BRILLIANT SOLDIER

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21559, 23 January 1940, Page 11

BRILLIANT SOLDIER

Colonel Hargest’s Career Distinguished War Record Colonel Hargest had a distinguished career during the Great War, rising from a second-lieutenant at the time of his departure from New Zealand with the Main Body to lieutenantcolonel in command of the 2nd Battalion of the Otago Regiment, attaining his command at the remarkably early age of 26. He was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order, and gained warm commendation for his bravery and initiative on the field. He was born in Gore, where his parents were early settlers, and he spent his early life farming in the Mandeville district. He left with the Main Body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as a secondlieutenant in the Otago Mounted Regiment under the late Colonel A. Bauchop. He served in Egypt and was patrol officer to the regiment. At the opening of the Suvla Bay battle on August 6, 1915, he led out the leading troop of his regiment in its attack on Bauchop’s Ridge. He was wounded in the leg early in the action but he carried through to his objective and was the only officer of his squadron to survive the attack. He was invalided to Egypt and back to New Zealand late in 1915. Service in France Leaving New Zealand again in January, 1916, he rejoined the division in Egypt, and transferred to the Otago Infantry Regiment, joining up with the Ist Battalion in Armentieres in France. He was promoted captain just before the Battle of the Somme in September. 1916, in command of the 10th North Otago Company, and led it in two successful attacks in that battle. On September 27, he and Lieutenant E. Selby (now Lieutenantcolonel Selby, of Gore) were the only company officers of the regiment who were not wounded. Captain Hargest was awarded the Military Cross for his work in this engagement. He received accelerated promotion to major, and was appointed second in command. In the preparations for the Battle of Messines in June, 1917, Major Hargest was placed in charge of all the work in the forward area. On April 13 he was in command of a party of five officers and 400 men, who carried out one of the most audacious feats of trench digging in the record of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. A new trench 1100 yards long was dug halfway across “No Man’s Land’’ right under the nose of the enemy. In view of its proximity to the enemy’s line, and the very large number of men employed, the operation was regarded as a very hazardous and delicate one; but it was so well organised and controlled by Major Hargest, and was prosecuted with such vigour that by 3 o’clock on the following morning it had been entirely completed, and the whole party was clear of the area without casualty. It was from this trench that the first troops advanced to the attacks in Messines. On the night of June 1, Major Hargest, accompanied by Sergeant T. Souness, Bth (Southland) Company, penetrated a considerable distance through the enemy’s front and support trenches almost into his third line of Uhlan Support when they met a force of 20 Germans and had to retire. Command of Battalion In March, 1918, Major Hargest was temporarily commanding the battalion when the division was ordered south from Ypres to assist in stemming the German advance after it had crushed the British sth Army. After an allnight train journey, the battalion de-trained the following evening, and by marching 37i miles by next evening joined up with the division before it went into action. It was the only battalion called upon to march all the way, and not one man fell out.

He was commanding the battalion in August, 1918, at the age of 26, when the tide of the German invasion first turned, and to the Ist Otago Battalion fell the honour of first discovering the retreat and, without waiting for orders starting in pursuit. Pressed too closely, the enemy turned and fought at Puisieux and was sharply defeated. The battalion was afterwards stated to have specially distinguished itself; first, by the early discovery of the enemy’s withdrawal, and, secondly, by the rapid and effective manner in which it forced the enemy, beyond the limits of his deliberate retirement. The commander of the IV Corps, in a congratulatory message to the division, referred to this operation as “another example of splendid initiative.” It was Major Hargest’s sound dispositions and personal leadership that contributed so much to the success achieved. He was here awarded the Distinguished Service Order and also the Cross of the Legion of Honour by the French President. Fine Leadership Major Hargest commanded the battalion at Bapaume and Harnicant Wood. At the former, the battalion was personally thanked by the divisional commander. General Sir Andrew Russell, for its achievements. Major Hargest was then transferred to the 2nd Otago Battalion with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and led it until the end of the war. To this battalion fell the distinction of being the last New Zealand, unit to break off action with the enemy after the capture of the Norval Forest on November 6, 1918. Here in the last few minutes of battle Colonel Hargest was hurt by a shell, receiving an injury •from which he suffered for several years. It was in this engagement also that he was again conspicuous in action. The battalion had been advancing through the forest, but the direction and speed of the advance had been seriously threatened by the dense undergrowth. With characteristic dash, Colonel Hargest galloped forward and personally restored the situation, and continued with the leading troops until the original impetus of the advance had been regained.

He went to Germany with the division, and on his departure for England the author of “The Official History of the Otago Regiment,” made the following comment:—“ln the course of his long connection with the regiment, Lieutenant-colonel Hargest by his thoroughness, his soldierly ability and bearing, his great sense of military honour, and his extraordinary energy and unexampled dash in action, commanded the highest admiration and confidence of all ranks; while the rapid and exceptional success which attended his military career has won for him a foremost place among the distinguished soldiers of the New Zealand Division.” Entry Into Politics Returning to New Zealand, he spent

several months in hospital at Rotorua, and then purchased the property at Rakauhauka, where he now lives. He commanded the Southland Regiment for about six years, and then the 3rd Infantry Brigade for four years until he entered Parliament in 1931 as member for Invercargill. He transferred to the Awarua seat in 1935, and still holds it. He was elected Crown tenants’ representative on the Southland Land Board in 1920, and was a member for 12 years until he entered Parliament. He was a member of the Southland Land Purchase Board and of the Assessment Court. For several years he has been a member of the Southland Education Board. In 1917 he married Sister M. H. Wilkie, of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service, who was theatre sister at Brockenhurst, and who also had a distinguished war record, being mentioned in despatches for services in Egypt, and later being awarded the Royal Red Cross by King George V.