A BRAVE OFFICER

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 905, 1 June 1903, Page 2

A BRAVE OFFICER

Writing from Pretoria, Transvaal Colony, under date of April 3, Major G. R. .Johnston. late Seventh New Zealand Regiment, sends particulars of a presentation made to Lieutenant Colonel tire Hon. H. F. White, D. 5.0., who bad tho Seventh Nev Zealanders under bis command for some timo during the late South African war. Major Johnston says : —“ I would consider it a very great favor if you would cause to be inserted in the columns of your valuable paper tho attached copy of a letter to me from Lieutenant Colonel the Hun. H. F. White, D. 5.0., acknowledging receipt of a gold watch and chain, sovereign case, green-stone pendant, with gold fern leaf thereon, which J was requested to convey to him on behall oi the olticeis. non commissioned olliceis, and men of the Seventh New Zealand Regiment, us a mark of the esteem in which ne was heiu wuilc under his command during the Boer war in South Africa. Much of the success of the 1 Fighting Seventh ’ was due to this officer's enterprise, daring, and dashing exploits, which on many occasions resulted in the capture or routing of a wily and resourceful enemy. No doubt many of the late members of the Seventh are in various part" of New Zealand, and will be pleased to know, through .the columns of your paper how much their oid commander treasures the memento they have pmseated to him.” To tins LieutenantColonel the Hon. H. F. White sent the following acknowledgment, addressed from the Guards’ Club, London :— *• Dear Major Johnstone, —The gift you handed me to day from the officers and men of the Seventh New Zealand Regiment I shall always treasure with the greatest pride. It is not tor me to speak of tho good work done by the regiment. Ail the world knows bow gallantly it did its duty. I bad the great honor to have the regiment under ray command during its service in South Africa, and ever found it ready to duty’s call. . , . Splendid horseman, model mounted troops, and as brave as lions were the Seventh. Tbat the officers and men of so distinguished a corps should have thought fit to give me so beautiful a memento, I take it us the

greatest compliment ever paid to me. Any success I may have had is attributable to those gallant New Zealanders who so ably carried out my orders. To them all credit is due. It gave me the very greatest pleasure when at Home to bear nothing but praise of the regiment. England is proud of it, New Zealand is proud of it, but I feel sure you will allow me to say that the pride I feel in having had the honor to have the regiment under my c unmand

cannot be surpassed. Will you convey to your comrades and my old friends 'ur; gratitude for the great honor .. .y hat conferred on me ? I regret very much that I could not see them to thank them personally ; but tnough many thousands of miles separate us the memory of their grand fighting qualities, and the cheerful way they did their arduous work will never fade from my thoughts.” The recipient of the gift (Colonel White) was for many years an officer of the Guards, and was, I oelieve, one of those who took part in the famous Jameson raid. During the South African war he joined the forces operating in Rhodesia, under General Plumer, and had under his direct com-

mand, among others, the Seventh New Zealand Regiment, and a portion of the Queensland Mounted men,