SIX MISSING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 176, 28 July 1942, Page 6

SIX MISSING

A MAJOR-GENERAL

ON AIRCRAFT FLIGHT

Major-General O. H. Mead, a lieu tenant and four R.N.Z.A.F. person nel have been reported missing during the course of an aircraft flight.

Announcing this to-day the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, said: "I deeply regret to say that MajorGeneral Mead of the New Zealand I Forces, together with another army | officer, and four members of the ! R.N.Z.A.F. have been reported mis- | sing during the course of an aircraft flight over a sea route. Intensive I searches are being carried out in th? : area where the aircraft was last seen, but unfortunately these have been without result." The personnel involved are:— Major-General O. H. Mead, C.8.E., D.5.0.. wife, Mrs. Mead, Otane, Hawke's Bay. Lieutenant J. C. Leslie, N.Z.M.F., wife, Mrs. Leslie, c/o Mr. T. J. Coulter, Kaitaia. Flying-Officer D. A. Anderson, R.N.Z.A.F., wife, Mrs. Anderson, 106, Paritai Drive, -Orakei, Auckland. Pilot-Officer C. (J. Ibbntson, R.N.Z. A.F.. mother, Mrs. r>. A. Ihbotson, (». Heaton Terrace, Brooklvn, Wellington. Sergeant H. H. W. W.y bourne, R.N.Z.A.F., mother, Mrs. E. K. Wybourne, Gloag Street, Waverley. Leading-Aircraft man A. X. Clayton, R.N.Z.A.F., wife, Mrs. Clayton, 65, Hamilton Road, Cambridge. Distinguished Career Major-General Owen Mead, D.5.0., who is N.Z.E.F. Pacific Commander, has had a distinguished military career. He served with the New Zealand Territorial Force before the Great War and went overseas as a lieutenant with the Canterbury Regiment in the Main Body. He served with the New Zealand Division throughout the war and attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was in command in turn of the First and Second Battalions Canterbury Regiment. He was wounded on two occasions, mentioned in dispatches twice and was awarded the D.S.O.

Returning to New Zealand in 1919. he was appointed to the New Zealand Staff Corps with the rank of captain. Later he was for two years at the Staff College, Camberley, England, graduating from there in 1928. In the following year he was attached to the War Office in London.

Major-General O. H. Mead

Later he was appointed Adjutant and Quartermaster-General of the New Zealand Military Forces and continued in that position, with a break of a year, 1937-38, as Officer Commanding the Northern Military District with the temporary rank of colonel, until after the outbreak of the present war. He also held the post of second member of the Army Board.

Following the outbreak of the present war he was appointed Officer Commanding the Southern Military District with the rank of brigadier and continued in that office until February of this year when ne was promoted to the temporary rank of major-general and took up the post of General Officer Commanding N.Z.E.F. Pacific Section. He followed Major-General W. H. Cunningham in that appointment. He ;s married and has two daughters.