THE NEW COMMANDANT OF THE NEW ZEALAND FORCES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3048, 28 January 1892, Page 2

THE NEW COMMANDANT OF THE NEW ZEALAND FORCES.

Captaiv Francis John Fox, of the Royal Artillery, who has been selected by His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge ami General L»rd Wolseley as commandant of the forces in New Zealand, began his service abroad in India early in 1877. Ho served in Buriuah and Afghanistan in both the heavy and mounted artillery, saw some hard fighting, and was or-lerly ofßcer to General Brooke, who was killed at Kandahar, Ho was also aide-de-camp for several months to the general officer commanding the Hyderabad Subsidiary Force. (Quitting India at the end of 1880, Captain Fox reached Natal in time to be on hand during the troublous period of the Boer war. In South Africa lie saw service in the field artillery. In January of 1881 ha went to England and spent nearly five years serving in garrison and horso artillery at Home. From May, 1882, to March, iSS3, he was adjutant of division garrison artillery, and from March, 1883, to October, 1884, was in the Royal Horse Artillery. On the lastmentioned data he became aide-de-camp again, this time to the general officer commanding the south-eastern district. This position, however, was soon exchanged for a somewhat more stirring scene, for the beginning of the following year found him at Suakim, on the Rod Sea, actively engaged in the mountain battery there. His Suakim work over, Captain Fox returned to the garrison artillery in England, where he served to the present d.it'3. It was (luring the period subsequent to his Egyptian campaigning that he was fortunate enough to secure thu very useful experience which falls to the lot of an A.D.O. to the Inspec-tor-general of Artillery. He gained that post in 188U, and held it for nearly three years. During this period our commandant accompanied the Inspector-general as his staff officw on inspection tours to Gibraltar, Malta, Canada, the West Indies, and Bermuda. Through holding a captun's rank when appointed, ho is one of tho senior captains of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. It is therefore quite possible that ho will have attained his majority before he reaches New Zealand. Tho Lyttelton Times understands that nnderany circumstances he will he granted :i step_ of loci 1 1 rank by the Commander in Chief. Captain Fox is expected to leave England at the end of January, and should roach New Zealand early in March.