Our Defenders

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 27, 20 March 1909, Page 22

Our Defenders

By Haveksack

CAPT. F. B. Knyvett, the subject of our photograph, is the officer oomandhig the No. 1 Company Auckland Garrison Artillery. Captain Knyvett has had a long and varied experience in military matters generally, having jointhe B Company Queensland Scottish in the very early nineties, and on the disbandment of the Scottish Rifles in Queensland he transferred to the F Company Queensland Rifles, which company he served through in the various ranks until the South

African war, when he went with the first Queensland Contingent to the front. "While serving with, this contingent he had the honour of being attached to the field portion of the A.P.0.C., and took the first British mail into Pretoria on June 6th 3 1900. For this he was promoted a lance sergeant. On the completion of the service of the Ist Q.M.I, he joined the sth Queensland Imperial Bushmen, again serving with this contingent until the completion of its service, when he transferred to the 7th A.C.H. He started his service in Africa as a private, giving \ip his rank to get away with the Ist Contingent, and obtained his various promotions on the field. For conspicuous service in the field Capt. Knyvett received two mentions in dispatches, the Queen's S.A. medal and 7 clasps, the King's S.A. medal and two clasps, and the D.C.M. He first joined the No. 9 G.A.V. as a lieutenant in 1904, and in 1906 took over the then Auckland Navals with 3ome 20 men. It says much for the loyal support of his officers and men that to-day Capt. Knyvett has some 140 men in the corps, and the company has advanced from the bottom

of the. list to being one of the best, if not the best, and largest company in New Zealand. Capt. Knyvett has just received the certificate of Major of Garrison Artillery, having passed this necessary examination with 35 per cent. A very fair record indeed for an officer still on the right side of thirty.

Capt. Sherson is up like Billy on the wall since he received the intelligence that the Battery had won the Rhodes Challenge Cup ; and no wonder. It is a big thing indeed for an Auckland compajny to win any of these competitions under the existing circumstances. The Battery have had to contend with many disadvantages, such as hired horses and not good at that, and a very bad field to fire over. It says a great deal for the Battery officers, N.C.O.'s and men that they have at last succeeded in obtaining the Rhodes Cup for Auckland. It is to be hoped that they will bring the Challenge Shield here also.

The Auckland Engineers were not so fortunate with their cam petition, having succeeded in being onJy fourth in the list for the Engineer shield. Anyhow, under the ex-

ceptional circumstances under which they have worked for the past year, it is more than creditable to the officers, particularly Mr Hewson, that the company has advanced as far as it has. So Patrick just missed the belt by one point. It's just about what one would have expected with Auckland's luck to shoot in the consistent way Patrick did and lose the belt by a point. Anyhow, the Auckland contingent did remarkably well, and this district was under no disgrace from the worthy representatives sent from Auckland. Captain Richardson comes to Auckland at Easter to superintend the night firing of the Garrison Artillery.

Hugh Ward's farcical comedy company, now in Far East, will begin an Australian tour at Perth on May 29. and will reach N.Z. somewhere about the end of August. " A Bachelor's Honeymoon" is their latest achievement, with Miss Grace Palotta, Mise Celia Ghiloni, Miss Rose Musgrov* and Hugh Ward himself in the principal parts.