ROYAL ENGINEERS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13922, 29 March 1909, Page 7

ROYAL ENGINEERS.

Lieutenant Thomas M'Guinness, late of . the.- Royal Artillery, who was requested, in the absence of Mr Andrew Morton, to unveil the memorial to the Royal Engineers, owing to his close connection during the early days with the sister arm of the service, left Gravesend in the Polar Star in August, 1854, with a detachment of this force for New Zealand. The Polar Star was burnt at sea off the South American coast. The crew and passengers were rescued by the American ship,;fA'rm'amooka and landed at St. Heiejna. From here they were taken to Ifngland in a prize captured from the Jlus&ans, and. agaiu, set sail for NewT Zealand by the ship Carnatic, landing at Auckland, and eventually reaching Taranaki with Sergeant Marfouran and others of the detachment on January 3*' 1856—the first members', of this ancient branch of the service^ we believe, to take up their quar-ters-in Taranaki. Lieutenant M'Guinnestf took part in the Waitara campaign as a boxdbadier, put 'was after- . warfs attachaji^aft medical ~erderly to theUate Dr. Wilson' at the Colonial Hospital. On the outbreak of the war again in 1863 he joined the mounted troops, receiving a commission, and taking part in all thfe incidents o:f the Sottth Taranaki war. He has resided in Taranaki since, for some year's farming land in the Oakura district. It was hoped that Mr. Andrew Mortonv; late of tfee Royal. Engineers, would have unveiled the memorial to this arm of the service, but failing health prevented his doing so. The first work of the Royal Engineers ■in Taranaki was to build the barrack (now demolished) on Marsland Hill. This was in 1855 and 1856.