A FINE SOLDIER

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1929, Page 13

A FINE SOLDIER

J4AJOR-GENERAL 11. 11. DAVIES, C.B. AN APPRECIATION. JBy “A New Zealander” in the London Times). The “In Memoriam” not ice to MajorGeneral R. H. Davies in The Times of May 9 recalled to the writer some of the more salient features in the remarkable career of this fine soldier and great gentleman. Dick Davies, as he was known to the “old hands” in New Zealand, was an enthusiastic volunteer from Ins youth; and rose, by sheer merit and keenness, from private to Major in the nineties. He was by profession a civil engineer and surveyor, practising in Taranaki, which was then, for the most part, in dense bush and with rough enough conditions. He then acquired an “eye for country” and of distance, and a resourcefulness, which were afterwards to be of incalculable value to his country, to his men, and to himself as an officer on active service. He was always a great reader, and a shrewd and penetrating thinker, more especially on matters pertaining to military history. Genial and kindly to a fault, Davies could be firm and hard enough when occasion demanded, -He could do anything with his men —they loved the man, and they respected him inasmuch as ho knew his job, and from their knowledge that he was always able and ready to do more than he ever asked, or would ask of them. He was straight and clean, find absolutely fearless.

On the outbreak of the South African War, Davies volunteered for service (married though he was and with two children), and left New Zealand as Major cf the 3rd Contingent. Soon after arriving in South Africa, he was promoted to command as Licut.-Colonel; and he and liis men soon began to make themselves known and felt—acquiring the name of ‘“The Roughriders.” After the Relief of Kimberley by Colonel (now General Lord) Plumer he was promoted to the yank of Colonel and succeeded the latter in command of the famous “Plumer’s Flying Column,” which he handled with brilliant dash and sound ability until the end. For this Davies was confirmed in the rank of full Colonel and was made C.B. —being the only Colonial officer in that campaign to achieve either of these two distinctions.

Upon returning to New Zealand, Colonel Davies was offered and accepted a, leading position on the permanent staff as Inspector of Military Forces to the Dominion. In that position he did great work and he laboured with others for the adoption by the Dominion of that system of compulsory military service which is still in use.

In 1912 (or 1913) Colonel Davies was (despatched to Aidershot for a period of training; and shortly after his arrival there was promoted by the Imperial authorities to the rank of Brig.-General with command of the Sixth Brigade. He was thus when war was declared on August 4, 1914, and he took his Brigade to France as part of "The Old Contemptibles.” What ho and his officers and men of the 6th Brigade did there in the Jlctreat from Mons and in tho subsequent Battle of tho Marne is matter of history. Brig.-General Davies was then transferred from tho New Zealand to the Imperial Forces, was promoted to Major-

i General and given command of the new-ly-formed 20th Division of “Kitchener’s Army.” This he organised and trained at Salisbury Plain; and with it he proceeded again tc Franco in August, 1015. The work of the 20th Division under General Davies, is also matter of history. Serious complications following upon an attack of gastric influenza in 1916 eventually compelled his return to England, and ill-health continuing, he was debarred by it from returning to his Division in France, as he so ardently wished to do. He was appointed to the Stafford Command, and there again ho soon proved his originative and practical wonth by planning and inaugurating a system of educational training which was later adopted by War Office for the whole of the British Army, and which is still so employed. The insidious disease which had stricken him down in France gradually intensified; and in May, 1918, it became necessary to rush him from Stafford to Queen Alexandra’s Military Hospital at Millbank, London, for urgent treatment. There he died on May 9, 1918, aged 56 years. He lies, lonely enough and far from his loved New Zealand, in Brompton Cemetery, Kensington.