Expeditionary Force

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 69, 11 August 1914, Page 4

Expeditionary Force

GENERAL GODLEY IN COMMAND. WILL SEE SERVICE IX EUROPE. Wellington, August 10. Tlie Premier made a statement iu the House this afternoon to the effect that the New Zealand expeditionary force was not going to ilo garrison duty, but was going to the front, and might expect in five weeks to he in the fighting line. General Godley was going in commamd ol the force. Wellington, Last Night. In the House of Representatives tonight, the Premier said an idea was abroad in some districts that the New Zealand men would not go to the front, but would be used for 1 garrison duty. Such was not the ease. The expedition would go to Europe, and would probably call at an English port on the way for orders. As soon as the. forces left New Zealand they would he Imperial troops. He could not specially mention any companies, but, generally speaking, the New Zealand troops would be in the fighting line within a short time after leaving New Zealand. The expeditionary force would be commanded by General Godl#y. 'The Premier read a message received from Lord Kitchener, and telegraphed yesterday. He said he felt sure that Lord Kitchener's message would .be read with keen satisfaction in all parts of New Zealand. He expressed great pleasure that Lord Kitchener should be in supreme command of the Imperial Army. Mr. Fisher said he had learned that the Imperial Government had decided to extend marine insurance risks to Now Zealand shipments.

OFFICERS CHOSEN. COLONEL LOGAN IN CHARGE. Wellington, Last Night. The selection of officers for the expeditionary force was announced tonight.—ln command, Col. R. Logan (officer in charge of the Auckland district); staff officer, W. R. Rinwell (general staff officer, Canterbury district); field cashier, Lieut. Hackworth (sth Regiment); army service corps commander, Captain Wright (Auckland); field ambulance, Major Holmes (Wellington); infantry commander, Col. Charcourt Turner (Wellington, stli Regiment); second infantry commander, Major Fulton; infantry company commanders, Major R. St. J. Beere (Wellington), Major Cowlcs (Wellington). Captain Wilkinson (assistant adjutant, sth Regiment) will he in charge of the machine gun section; Captain Masquarie (L Mountain Battery, Wellington) and Major Kay will command the Auckland infantry company, and Captains P. and J. Keenan the Railway Engineers. Other appointments will he announced later. (The Major Holmes is probably, an error, and should read: Surgeon-Major Home of New Plymouth, Wellington district). i TARANAKI'S QUOTA. _ MORE MEN WANTED. COLONEL MALONE IN COMMAND. Colonel Ma lone, officer commanding the 11th Regiment, Taranaki Rifles, offered lis services in connection with the expeditionary force, and 'he has been appointed to command the Wellington Infantry Battalion. Many other officers of the regiment have also volunteered, including the following:—Major Clarke (liltham), Surgeon-Captain Home (New Plymouth), Captain Short (Taumarunui), Captain Brunt (Hawera), Lieutenants Furby, Urquhart and Munro (Stratford), Lieut. Narbey (Okato), Lieut. Morrison and Taylor (Elthaiu), Lieuts. Wells and McColl (Taumarunui), Lieut. Shepherd (New Plymouth). Many rf the others, including several Mew Plymouth officers, are eager to go, but for various reasons, sueh as family ties, are unable to get away. The response of the Territorials so far his been fairly satisfactory, but there is still room for more. Taranaki's quota is 420 all told, and of these there are places for 320 Territorials. Wit& such magnificent response on the part of the officers, and with the certainty of serving under a Taranaki officer (Colonel Malone), whose undoubted skill in tlhe peace strategic manoeuvres in the Dominion have earned him his high command on its merits, and who is bound to come rapidly for ward, the recruiting officers should be Overwhelmed to-day. Many in the country have, we understand, refrained from volunteering because of the idea that the townsmen near the recruiting office would rush all the available places, but there is still opportunity fo r Territorials between the ages of 20 and 25 years of age.

A meeting of active, (honorary and intending members of the New Plymouth Defence Rifle Club is called for' Thursday evening, at 8 o'clock, at the Drill Hall, to consider what steps the club will take in the present war crisis. Mr. F. J- Hill is the nliib's president, am! Mr. H. C. Evans tho secretary.

TAEANAK.I INFANTRY. ENTHUSIASM AT THK DRILL HALL There was an enthusiastic scene at the Xevr PJymoutli Drill Hall last nighf, wliere the XI. Regiment mustered and those men wfto lmve vohmteered for the expeditionary I'oree were paraded and received final instructions. As the volunteers stepped from the ranks tfliey were greeted wiilt ronsinj,' cheers by the numbers of civilians who assembled svt the hall. The Territorials numbered about 30. and there were also a large number of application? fro.n civilian--, whidli will bo dealt with in due course. The men of the who had volunteered were ill;en lirieily but nithilv addressed bv Captain McDonnell, of .hipermanent slafl'. Thev wore instructed to parade at Wie Corona ion Hall at Id a.m. on Wednesday, in l'utl marching order, with kits packed. wh. ; :i a kit ami imed cal inspection will be held. The men from that time will be. under strict military discipline, but will probable ho allowed some time to. themselves in the afternoon. They wiLI leave for Paimei'sion Worth by the mail train on Thursday. The dress will be full uniform and felt hats (caps to be left behind), with rifle and -accessories. The men will be billeted in the Coronation Hall for the night on Wednesday, but must oring with them 24 hours' provisions. The Territorials fro.n all parts of the province will begin uo arrive 'here to-night, and will be accommodated at the Coronation Hall. Tests will be gone through, and the men fully ■equipped. The first body will then leave hv the mail train on Thursday morning. followed by the remainder on Friday.

