Herbert Hart (general)

Sir Herbert Hart
Head and shoulders portrait of a man in military uniform and regalia
Herbert Hart, in the uniform of a brigadier general
Administrator of Western Samoa
In office
18 April 1931 – 25 July 1935
MonarchGeorge V
Preceded byStephen Allen
Succeeded byAlfred Turnbull
Personal details
Born
Herbert Ernest Hart

(1882-10-13)13 October 1882
Taratahi, New Zealand
Died5 March 1968(1968-03-05) (aged 85)
Masterton, New Zealand
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches (5)
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Croix de guerre (France)
Military service
AllegianceNew Zealand
Branch/serviceNew Zealand Military Forces
Years of service1901–1930
RankBrigadier General
Commands3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade (1918–19)
Sling Camp (1918)
2nd Infantry Brigade (1918)
4th Infantry Brigade (1917–18)
Wellington Infantry Battalion (1915–17)
Battles/warsSecond Boer War
First World War

Brigadier General Sir Herbert Ernest Hart, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO, VD (13 October 1882 – 5 March 1968) was an officer in the New Zealand Military Forces who served during the Second Boer War and the First World War. He later served as the Administrator of Western Samoa and worked for the Imperial War Graves Commission.

Hart volunteered for the Ninth New Zealand South African Contingent, which was raised for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War. By the time the contingent arrived in South Africa, the war was largely over. He saw extensive action during the First World War as a volunteer with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, first at Gallipoli and then on the Western Front. By the end of the war, he had advanced in rank to brigadier general, commanding a number of brigades in the New Zealand Division.

Trained as a lawyer before the war, Hart returned to New Zealand to resume his legal practice after his discharge from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He later served as Administrator of Western Samoa from 1931 to 1935 and was knighted for his services in this role. From 1936 to 1943, he worked in the Middle East for the Imperial War Graves Commission, a task made difficult by the outbreak of the Second World War and the subsequent fighting in the region. Following his retirement in late 1943, he became involved in Rotary International. He died at his home in Masterton on 5 March 1968.


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