N.Z. OFFICERS AT HOME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 39, 2 October 1914, Page 3

N.Z. OFFICERS AT HOME.

Wellington, October 1. The following information regarding the employment of New Zealand officers in Dnglaijd six weeks ago, or soon after the war broke out, has been received at Defence headquarters from Major G. S. Richardson, New Zealand repesentative at the War" Office, London:— Colonel V'. S. Smyth, lately officer commanding Canterbury Military District, has been attached to the southern command. Colonel E. S. Heard, Imperial General Staff,' late Chief of the General Staff of the New Zealand Defence Forces, has been attached to the War Office. It was expected that his duties would keep him there for some little time. Major M. M. Gardner was temporarily attached to the staff of the coast defences at Harwich. Captain B. 11. Smythe was at the coast defences on the Tyne, Captain C. W. Melville, being an army reserve officer, had the prospect of being posted to the South Lancashire Regiment, and therefore of going with the Imperial reinforcements to the- front. Captain F. H. Dampen was assisting at the High Commissioner's office in dealing with the enrolment of New Zealanders in London. Captain R. 0. Chesney had prospects of being called from the Staff

College to the War Office in the mean-) time, as Major Richardson would be required for other duties than representing New Zealand at the War Office I

Lieut. J. L. H. Turner, son of Col. D. H. Turner, of the Samoan Expeditionary Force, has been posted to the 23rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and Lieut. H. A. Davies, R.N.Z.A., to the 34th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, both with the Expeditionary Force. The two officers mentioned are therefore probably already serving on the Continent.

Major Richardson, in his advice, stated that there were then indications, of many New Zealanders in the United Kingdom getting commissions in the British Territorial forces and special reserve. The arrangements made by New Zealand for the composition and equipment of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, states Major Richardson, had met with the full appreciation of the War Office, their forward state being in a very large measure due to the visit made by Colonel Allen, Defence Minister, to London last year, and to New Zealand having been represented at the War Office since the early part of 1912.