GEORGE F BERTRAND

The death occurred at Palmerston of Mr George F. Bertrand, aged 66. Born at Urenui, Taranaki, he was a member of the Ngati Mutunga tribe. Mr Bertrand was educated at Te Aute College and Wellington Teacher's Training College. He taught at the New Plymouth Boys' High School between the two World Wars and again after World War II. Mr Bertrand served overseas in both wars and at the outbreak of the Second World War he was appointed second in command of the Maori Battalion with the rank of Major and served in the desert, Greece and Crete. He was later recalled to New Zealand to take command of the second battalion as Lieutenant Colonel. He was also in charge of the Maori Training Unit from 1942–1944. Mr Bertrand was awarded the O.B.E. and also held the Efficiency Decoration. He was a member of the Ngarimu Scholarship Fund Board.