PERSONAL.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14667, 22 March 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL.

Mrs Annie Ellis, of Takaka, has received word that her son, Private C. Ellis, was gassed and admitted to host pital on March Ist. • .

Mr 0. V. Oliver has been appointed assistant purser of the Pateena, and commenced his duties in that capacity; yesterday.

Mr William Ryan, for 30 years a firebrigadesman and superintendent of thebrigade at Greymouth, died yesterday morning.—Press Association.

The Rev. F. Harnett, who for some* months past has been curate of St. Patrick's parish, Palmer ston North, is taking charge of the Granity parish.

Mrs Spear, of this city, received word yesterday that her Mm, Sergeant C. S, Spear, N.Z.F.A., had been admitted, to* hospital in France, suffering front pleurisy. . Sergt. Spear, who 'was on theliterary staff of our contemporary, left Nelson with the Eighth Reinforcements.

•• Major F. Haselden, of the South. African forces, has been awarded the Distinguished , Service Order. Major Haselden is a New Zealander, and a son-in-law of Mrs Ladley, of Waimea street. He assisted in quelling the De Wet rebellion, and afterwards served in the campaign in German South-West Africa. Later lie took part m the operations against the. Germans in East Africa, where he was wounded, and upon recovery returned to the front.

Captain Colin Gilray, the Wellington and Otago three-quarter Rugby representative player, has been awarded the Military Cross in recognition of his seri vices at the iiont as captain of one of the companies of the British Rifle Britgade.

The Bistirigv.ished Service Cross has been conferro-d upon Lieutenant James Jickell, 11.-N.11J,, who fur the past year has been fighting submarines in the North Sea. He is a son of Mr J. A. JickeJl. of I'arnell, who is at present engaged in munition work in Engitnd. When the war brokw out he enlisted as.--a signaller in the Australian Imperial Force and served t»n Gaiiipoii and in France. When men were wanted for the navy he volunteered, and after attending' a naval college was given a commission on a destroyer.

The name of Miss B. Ernest, eldest daughter of Mr T. Ernest, Campbel*' Roacl, One-tree Hili, appears iv the New Year Honours list as a recipient of the Royal Red Cross. Miss Ernest has been at the front with the Voluntary Aid Division, attached to the Military Hospitals with the British Expeditionary Fosce on the western front,, since 1915. Miss Ernest was mentioned iv Sir Douglas Haig's despatches on June 7, 1917. The occasion on which. Miss Ernest and others of the division received this honour was the first time that the Royal Red Cross has beent awarded to members of the V.A.D.

The following, taken from the supplement to the London Gazette of the Bth January, 1918. is a statement of service for which the Military Cross was awarded, on the 26th September, 191 '/, to Captain J. Gordon Cpat.es,, M.P. for Kaipara:'—"Now Zealand Force. Cap*tain Joseph Gordon Coates Infantry, For conspicuous gallantry and devotion, to duty on two occasions. He displayed the utmost ability at a critical mor ment, when a determined hostile raid was made upon his company's sector, getting his men into safety and saivini" many casualties by his coolness ana, presence of mind. He reinforced his front line, and personally re-establish-ed two posts which had been driven in. He afterwards commanded his company with great Kkill .and energy in the raid "upon-the enemy, and his fine leadership 'was largely responsible for the success of the ontir© operation "