FOUGHT WITH GARIBALDI

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1934, Page 7

FOUGHT WITH GARIBALDI

LAST SURVIVOR OF LEGION DEATH OF VETERAN AT AUCKLAND JUSTICE OF PEACE FOR 40 YEARS. CAME TO DOMINION 70 YEARS AGO. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. The death occurred to-day of Captain William John Newby, a veteran of Garibaldi’s legion and a pioneer of New Zealand, in his 102nd. year. He was a picturesque figure, who retained his faculties and vigour to a remarkable degree, and, as recently as the afternoonbefore his death, he paid a visit to the city. „ , . Born at Cambridge, England, on March 26, 1833, Captain Newby was educated in the town of his birth, and took his B.A. degree at Cambridge University. Subsequently he joined the British A Jn when a lieutenant he joined the force of 1000 picked men sent by the British Government to help the famous Italian patriot, Giuseppp Garibaldi, to create a united Italy. The expedition sailed from London in the ship Emperor, which encountered severe storms that delayed its passage so long it was given up for lost. Eventually it reached Naples, and Garibaldi’s “British Legion” was fighting the following day. When recounting his experiences, Captain Newby said the legion fought strenuously for eight months and 200 or 300 of its members were killed. He thought he was the last survivor of the men who took part in that campaign. Captain Newby cam: to New Zealand in 1964 in the ship Winteher, landing with his brother-in-law, Chief Judge MacDonald, of the Native Land Court. He joined the Waikato Regiment, but was too late on the scene to take part in any fighting. Later he took up land. For more than a quarter of a century he had been living in retirement in Auckland. On the occasion of his 101st. birthday Captain Newby said he was the oldest living Justice of the Peace, his commission having been granted while he was a resident in the Thames district on December 20, 1894.

Among Captain Newby’s treasured possessions was a sword he carried in the Italian campaign, and a letter pre-? SOnted to him by members of his company. Another valued possession was a congratulatory message which Captain Newby received from Signor Mussolini on the occasion of his 100th. birthday.