission in the Royal Field Artillery early in 1915, being posted to the 108 tn Brigade at Worthing. Later he went through his course of training at Salisbury. Towards October he went, with his battery to the western front, and had been there only five weeks when he was wounded. It seems that during the progress of an artillery duel, Lieutenant Jennings stood out in the open, oblivious of possible danger. His immediate companions had taken shelter and called to him to join them. But he refused, saying he had a presentiment that he was safer where he was. A minute or so later a German shell landed in the midst of the men who were taking shelter and they were all killed. Jennings himself was wounded, and was invalided home about the beginning of December. He made good progress toward recovery, and was eventually medically boarded as fit for service mice more. He was then posted to another battery in Athlon*. Unfortunately his wounds had left him weak, and he contracted enteric. Other complications supervened, and he became seriously ill, death occurring on February 29. The funeral took place at Athlone on March 3. In remembrance of the lato officer a requiem mass was celebrated on Tuesday by the Rev. Father Christie, at the Oratory, South Kensington.