Brigadier James Hargest (4 September 1891 - 12 August 1944) was a New Zealand military officer and politician. September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ...

Hargest was born in Gore, where his father was a farmer. He joined the Territorial Force in 1911, and when World War I broke out, he volunteered to serve in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, being commissioned as a second lieutenant. He fought and was wounded at the Battle of Gallipoli, and later fought in France. By the end of the war, he had risen to command a battalion, and had been awarded the Military Cross, the DSO, and the French Légion d'honneur. Gore is a town and surrounding borough in the South Island of New Zealand. ... 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar). ... Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Romania, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total: 8 million Full list Military dead: 3 million Civilian dead: 3 million Total: 6 million Full... The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military expedition sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain in World War I. Upon the outbreak of war, New Zealand immediately offered to provide two brigades — one of infantry and one of mounted troops — a total of 8... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ... Combatants United Kingdom France India Australia New Zealand Newfoundland Ottoman Empire Commanders Sir Ian Hamilton Otto Liman von Sanders Strength 5 divisions (initial) 14 divisions (final) 6 divisions (initial) 14 divisions (final) Casualties 252,000 (205,000 British, 47,000 French) dead 97,000 wounded 145,000+ sick 253,000... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO code In military terminology, a battalion consists of two to six companies typically commanded by a lieutenant colonel. ... Military Cross The Military Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army, and formerly also to officers of the armies of other Commonwealth countries, for distinguished and meritorious services in battle. ... Source: Veterans Affairs Canada The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and other formerly Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... Knights badge of the Legion of Honour The Légion dhonneur (Legion of Honor (AmE) or Legion of Honour (ComE)) is an Order of Chivalry first established by Napoléon Bonaparte, First Consul of the French Republic, on May 19, 1802. ...

Upon his return to New Zealand, Hargest returned to farming, buying land near Invercargill. He became active in local affairs, and in 1931, he was elected to Parliament as the MP for Invercargill. Hargest was a supporter of the coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party. When the coalition solidified to become the National Party, Hargest joined it formally. Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost settlements in the world. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1931 calendar). ... The New Zealand Parliament is the legislative body of the New Zealand government. ... This article discusses the party which originated in 1927 from a faction of the Liberal Party. ... The Reform Party was New Zealands second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party. ... Current National Party logo The New Zealand National Party (sometimes colloquially referred to as the Nats or as Tories) currently forms the second-largest (in terms of seats) political party represented in the New Zealand Parliament, and thus functions as the core of the parliamentary Opposition. ...

With the outbreak of World War II, Hargest sought to return to military service. Initially, he was turned down on medical grounds, but this was overriden by the Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage. Hargest left New Zealand in 1940, holding the rank of Brigadier. He and his forces took part in the Battle of Crete, and subsequently the Western Desert Campaign. In late 1941, Hargest was captured, and was imprisoned in Castle Vincigliata, near Florence, along with a number of other Allied officers. A group of officers, including Hargest, managed to escape — Hargest and another New Zealand brigadier were the only two to reach safety in neutral Switzerland. With the help of the French Resistance, Hargest travelled through France to Spain, from which he flew to England. Later, he was appointed New Zealand's observer in the D-Day landings in Normandy, being attached to a British division. On 12 August 1944, he was killed by shell fire. Combatants Allies: • Poland, • UK & Commonwealth, • France/Free France, • Soviet Union, • USA, • China, ...and others Axis: • Germany, • Italy, • Japan, ...and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total: 50 million Full list Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total: 12 million Full list World War II... The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealands head of government and is the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand. ... Michael Joseph Savage (March 23, 1872 - March 27, 1940) was a New Zealand politician and the first Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Brigadier is a rank in the British Army, Royal Marines, Australian Army, New Zealand Army, and several other armies, ranking above Colonel and immediately below Major-General. ... Combatants Greece New Zealand Australia United Kingdom Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Freyberg Kurt Student Strength 43,000 45,000 Casualties 3,500 dead 1,900 wounded 17,500 captured 6,200–22,000 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Crete (German Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta; Greek Μάχη της Κρήτης) began on the morning... The Western Desert Campaign was the primary early theatre of the North African Campaign of World War II. It is sometimes referred to as the Egypt-Libya Campaign. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1941 calendar). ... Founded 59 BC as Florentia Region Tuscany Mayor Leonardo Domenici (Democratici di Sinistra) Area  - City Proper  102 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 356,000 almost 500,000 3,453/km² Time zone CET, UTC+1 Latitude Longitude 43°47 N 11°15 E www. ... The French Resistance is the name used for resistance movements that fought military occupation of France by Nazi Germany and the Vichy France undemocratic regime during World War II after the government and the high command of France surrendered in 1940. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001 Census) – Density Ranked 1st... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... Flag of Normandy Mont Saint Michel is a historic pilgrimage site and a symbol of Normandy Normandy is a geographical region in northern France. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1944 calendar). ...

James Hargest College in Invercargill is named after him. James Hargest College is a large school of about 1800 students in Invercargill, New Zealand. ...