Waiouru farewells General

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 424, 18 February 1992, Page 1

Waiouru farewells General

BY

JO

HOWIE

Chief of the General Staff, Major General Bruce Meldrum CB, OBE, made his farewell visit to Waiouru on 11 and 12 February. . After 36 years of service, General Meldrum is due to retire from the Armed Forces and is to

be replaced by Brigadier A L Birks. General Meldrum, the most senior officer in the Army, assumed command on 1 March 1989. He graduated from Duntroon in December 1959 and was commissioned into the Royal

Waiouru farewells General

From page 1 New Zealand Armoured Corps. As well as seeing active service in South Vietnam, he has held a variety of command and staff appointments during his long and distinguished career. While in Waiouru he was farewelled by Waiouru-based and Support Command Units. On 11 February, General Meldrum visited the Tactical School, was met

by the Chief Instructor, Major Ian Gordon and talked to the Regular Force Grade II staff and students. Here the General presented Major Nigel Gattsche with a Chief of the General Staff s Commendation. Later that morning the Waiouru-based units went on paradfc, for which the General was the Reviewing Officer. He inspected everyone on parade and presented

five Long Service and Good Conduct Medals to: Corporal Richard Skudder, Corporal Willy Taitimu, Staff Sergeant Peter Baily, Staff Sergeant Lloyd Stone, and Warrant Officer 2 Mike Matheson. General Meldrum then attended a buffet luncheon at the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess. The Sergeant Major of the Army, Warrant Officer Class One O'Connor, MBE, also attended. The afternoon's activities included visiting the Warrant Offi-

cers' Course at the School of Regimental Training and viewing a live firing exercise by the senior class at the Officer Cadet School. That night he attended a regimental dinner where he was farewelled by Brigadier Talbot, OBE, on behalf of the Officers of Support Command. On the morning of 12 February, General Meldrum drove out of Waiouru in a vintage armoured vehicle, the 1942 Vickers Armstrong Valentine tank. Soldiers from all units lined the

street, and 1 Armoured Group provided a farewell barrack guard at the mUseum flag station. The Valentine tank was the first armoured vehicle the General commanded. The tank was used in New Zealand for training until 1960 and was replaced by the M41 Tank. There were approximately 250 Valentines in New Zealand, and there are three left in New Zealand, two of which are the property of Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Army Museum.