F. W. Voelcker

Career of New Administrator of Samoa

CAPTURED by the Germans in the war of 1914-18—escaped three times —on the third occasion at liberty for three weeks.

This is one episode in the eventful life of Lieut.-Colonel F. W. Voelcker, DSO, MC, the New Zealand soldier who is Administrator - designate of Western Samoa.

Lieut. - Colonel Voelcker, happily enough, is better known in the Islands than in New Zealand, where he had been living for only ten years when war broke out. His association with the Fiji Mili tary Forces dates back to 1940 and his experience in command of native troops was specifically mentioned by the Prime Minister of New Zealand (Mr. Fraser) when his appointment was recently an nounced.

Born in England on October 9, 1896. he was educated at Shrewsbury School before entering the Royal Military College. Sandhurst, in 1914. On the out break of war he obtained a commission in the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, arriving in France in time to take part in the battle of Ypres.

Badly wounded in 1915, when he suf fered a severe bayonet wound and con cussion, Lieut.-Colonel Voelcker was taken prisoner—and immediately started planning for escape.

His first attempt was made solo, and he was recaptured after three days in the Hartz forest. Next attempt was with two fellow - prisoners; and, as on the first occasion, he bluffed his way out bv using a disguise.

After two breaks he was closely guarded, but that did not prevent him from planning again, and his third attempt was nearly successful. He and his companions made their painful way to Rostock, on the Baltic. There he planned to get away on a Danish ship.

Accosted by a German military police man, he explained that he was a Danish seaman and seemed likely to succeed in his bluff until, by grim mischance, he was confronted with a Danish-speaking German from Schleswig—and the mas querate was over.

Lieut.-Colonel Voelcker recalls that Commander the Hon. Barry Bingham, VC, of Jutland fame, escaped with him on the third occasion, but was caught on the first day at liberty.

WAR over, the youthful soldier decided to remain in the Regular Army. He went to Southern Ireland with his Regiment in 1919, and in the same year was posted for overseas duty at Aden.

In 1921, he was transferred to India, re maining there until 1928. He was first stationed at Bombay, and during his term there troops were called out to restore order as rioting occurred when the Prince of Wales visited the city. In 1923 he moved to Poona, and in the following year was appointed to a staff post at the Small Arms School, Satara. There, he married, and in 1927, went on leave to England, where he decided to leave the Army.

Lieut.-Colonel Voelcker’s choice for a new home fell on New Zealand, and he settled in Keri Keri, Bay of Islands, where he engaged in the production of citrus fruits.

In 1939, on the outbreak of war, he volunteered for service, but was rejected on medical grounds, as a result of old wounds. After treatment, however, he was passed fit and called up in June, 1940, and his first duty was to train the famous New Zealand Railway Unit

at Ngaruawahia. In November, 1940, he sailed for Suva, to command the Train ing Battalion in the Eighth Brigade Group.

He commanded the 30th Battalion at Namaka during the hurricane which swept through the Group early in 1941.

Twenty-two men of his battalion were selected for coast-watching duty at this time, and ten of thepi were among the 17 coast-watchers who were murdered by the Japanese at Tarawa in October, 1942.

Lieut.-Colonel Voelcker went to New Zealand in June, 1942, but returned to Fiji to command the 3rd Battalion of the newly-formed Fiji Infantry Brigade Group. After 18 months of garrison duty in Fiji, the battalion sailed for Bougainville early in 1944.

Commanding the battalion in action on Bougainville, Lieut.-Colonel Voelcker was awarded a DSO and the American Bronze Star. . Corporal Sefanaia Sukanaivalu, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for gallantry during the Maweraka action, came from his battalion.

On return from the Solomons, Lieut.- Colonel Voelcker had a furlough in New Zealand before returning to Fiji to pre pare his battalion for further action abroad. “VJ-Day” put an end to those plans, and he had returned to New Zea land when his new appointment to Samoa was announced.

Lieut.-Colonel Voelcker has two daughters.