ARMY OFFICER RETURNS

Southland Times, Issue 23815, 12 May 1939, Page 6

ARMY OFFICER RETURNS

Course At Imperial Defence College

ALL BRITISH DOMINIONS REPRESENTED (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 11. After 12 months’ attendance at the Imperial Defence College in London and three months attached to the War Office, Colonel R. Miles, D. 5.0., .M.C., of the Royal New Zealand Artillery, formerly officer commanding the Northern Military District, arrived back in Wellington by the Rotorua today. He said the object of his stay at the War Office had been to keep in close touch with the latest developments in British army equipment and organization. The Imperial Defence College was attended by senior officers of all services, naval, air and military, and also the civil government department heads. About 35 or 36 officers attended the college, and not only all the home services and departments concerned witn defence were represented, but also all the British Dominions. New Zealand had one vacancy a year allocated to her. Among his predecessors there from New Zealand, he said, were Major, now Lieutenant-Colonel, W. I. K. Jennings, of the general staff, LieutenantColonel W. G. Stevens, secretary of the Council of Defence, Colonel N. W. B. B. Thoms and Colonel E. Putlick, officer commanding the Central Military District. He said he did not think it was incumbent upon him to comment upon the most recent British defence developments. He could not yet say whore he would be stationed, or in what capacity.