PERSONAL ITEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2897, 9 October 1916, Page 6

PERSONAL ITEMS

9 Captain Stenhouse. of the Antarctic ship Aurora, who nas been visiting Wellington, went south on Saturday evening. The Hon. 6. W. Russell is expected to arrive back from Gisborne this-even-ing. Mr. A. H. Holmes, Registrar of the Supreme Court at Christohurch, and formerly of Wellington, is at present in toivn. on a visit to his son, who is with the Eighteenth. .Reinforcements. Amongst the killed in action in today's casualty lists is Pte, L. G. Okey, son of Mr. H. J. H. Okoy, M.P. (Taranaki). This is the second son of Mr. Okey who has given his life for the Empire. Pte. Eardley Howard 'Aston, killed in action in France, was a'son of Mr. J. Aston, of Karori Road. He was an old Wellington College hoy aDd an activo_ member of the City Senior Carets. At the time of his enlisemtne he was with the firm of Messrs. Macky, Logan and Co. He left New Zealand with the First Reinforcements, being transferred to the Main Body. He was at the landing at the Dardanelles, and went through some severe fighting during later months. After an operation at Malta, he was invalided to England, subsequently rejoining his regiment in France, where he has now. made the supreme sacrifice.

Cabled advice was received yesterday to the effect that Sergt. Percy George Alfred Talbot, who left with the Seventh Reinforcements, was killed in action in France on September 16. Sergt. Talbot was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Talbot, of Hiropi Street, and nephew of Mr. A. .T. C. Talbot, Superintendent of the Telegraph Department., He was educated at the Normal Training College, and was in the service of Maoky, Logan, Caldwell and Co. at the time'of his enlistment. His death will bo keenly felt by all who knew him.

Lance-Corpl. J. W. Stratford, who has been killed in aclion in France, was a. son of Mrs. H. Stratford, late of Willis Street. At tho outbreak of war he joined the force for Samoa, and on returning to New Zealand he re-enlist-ed and left with the Fifth Reinforcements. Lance-Corpl. Stratford; who was 25 years of age, was very well known in Wellington. He was for a long time on the staff of Bine;, Harris and Co., Ltd., was prominently identified wtih athletics, having been ono of the founders of the Lvall Bay Surf Olub, a. member of tho Wellington Swimming Cliib, and of. the Athletic Football Club.

Mr. Eyre Evans, of Oamaru, received iutimation from tho authorities that his fourth son, Trooper James Evans, has been killed iu action in Franco. Trooper Evans, who was an Oamaru boy, enlisted with tho Sixth Reinforcements in Hawke's Bay, whore he was learning farming. Ho was detailed to the Conterbury Moujiteds, but subsequently transferred to the Otago Mounteas, and left Egypt with, tho pioneer battalion for France. Mr. and Mrs. Evans havo two other sons fighting in 'France— Sergt.-Major Thomas C. Evans and Sergt. S. C. Evans—both in tho Pioneer Battaliou. Another son (Sergt. Percy Evans) is now in the training camp at Featherston as a member of the Dental Corps.

Mr. E. A. Simson, examiner of clothing at the Defence Stores, Buckle Street, received intimation on Friday last that his son, Lce.-Corpl. Sydney Simson, had been killed in action on. September 16. Young Simson was the first to enlist in Dannovirko at the outbreak of the war, and left New Zealand with tho Main Expeditionary Forcc. He saw active service on the Sue/. Canal and at' Gallipoli, being in all the big engagements, from the landing until August 8,-1915, when he-was shot in the head. After recovering he was storekeeper for thoSth Wellington Regiment for a time. Ho then pro-, ceeded to France, wSh other New Zealanders, and has been in tho trenches ever since. He has two brothers on active service. One, Lce.-Corpl. F. L.Bimson, is at present _ lying badly wounded in Netley Hospital, England, while the other brother, Se/gt. H. L. Simson, is now "somewhere in France." Mr. Simson himself went to Africa with the Fifth Contingent, and nlso volunteered for active servico in the present war, although he is 59 years of age, but tvas /ejected as medically unfit. Private N. Cummins, who went away with tho Ninth Reinforcements, and was'killed in action on Septembor 12, was educated at Newtown School, and was in the employ of Messrs. Cowan and Co., Ltd., paper merchants.' He was' also a member of the Samoa Garrison, and was well known in the athlotic world, being a prominent member of the Brooklyn Harriers, and the iviwier of many championships in the year 1915, including the Wellington Provincial championship, which he won very easily. "Norm" was a clean sport, and much respeoted by-the athletes, who will mourn his loss. Tho deceased has a brother. C. D. Cummins, now in the firing line, who has also'.'been reported a» wounded. Mr. H._ Cummins, of Drummond Street, is his father. Mr. ,lohn Tait. of tho firm of ,T. and N. Tait. will arrive from Sydney withthe "Peg o 1 My Heart" Company tomorrow. Although the firm has sent many firsfc-rato attraction 1 ? to NewZealand. this will be the first visit to tho Dominion of tho senior member of the firm. '