24302 Major David Sutherland Columb, 1886-5/2/1921. "upright character and cheery nature"

David Columb worked as an insurance clerk before the Great War and was a Captain in the local Territorials.  He was promoted to Temporary Major for the first time in December, 1914, when the Wellington Regiment was making up its numbers to replace those who were in Samoa.  He left the country with the 17th Reinforcements in 1916.

He served in the Wellingtons until the end of the war, being made Temporary Major again in 1918, after his superior office was wounded in one of the battles that took place after the Germans' failed spring offensive.

The friends of Mr D. S. Columb, of 199 Church Street, will regret to hear that he has been ordered into a private hospital in Dunedin, and that his case is considered to be very serious. Mr Columb had only recently been appointed local manager of the Australian Mutual Provident Society here. Mrs Columb was beginning to be well known in local musical circles. Their friends will hope that their fears may not be realised and that a speedy recovery will follow the proposed operation. Mr Columb passed through the whole of the war unscathed.  -Manawatu Times, 11/12/1920.

PERSONAL PARAGRAPHS.

The latest news from Mrs Columb, In Dunedin, is that her husband is not making any progress towards recovery. His condition is such as to necessitate the constant attendance of a nurse.  -Manawatu Times, 10/1/1921.

OBITUARY.

The many friends of Mr D. S. Columb will regret to learn of his death, which took place on Saturday last. The deceased was the youngest son of Mr Chas. Columb, of Ross street, Roslyn. He was a native of Dunedin, and was educated at the Christian Brothers’ School. On leaving school he joined the staff of the A.M.P. Society, and at the time of his death he occupied the position of district manager at Palmerston North. He was long associated with the Cadet and the Territorial movement in Wellington, and in 1916 he joined the Seventeenth Reinforcements, and proceeded to France as O.C. of the Pakeha’s draft. After serving continuously till the end of the war, he returned to New Zealand in May, 1919. He was promoted to the rank of major after the last battle fought by his battalion in France. His upright character and cheery nature endeared the deceased officer to all. Mr Columb was married to the youngest daughter of the late W. J. Hall, of Craigton, Belleknowes.  -Otago Daily Times, 7/2/1921.

A brief note on David Columb's Army record shows that he died of a cancer on his abdominal wall.