UNRECOGNISED MILITARY SERVICE. Is a Department Wanted to Deal with Claims ?

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 114, 6 September 1902, Page 8

UNRECOGNISED MILITARY SERVICE. Is a Department Wanted to Deal with Claims ?

IF the "Times" is instrumental in chafing attention to the facts m connection with the goo 1 woik done by Seigeant Vogan in Afnca, and getting for him the co\eted D.S.M., nobody will caul at it. Sergeant Vogan is a tia\elled New Zealander Some time after the outbreak of war he went to South Africa, and joined the Prince of Wales Light Hoise, and captured Commandant Scheepeis, who was lying seriously ill at a farm house at the time, and who was executed when he was well enough. He also captured a mob of Boei horses under heavy fire. The authorities not having recognised the sergeant's good work, it is looked upon as a glaring instance of oversight. The Defence Office is asked to take the matter up. It is further pointed out that honouis ha\e been showered on Nevv Zealanders belonging to the contingents and that irregulars ha\e been almost entirely overlooked. Is this in accordance with actual facts 9 A contmgenter, in one of the sharpest actions m which New Zealand troops have been engaged, during a retirement halted to go back to a badly injured comrade. He got him on his own horse, the wounded man's animal ha\ ing been killed, and although m imminent danger brought him safely out, a Herculean task with a totally disabled man. He was neither mentioned in despatches nor was any comment of any kind made about it. He is still a private A private who single-hand-ed caused two burghers and a commandant, all armed, to surrender, and w r ho brought them and their horses in by himself got ample recognition — he was made a lance-corpoial m the "Tenth." # * * A private who ran an armed Boer scout down through a nek held by the enemy and who created a diversion in favoui of the British troops lemamed a private. He was given a Boer's rifle as a reward. Of c mrse, it was taken from him when he landed in New Zealand ' A private who was mentioned in despatches for gallant conduct and whose courage, so Kitchener said, had saved the situation and who made a victory possible, w r as promoted to corporal. * * # There were no D.C.M.'s strewn about for any of these acts. All these men were New Zealand contmgenters, and each incident is true. If the Defence Office is to look into the claims of irregulars it is bound to look into the multitude of claims that might be made by its own soldiers. It is pointed out that many men went from New Zealand to join irregular corps, paying their ow m passages and equipping themsehes. They were free agents and might have stayed at home if they wished. ■* # * The New Zea'and Defence Department has nothing to do with the claims of men other than those belonging to its own forces. Wouldn't it be a bit, theatrical to bring a matter up in Paihament that really has nothing to do with this country ? And is not the proper course to go direct to the CO. of the regiment in which Sergeant .Vogan served, and who would judge the facts a good deal better than could the New Zealand Parliament '? The capture of the notorious Scheepers is worth recognition. So is the capture of that other commandant and two men.

Theie is no doubt that Sergean^ Vogan has a grieumce. It is not a grie\anco, however, for the New Zealand authoi lties to sift. Also, it all the men whose grievances are quite as real, and whom it would be quite correct to refer to the New Zealand authorities, commenced asking reasons why they w r ere not granted D.l' MA, that already o\erworked Defence Office would have to reconsider its decision to cut do^n its staff.