COL, MALONE KILLED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2538, 12 August 1915, Page 6

COL, MALONE KILLED

A FINE OFFICER WELLINGTON BATTALION'S COMMANDER News reaoiied Wellington yesterdaT that Licut.-Colonel W. G. Malone, officer commanding the Wellington Battalioii of tho New Zealand' forces at the Dardanelles, has been killed in action. Colonel Malone, who- went with the main body, was until the outbreak of war in command of the 11th (Taranaki) Rifles, having for. many years - been a very prominent and popular-officer in the New Zealand Forces, both volunteer and territorial. He was ■ regarded in nulitary circles as a particularly fine officer, and his record during the operations in the Dardanelles lias fully borne out the good opinions held of him, both as a soldier and a man. Educated at atonehurst, England, he afterwards came to New Zealand, where some years later he started in practice as a- barrister and solicitor at Stratford, from which time he became very well known iu and about the Wellington district. He was appointed lieutenantcolonel in 1910. Two of the colonel's sons are at present serving at the Dardanelles, one having been severely wounded. A third son ii leaving with the 6tli Reinforcements, and another, who was a member of the tiamoan Expeditionary ■ Force,' lias been, accepted for a later reinforcement. . Colonel Malone also has a sister engaged at Red Cross work on tlie Continent. As an athlete, Celonel Malone had a fine career, having at one time been a. representative footballer for Taranaki. Writing to a'friend some little time ago,i the Colonel paid a- fine' tribute to his men. He Wrote:—"[ love these men of mine. Heroes all—as brave as brave can be." "I am," lie continues, "under censor rule, but I must tell you, that the Wellington Infantry Regiment has turned out all that one could wish. The men are splendid, and as brave as they make 'em, being cool and enduring. There are no better soldiers in the world. I cannot tell you all of tli® great work they have done; I cannot tell you of tho losses. Tho hardships are solid; really solid. They have been fighting night and day ever since April 27 last up to midnight of the 12th instant. (Wo are noiv having a spell in the rear lines.) Oil the 27tli two half-companies were detached by higher authority from me, and sent to reinforce another unit, and they were plunged into jungle and' mowed down. ,'.