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Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1931, Page 4

Rai'aiu, do Nogales, known as “the hidden hand of Venezula,” was born in that country, a descendant of an Indian princess and a Spanish conquistador. T}ie place of his birth and upbringing being the hilly border province of Tachira, he lias all the vigour of the mountaineer, combined with the

love of fighting characteristic of the mixed peoples of South America. His first experience of war came in 1898, when he volunteered for service on cehnlf of Spain in that country's disastrous conflict with the United States. Coming through his service, unscathed, Nogales went to Mexico, where he found plenty of fighting. After taking

part in a number of revolutionary movements with varying success, lie passed on to the American cattle .region, and for a time followed the peaceful occupation, of a cowboy. Stories of fortunes being made in the Klondike goldfield then drew him to the snowy north. Fate not being particularly kind to him, however, he wandered on, and in the next few years commanded armed forces for various causes in Ma ncluiria and many parts of Central and South America. In his native land lie had a special enemy, Juan Vicente Gomez, the Venezuelan dictator. Resolving to give attention to him, he organised an armed force on the Colombian side of the frontier, and was leading it through the Andes into Venezuela when he learnt that a big war had begun in Europe. Postponing his surprise for Gomez, he dismissed bis army and found his way to Belgium. On offering hjs services, he was told that he must first renounce his Venezuelan citizenship. This he would not do. In France lie was merely offered service with the Foreign Legion. That he refused, and went to the Balkans with the intention' of taking up the cause of Montenegro. Considering, however, when he reached the Near East that Turkey was the predominant Power, he joined her forces, and after German training, fought for her till the end of the war. The only wound he received was from a bomb dropped by a British aeroplane. In April. 1931, hearing no resentment on that account, he visited London for a rest from a little turmoil in which he had been involved in Nicaragua,