Alec Whitcombe left NZ in December 1915 at the age of 20, making his way to England where he joined the Royal Horse Artillery. He served on the Western Front from mid-1916 until wounded during a German attack at Bligny on 6th June 1918. After an operation at No 2 Casualty Clearing Station at Rouen, Captain Whitcombe was evacuated to England. Following his recovery he was posted to Archangel to join the North Russian Expeditionary Force under General Ironside. His services during the operations against Pocha, and providing training to the Pinega artillery forces, earned Whitcombe the Military Cross and the Russian Order of St Anne. He returned to England in June 1919 and was on leave until returning to New Zealand in December that year. AWMM