New Zealand’s Roll of Honour.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1323, 2 September 1915, Page 14

New Zealand’s Roll of Honour.

Lieut, Francis Davison, killed in action at the Dardanelles on August 7th, 1915, was officer commanding the machine gun section of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles with the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Davison, of St. Leonard’s, Culverden, and was wellknown in the district for his keenness and ability in military matters and in all forms of sport. He was educated at Christ’s College, Christchurch, and was a College Cadet before joining the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, receiving a commission as second lieutenant when the Territorial system was inaugurated. Three years ago he was appointed officer commanding the machine gun section, which he brought to a very high standard of efficiency. His section was never beaten in any competition with the gun, either here or in Egypt, where he was frequently complimented on their excellent work by those in authority. The section won the Rhodes Shield also the Challenge Shield in 1914 at the Kowhai Territorial camp. With his two brothers, Lieut. Davison was one of the first to volunteer when war was declared and left with the Main Expeditionary Force. His appointment as first lieutenant dates from 4th October. He was a keen footballer and a prominent polo player and was in Hawarden No. 1 team in 1914 when they won the Rhodes and Stead cups. For some years he managed his father’s station before taking up his residence on his own land at Lowry Peaks three years ago. Shortly after that he married Alice, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Rawson, of Wellington and Seatoun, whom he leaves a widow with two little sons, one an infant only a few weeks old.

Private Robert T. Earnshaw, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, wounded, was born at Little River, Canterbury, and received his schooling in the suburb of Christchurch. He is 26 years of age, and was under fire on the Suez Canal with his uncle, Private August Harwood, who was killed in action on May sth. Private Earnshaw has two brothers at the front, whilst another is in Trentham camp. He also has three uncles at the front and one going into camp. Private Earnshaw went away with the main body Expeditionary Force. He was admitted to the General Hospital, Alexandria, on August 14th suffering from a gunshot wound in the lung.

Private Joseph Henry Townshend, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, wounded, is the eldest son of Mr. Joseph Townshend, of Rosewarne S'.reet, Spreydon, Christchurch, and is 25 years of age, being born at Mataura, Southland. He was educated at Mataura and at Addington, Christchurch, and after leaving school was employed by Hewish and Co., as salesman in the clothing and mercery department. He was in the employ of W. Strange and Co. and T. Armstrong and Co., Christchurch. He left with the Main Expeditionary Force, and was wounded in the knee during the fighting on Gallipoli on August Sth and was admitted to hospital ship.

Private Jas. Whiteford Swan f Wellington Infantry Battalion, wounded, was born at Mosgiel, Otago, and was educated at the Mosgiel Public School, and later at the Albany School, Dunedin. Upon leaving school he was employed upon his father’s farm, afterwards leaving for the North. Whilst in Wellington he enlisted, and left with the 3rd Reinforcements. He was one of the 48 men picked out of the 3rd Reinforcement Draft to go to the landing at Gallipoli, and is now in the hospital at Cairo.

Trooper N. C. Prosser, Wellington Mounted Rifles, killed in action, was a son of Mr. Jas. Prosser, of Taradale, Hawke’s Bay, and nephew of Mr. J. H. Prosser, the well-known sportsman of Porirua, Wellington. He was born in Marton, Rangitikei, 28 years ago, and was well known and greatly esteemed in the Manawatu district, taking a keen interest in all sporting and musical matters.

Lance-Corporal W. H. Johns, 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles, wounded, is a son of Mr. A. J. Bray, of Te Awamutu, and is 24 years of age. He left

with the main body of the Expeditionary Forces in September last, and was wounded in the eye during recent operations at Gallipoli. LanceCorporal Johns is well-known to followers of athletics, having been an Auckland hockey representative for 1914, and was also tennis champion while at the Training College. When he left for the front he was teaching at the Kakepuku School, in rhe Waikato district .

Trooper Walter James Price, 11th North Auckland Mounted Rifles, wounded, is well-known in athletic circles, having won several long-dis-tance and cross-country races in Sydney. Whilst in camp in Egypt he annexed the lightweight boxing championship of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. Trooper Price was wounded

in the side, and is now in the 2nd Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis. Trooper Gerald James Farrant Payne, Wellington Mounted Rifles, wounded, was born in Inglewood, Taranaki, 21 years ago, and is a son of Mr. G'eorges M. Payne, a former Inglewood footballer and member of the first N.Z. Contingent which fought in the South African War. Trooper Payne left with the Second Reinforcement draft from the Hawera district, where at the time he was engaged in farming pursuits. The death in action some months ago of the famous New Zealand tennis player Anthony Wilding has resulted in a movement being on foot to erect a commenorative tablet to his memory at one of the leading tennis courts in

the New York suburbs. When Wilding’s death was cabled through to th? United States the news was received with profound regret, and the following characteristic letter, which lecently appeared in the New York “Times,” gives an excellent idea of the esteem in which the world’s champion tennis player was held by American enthusiasts. The letter, which has probably by this time resulted in the proposed Wilding memorial being given effect to, reads as follows: —“The war has exacted an appallingly heavy toll among the best and bravest athletes of the British Empire, but I believe none who will be more sincerely regretted in this country can be found in that ever-increasing roll of honour than the late Anthony Wilding. In tennis he was always the soul of

honour; as courteous and gallant a player as ever set foot in an American court. He was the last man ever to excuse himself for poor form or indifferent play. He took his defeat by McLoughlin last summer with the best of good grace and without stopping to explain, as he might well have, the heavy handicap and severe strain under which he was playing. Apart from the great physical effort he had been subject to in meeting in quick succession the Canadian and German teams, before competing in the finals for the Davis Cup against America, he had only recently received word of grave financial and business troubles occasioned by the outbreak of war. Furthermore, he was a Naval Reservist, already under orders, and while nobody who knew him would believe he was in any way daunted

by the prospect of immediate active service, or the knowledge that his commanding stature made him a ready mark for any enemy, the cumulative effect of all these disadvantages must have seriously told against him when he met McLoughlin. To do his best under these circumstances must have been impossible; yet no word of excuse or explanation came from him, and if Norman Brookes had not told me I should never have known of them. American players could do well to honour the man and the game he played with such conspicuous success and skill by causing to be placed in the club house at Forest Hills a commemorative tablet to his memory. They will never meet a more worthy opponent, a finer sportsman or a braver gentleman. New Zealand has good cause to be proud of him.”