PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3327, 19 December 1917, Page 20

PERSONAL NOTES.

Lance-corporal R. R. Rigg, killed in action, was born and educated at Invercargill, and at the time of his enlistment was an employee "of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. He left with the Sixth Reinforcements, and served on Gallipoli. He was wounded in the Somme battle, but soon returned to the firing line. Private Hewitt, reported killed in action in Fiance on November 24, was the eldest son of Mr James Hewitt, 38 William street, . Timaru, and late of King street, Dunedin. He was born at St. Bathans 22 years ago, and was educated at the Rongahere School. He enlisted in the Eighteenth Reinforcements. He was a pro; .inent athlete. Captain A. S. (" Sid") Reid, killed in action on November 29, was the eldest son of Mr G. A. Reid, of Invercargill. He will be remembered as the Otago University fast and weighty threequarters of half a dozen years ago, and also as one of the most noted field athletes in the University. He excelled in shot putting, and the New Zealand interUniversity record still stands to his name. He held the New Zealand championship in the event on two occasions. When only a youth of 19 he represented New Zealand at the Australian amateur championship meeting, held at Wellington, and on that occasion was narrowly beaten by the Queenslander, M'Grath. He toured New Zealand with the American amateurs a few years ago and competed with success. At the Wellington Country Championships, in 1915, he carried off three events, shot, hammer, and long Jump, and while on leave from- camp at the "end of 1915, he established a new Southland record, 39ft 4in, in shot putting, beating the record, held previously by the American Caughey. Captain Reid, who was on the staff of Wanganui College at the time of his enlistment, left New Zealand with the Third Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, and was severely wounded in the right arm and sids during the Somme offensive last year. After eight months' convalescence he returned to France with the- Fourth Brigade in June of this year. A brother, also in the Rifle Brigade, was wounded on the Somme last year anci is still in England, having not yet completely recovered from the effects of his wounds.

Private A. Hourston (killed in action) came to New Zealand 10 years ago from tho Orkney Islands., and was for a, number of years "in the Catlins district, thence going to tho North Island. He- and two others were engaged in a bushfelling contract in the heart of the King Country when war broke out, the news of which did not reach them for five months. Private Hours (on immediately enlisted in the Sixth, Reinforcements. He was one of six brothers who were serving their country at -the same time. One other has been killed, and another (in the Canadians) won the D.C.M. in Franoe. A letter, signed by the King and Queen, was sent to the mother of the six sons.