ROLL OF HONOUR

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4536, 13 February 1942, Page 4

ROLL OF HONOUR

LATEST CASUALTY LfST LOCALDISTRICT NAMES’ Nine deaths are reported in a New Zealand Expeditionary Force casualty list issued on Wednesday.' Four of 43 men reported missing are also wounded, and 11 of the number are believed to be prisoners. A further 61 are reported to be prisoners of war. Six of them are also wounded, and 51 were previously reported missing or believed prisoners. Local district names are as follows: MISSING Roa, Sidney (Corporal): Reti Roa, Ngutunui. PRISONERS OF WAR (Previously reported missing, believed prisoner of war) McLeod, Norman Hector (Lance-Cor-poral): Mrs W. Boggart, Ohaupo (sister). Plescher, Paul Joseph: Mrs L. G. M. Plescher, Cambridge (mother). DIED OF WOUNDS PRIVATE JACK..CULLEN Advice has been received by Mrs M. Cullen, 2 Ferguson Avenue, Auckland, late of Aria, that her only son Jack had died of wounds on 4th December. Private Jack Cullen was well known as a sportsman in Te Kuiti and surrounding districts, and also as a horse breaker and a shearer. He enlisted when war broke out, but did not get away till the Fourth Reinforcements. At the time of going to camp he was managing the farm of Keith Holloway at Oparure, who is reported to be a prisoner of war. Writing to his mother, Private Cullen related some hair-raising experiences. He described how, when his unit went to Greece, the enemy bombed an oil depot when he was on guard, and how he had the satisfaction of seeing an old Aria boy, Bob Henderson, bring down a German plane. He was with several others who had been chased several hundred miles to be cut off from the boat that should have taken them off, but later with 47 others he swam out and boarded a fishing boat, and with the aid of an Aussie steering, they sailed for six days and six nights until they reached Crete. He was wounded in the battle for Crete, and had a spell in hospital, later going on leave to Palestine. DIED OF SICKNESS PRIVATE HENARE RANGI Mrs J. R. Cullen, of Pakura Street, has received official advice ,of the death from sickness of Private James Henry Gray, better known as Henare Rangi. The soldier who has nqw made the Supreme Sacrifice was born at Taumarunui 35 years ago and was single. He volunteered for active service in the early stages of the war and left New Zealand with the Third Echelon, participating in the fierce fighting in Greece, during which campaign he was taken prisoner of war. According to the information supplied by a Major of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, who also is a prisoner, Private Rangi died at Stalag camp on July 7 of last year and was buried with full military honours. His comrades are now attending to his grave. The late Private Rangi had worked on the Cullen farm at Orakau for fifteen years and was Well and favourably known locally, especially in .tennis circles, being an enthusiastic devotee of that pastime. PRESUMED LOST AT SEA PILOT-OFFICER W. U. HEWETT The announcement is contained in the latest casualty list that Pilot-Offi-cer William Upton Hewett, of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, formerly of Roto-o-Rangi, is officially presumed to be lost at sea. Pilot-Officer Hewett is the second son of Mrs J. E. Hewett, of Roto-o-Rangi, and brother of Misses Audrey and Cynthia Hewett. . His elder brother, Sergeant Basil S. Hewett, is serving with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Middle. East. Pilot-Officer Hewett was born at Palmerston' North and educated at the Rotorua Primary School and later at Wanganui Collegiate School. With his brother he farmed for many years at Roto-o-Rangi. He was keen on all fortns of sport, particularly tennis, deep-sea fishing, and golf. Pilot-Officer Hewett was a popular member of the Cambridge Golf Club during his period of residence in that district, and won the men’s championship in 1937. On that occasion he defeated Mr M. Woolley in the 36-hole final,. 6 up and 5 to play. He represented the Cambridge Club in various inter-club matches, and was generally recognised as a first-class player. He enlisted in the first week of the war, and gained his commission, with Observer’s wings, in Canada.