THE NEW ZEALANDERS HONORED.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 January 1917, Page 7

THE NEW ZEALANDERS HONORED.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. The following are brief biographical sketches of the New Zcalanders appearing in the New Year honors:— Major-General Sir Andrew Hamilton Russell, K.C.M.G.. C.8., is General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Division in France, and. was born in Napier in February, ISfiS. He is the son of the late Captain Hamilton Russell, of the 58th Regiment, who was a brothel of the late Captain the Hon. Sir William Russell Russell." He was educated at Harrow and at Sandhurst. In 1887 he joined the Border Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant, and spent five years on foreign service. In 1892 he joined his father in New Zealand, where he was then farming Flaxinere in partnership with his brother, Sir William. In the year 1900 the Hawke's Bay Mounted Rifles was formed, and be was elected to command, ft position lie held until lie was promoted major and then colonel of the Wellington Mounted Brigade. This rank lie held at the outbreak of war, and on his services being accepted he was appointed Colonel in Command of the Mounted Rifles Brigade of tlie Main New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Shortly after landing at Gallipoli he was promoted brigadier-general. He received the R.C.M.G. for his services on Gallipoli, and on the creation of the New Zealand Division in Egypt was appointI ed to the command, with the rank of Major-general. Brigadier-General E. W. C. Cliaytor, C.8., C.M.G., N.Z.S.C., left New Zealand as Adjutant-General to the Expeditionary Forces, and is now in command of the New Zealand Mounted Rifle Brigade. General Chavtor is a New Zeaiander by birth. He is the son of Sir. J. C. Cliaytor of Marshland's, Marlborough, and became identified with the Marlborough Mounted Rifles, being appointed captain in 1592. He served in the South African War from 1900 to 1002, being in charge of the 3rd New Zealand Contingent from May 19 to 20, 1900. when he was severely wounded, and .ill command of the 2nd Regiment, Bth .New Zealand Contingent, from March 19, 1902. His*war service, as given in the Army List, is as follows:—"1900-02 Operations in the Orange. Free State, April and May, 1900. Operations in the Transvaal in May, 1900, including action near Johannesburg. Operations in the Transvaal east of Pretoria, September to November 29, 1900, including action at Rhenoster Ivop. Operations in the Transvaal west of Pretoria, September to November 29, 1900. Operations in the Orange River Colony, August and September, 1900. Operations in Cape Colony. March/and April. 1900. Operations in t,hc Transvaal November 30, 1900, to February, 1901, and April to May 31, 1902. Operations in the Orange River Colony, March, 1901 and April, 1902. Operations in Cape Colony. Feb-ruary-March, 1901, and May, 1002." He was mentioned in dispatches, and was awarded the Queen's Medal with three clasps and the King's Medal with two elasps. Upon his return from the war he filled the position of Assistant Ad-jutant-General to the New Zealand Defence Forces, and later went to England, where he passed the Staff College course at Camberlcy. Tn December, 1910, he was appointed Officer in Command of the Wellington Military District, with headquarters at Paimeiston North—a position which he held until July Hi, 1914, when he was re-appointed AdjutantGeneral to the New Zealand Defence Forces. He is the wearer of the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration. General (then colonel) Cliaytor was severely wounded early in the Gallipoli campaign, and was invalided to England. He made a good recovery, however, and returned to Gallipoli via the Western Front. It was in December. 191 H, that be was appointed Brigadier-General with the command of the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade. He was wounded a second time some month; ago, and | had already received the C.B. for his services in this war. Lieutenant-Colonel William Meldrum, officer , commanding' the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, was born at Kamo, Whangarei, in July, 1805. He is the eldest surviving son of Mr. Alexander Lewis Meldrum, of East Kincaple, St. Andrews. Scotland, and .vas educated at Clifton Bank School. St. Andrews, the Kamo Public School, the Auckland College and Grammar School, and the Auckland University. He. entered Messrs. Whitaker and' Russell's law office in Auckland in ISS4, passed the barrister's law examination in 1888, and subsequently practised law at Thames and in Hunterville, retiring from practice in 1912. From then till the outbreak ot the war lie was engaged in farming at Hunterville and AA'aipukurau. Tn the eighties lie represented Auckland in cricket and football. In 1392 he won the chess championship of New Zealand. For six vears he was chairman of the Hunterville Town Board. He unsuccessfully contested the I'angitikei seat at the by-election in 1909 and at the general election in 1911. He has taken an active interest in volunteering since 1900. when he was instrumental in founding the Hunterville Mounted Rifles, serving as lieutenant under Captain J. L. Dove. He succeeded to the captaincy in 1903, was promoted major in 1910, and lieutenant-colonel in command of the (ith (Manawatu) Mounted Rifles in May, 1914. He is an active Freemason, and is a Past Grand Swordbearer of the Grand Lodge of Now Zealand. He was married in 1893, and has two children, the eldest, A. F. Meldrmn, being a member of the Expeditionary Force which occupied Samoa. Lieutenant-Colonel W. fl. Cunningham, of the 7th (Wellington West Coast) Regiment, in command of a battalion of the Wellington Regiment on the AVost Front. He was an old volunteer and joined the Territorial service. He went away with the Main Body as major, under Lieutenant-Colonel Malone. was present at the time Lieutenant-Col-onel Malone was shot, and subsequently took charge of the men. Since his experience at Gallipoli lie has spent some time on the. Western Front, and took part in the great Somme drive. Lieu-tenant-Colonel Cunningham was a barrister and solicitor in Wangamu for some years in tlie firm of Cunningham uul Christie. Mr. Christie is now carryint' on the practice. Lieutenant-Colonel J. Findlav served at Gallipoli and in Egypt, and already holds the C.B. Formerly an officer of the 7th (Southland) Mounted Rifles, lis left New Zealand in the Main Expeditionary Force as officer commanding the Canterbury Mounted Rifles. Major F. H. T.ampen, N.Z.S.C'., w;ho also left with the Main Body, is Bri-gade-Major to the 2nd New Zealand jtnfantry Brigade. He was formerly staff officer in Taranaki. Prior to the war Lieutenant-Colonel [C. E.. R. Maekesy was Leuteiaaat-Colons!

of-the -11 Mi {NorOi Auckland Mounted Rifles). He left New Zealand with the Main Expeditionary Force as' the officer commanding the Auckland .Mounted Rifles. and still holds that position. Major C. McGilp, of the New Zealand I'ield Artillery, went to the front with | the Main Expeditionary Force; a? also I did Lieutenant-Colonel D. N. W.' Mur'■ay. New Zealand Medical 'Corps; and Captain V. Rogers, New Zealand Field Artillery, who is now in command of a battery. Major C. C. Sa>-by, of the Reserve of Officers, has transferred from the Auckland j\lounted Rifles and is now an officer. in the New Zealand Fioneer Battalion. Major James Pow belongs to the 4th Battalion of tho New Zealand Rifle Brigade. Major R. B. Smythe, N.Z.S.C., left New Zealand in July, 1015, and is oi« the Ist Anzae Headquarters Staff. Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Stewart, .whose home unit is the 14th South' Otago) Regiment, commands at the front the 2nd Battalion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade.