PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2885, 25 September 1916, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

A cablegram has been received from Lieutenant William Watson,, son of Mr.W. Watson, of Wellington Terrace, stating that he is in Brockenhurst Hospital. Only a few weeks ago he and his brother, Surgeon J. A. Watson, of No. 1 R.N.A. Squadron, were spending leave together in London) having met in Fiance after some years. Advices have been received stating that Lieutenant T. C. HiggiSson, Grenadier Guards, was killed in action in France on September 14. The late officer was the youngest son of the late Mr: H. P. Higginson, C.E., chief engineer to the Wellington-Manawatu Railway Company during the construction of the Wellington-Longburn line. Lieutenant Higginson went to England last year to offer his services, and was immediately givon a second lieutenantoy in tho 4th Battalion of the Grenadier Guards, and after' a period of training in England, was sent to the front, and some months later was promoted to a first lieutenantcy: Recently it was reported that Lieut. Wilford, son of Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.. had been wounded on the Western front. Later official news is to ths effect that Lieut; Wilford was not wounded, but was involided to Brockenhurst Hospital, and that he is now convalescent. . ' Sergeants Edwin Murray (Gisborne), J. C. Willis (Tarauaki Street), and JJi'Namara (Training Depot) have been promoted to the rank of senior sergeant. Sergeant M'Namara's promotion is by way of' special recognition of his services as iustruotor during tho pst five years. > Constables'M'Kelvio (Clyde Quay), Mathieson (Havolock), O'Brien (Kaitoke), and M'Rae (Raetihi) havn boon promoted to the rank of sergeant. All the promotions date from the Ist ot this month.' . A cablegram- has been received staring that Captain Bernard, R- Lankshear, son of Mr. W. J. Lankshear, of Wellington, was wounded iii France on September 6. Mr. Vincent Clarke, of Christehurch, is in Wellington, to bid farewell to his brother, who is leaving for the front. He is.staying at the Empire Hotel. Captain Lancelot S. Jenuings, whose death is reported, was the second sou -of tho Rev. Charles Jennings, some time, inoumbent of Takaka, Nelson, and is a grand-nephew of the late Sir John Jennings, England. ■ His mother was the second daughter of the late Rov. T. S, Grace, who for many years, in the earlier history of Zealand, before the Maori war, was the Churcn of England missionary resident at Pukawa, Taiipo Lake, tho deceased's mother was the first child of European parents : born in the Tanpo district, at which time her parents and elder brothers and sisters were the only European residents in the Taupo district.. Deceased was educated at Nelson College and Cbristcliurcli University College. Ho distinguished himself at both places, taking his degree, and being runner-up, taking second place, for tho Rhodos Scholarship -in his year. Ho later was science master at Waiiabi High School, from where he enlisted, and went to tho war as_ a lieutenant in one of tho early Rein-, forcemeut drafts, subsequently being' promoted captain in the Otago Infantry Battalion. The late officer wasf a first-class cricketer, and played for Nelson College aud Christehurch University College in inter-college and in-ter-'varsity matches; he was also * good tennis player, and for several years in succession, with his cousin Miss Weno Grace as partner, won the inter-'Varsity doubles. He also played for the New Zealand tennis championship at Hawera in 1914, and gained second place, being beaten in the finals by Ollivior. He was a keen soldier always, and put in his full time in tho Senior Cadets and Territorials, etc. Ho has nine cousins on . his mother's side, and several on his father's at the front in Franco, One cousin, the late .Lieutenant T. P. M. Grace, of tho Wellington Infantry Battalion, well known to football and cricket players in. Wellington ns "Hnnii," was killed ■in action at' Sari Bair on August 8, 1915, The deceased leaves a widow (nee Miss Cross), a sister of Captain Cross, of the Wellington Battalion.