A <'ontingeiii of the. Array Service Corp# and "Field Ambulauco men, -wflio Imvt' vohmtei-T«d for serviw with the expeditionary force, left- Bavrera yes-

terday morning for Wellington, anutftf, Wivsi enthusiasm. rj Three Territorials left by tli'e mail, train yesterday morning to get everyhing in readiness for 'the larger body of men who will leave at the lend ol week. They were R. B. C. Dowling (ambulance), A.. Wooller (baker), and W. H. Brocklebank (driver). TheM men were to be reinforced by additional medical and army service corps men at I Stratford and Hawera, Cadet Meek, of the New Plymouth Railway staff, left by the 12.50 train yesterday for Wellington, where he will join the force. He will be Sapper Meek, of the Railway Engineer Corps, fceveral others of the New Plymouth staff arc working under instructioiß tohold themselves in readiness to proceed to Wellington immediately on being

NEW PLYMOUTH STAFF CHANGES, OFFICERS FOR THE FRONT. fScTgcant-Major Hesp has been appointed Provost-Scrgeant-Major with t'kc divisional headquarters, VWlineton, and reports there on Friday. , Sergeant-Major Moloney will'be Sergeant of police at the Brigade headquarters, and will report at Palmerston North on Friday. Sergeant-Major Bonar, of Stratford, reports to the New Plymouth headquarters on Wednesday. Sergeant-Major McGlade is attached to C. Company. Both of these officers will join, tie expeditionary force. In consequence of the dep&rbuTe ol the sergeant-majors, all those civilians wishing to register for active nervier must communicate direct with Oaptaitf Stevens, of Hawera. except, of course, in the case of Hew Plymouth, where n.-en can register with the defence office. The officers mention that there it still loom for civilians, particularly nie* with horses. BOROUGH COUNCIL'S ACTION". 1 At last night's meeting of the New Plymouth Borough Council, tihe Town Clerk, in a letter to the Mayor, pointed out that two members of the Council's office staff were joining the expedition-# arr- force for the front, and suggested that the Council take the same action us had public bodies in Australia, where the positions of employees were kept oper for them and full pay was allowed tiem. " ■ After discussing the petition, the 1 Council decided to keep op an the posi-'V tions of members of their staff who' volunteered, during the time they wertf> away. The Council meeting was not r closed, but merely adjourned, the May-' or remarking that emergency meeting* might be necessary at any time. GENERAL ITEMS. Mr J. H. Walker, the well-know* veteran bugler, has presented the local troops for the front with! a pair •!' binoculars. A meeting of the New Plymouth Citi« zens' Committee was held yesterday, afternoon, the Mayor (Mr J. E. Wileon)| presiding. Mt L." M. Monte'ith wa« appointed lion, secretary, and Mr C. H. Weston hon. treasurer. The names ot Messrs E. Whittle, H. Goodacre, C. H. Burgess, J, McLeod, W. H. Moyes, an 4 Bev. Hales were added to ih'e committee, which, it was decided, should meet at 3 p.m. on Mondays, and oftenerwhe» : considered advisable by the chairmas'. Hie committee decided not to make a canvass for subscriptions just now. it fcein; felt that therp will be a liberal, ard spontaneous response- The Prime Minister is to be consulted as to what i.« he'ng done elsewhere in Tegard to the aifoei tion of the patriotic funds. A meeting of settlers of the. Okato district will he held at the Hempton Hall, Okato, this evening, to consider what steps the district should take towards providing funds, etc., for the expeditionary force. The grand military hall to have been held by the officers and non-comands- ; sioned officers and men of A Company, to celebrate the opening of the Goronatien Hall as a drill hall, has been indefinitely postponed owing to a number of the men having joined the- expeditionary force. TEE PATRIOTIC FUND. • Tlii.' following donations have to date been received to the patriotic fund:— £ b. a. Taranaki Jockey Club 105 0 0 Burgess, Fraser and Co 100 0 0 New Plymouth Medical Assn. 100 0 # New Plymouth' Fire Brigade 60 0 0 Newton King (in addition to £SO to the Stratford fund) 30 0 0 Taranaki Herald and Budget 50 0 0 Newton King's New Plymouth etaff 60 0 ft J. E. Wilson, Mayor ....... 25 O 0 Taranaki Herald and Budgets staff 18 10 0 Mr and Mrs A. Crooke ... 15 -0 0 Weston and Weston 10 10 0 W. C. Weston '... 10 10 0 Staff Burgess, Fraser and Co. 10 10 0 Roy and Nicholson 10 10 0 T. C. List 10 10 0 C. Carter 7 70 J. McNeill 7 7 0 - A McHardy* 5 5 0 15. Cunningham 5 5 6 W. Morev 5 6 0 Rev. F. G, Evans 5 0 0 Mrs Evans 5 0 0 Captain Wilson 6 0 .0 W. F. Brooking 5 0 0 J. S. M'cKellar S 6 0 Ooppcn and Prestney 6 5 0 H. Stocker 6 5 0 , J. Waddle 5 5 0 E. F. Blundell 5 0 0 R. W. D. Robertson 5 0 0 G. S. Millar 5 0 0 E. W. M. Lvsons 5 0 0 A. E. Sykes 5 ft 0 R. C. Ilnghes 5 0 4 P. Lealand 5 0 0 A. I, Humphries 3 •$ 0 Avenue Road Card Club 22 0 Mrs .1. S. Carthew 1 0 0 ■ Lush 0 10 0 Tola] to (late £734 0 0 The lion. O. Samuel, M.L.C., has joined Messrs Pearce and Wilkinson, M.P.'s. in giving £IOO each to a patriotic fund.