PERSONAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1918, Page 4

PERSONAL.

The Hon. Sir John Findlay, K.C., MP, was in New Plymouth yesterday on legal business in connection with the Supreme Court sittings. • The casualty list published yesterday contains the names of the following Taranaki men:—Wounded: Private W Randall (Mrs. T. Kendall, Waitara, sister). Wounded, admitted to hospital: Private L. P. Hamerton (Mrs. M. M. Hamerton, mother). By a vessel which arrived at Welling, ton on Wednesday the following Taranaki men returned: Private J. T. Bourke (Hawera), Private J. G. ford), Private H. J. Stevens "fPateaj/i The nominal roll contained 104 names, 1 comprising 8 officers, 4 nurses and 92 of other ranks. Lieut. C. J. Pierce, mentioned as one of the recipients of the Military Cross, is a grandson of Mrs. 10. C. Meredith, W Koru, and a son of Mr. James Pierce, of Flint road, Stratford. He left with the. main Expeditionary tforce, gairifd hisf commission at Gallipo'li, since the evacuation of which he has served with his regiment (Mounteds) in Egypt, and has been twice wounded. The members of the No. 1 Wellington Military Service Board (Messrs D. G. A. Cooper, chairman, Guy Williams,and I)., Walsh) arrived in New; Plymouth ydy McLaren), with the secretary (Mr!' terday. Captain Walker (military representative) and Major Cox (officer commanding the group) also arrived in town.

On Friday, says tHe Southland Times, Mr. W. H. Robcrtshaw, accountant in the Bank of Australasia, who has boen promoted to tlio position of manager at New Plymouth, was the recipient presents from the manager (Mr. A. S. Browne) and also from the staff. In making the presentation on behalf of the staff, Mr- Crisp referred in complimentary terms to Mr. Robertahaw's capabilities as an officer of the bank and to the amicable relations that had existed with the staff. Mr. Robertshaw has earned a well-deserved popularity amongst title 'bank's clients in Southland, and this recognition of his stprling qualities has also teen gained amongst his golfing and other acquaintances. Mr. Hobertshow was hon. secretary of the Invercargill Golf Club and St. John's school.

Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Kimbell, Hawcra, received advice from the Minister of Defence that their son, Sergeant Eric Kimbell, had been killed in action "somewhere in France,", on January 20 last. Sergeant Kimbell, who was only 23 years of age, went away with the machine-gun section of the 26th Reinforcements. Previom to enrolling with the Expeditionary Force (says the Star), he was a student in the Canterbury College (university engineering section) and was a member of the Territorial Garrison Artillery. Shortly after the outbreak of war he was called up for service at the Wellington fort, where he served until going into camp vith the reinforcements. He was a very popular young man, and the family will have the sincerest sympathy of a large circle of friends in Hawera, Stratford and New Plymouth, where they are well known. The Governor-General, Premier, and the Minister of Defence forwarded condolences. The recent appointment of MajorGeneral Louis Jean Bols as Chief of the General Staff of Sir Douglas Haig, in succession to Major-General Sir A. Lyn-den-Bell, is of peculiar interest on account of the fact that General Bols is a Belgian by birth, and will thus take an important share in driving the enemy from his native country. The son of a former Consul-General of the Belgian Diplomatic Service, the General, who is 50 years of age, entered the British Army 30 years ago as a subaltern in the Devonshire Regiment. In 18912 he saw service in Burma, taking part in the operations in the Kachim Hills. Then came the South African war, and the new Chief of Staff took his full share of work in the relief of Ladysmith, including the actions at Colenso, Spion Kop, Tugela Heights, and Pieter's Hill. In the present War General Bols has already played a notable part and his name has been mentioned in dispatches on three occasions. He won the D.S.O. in South Africa, and has received the C.B. during the present campaign.