Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Colonel J. C. Hoad, C.M.G., who has been selected to represent the Australian forces at the Russian v. Japanese war, has for some years occupied the  position of Deputy Adjutant-General and Chief Staff Officer on the Commonwealth Headquarters Staff. He is 48 years of age, and received his first  commission in 1884. Two years later he was appointed Staff Officer for the Cadet Corps, and subsequently was second in command of the Victorian Mounted rifles. ln1895 he was appointed Assistant Adjutant-General to the Victorian forces, and on the arrival of Major-General Sir Edward Hutton to reorganise the Commonwealth forces he was appointed lo the general's staff as Chief Staff Officer. During 1890-91 Colonel Hoad underwent an  extensive course of military training in England, being successively attached to the staff ef Mounted Infantry at Aldershot, the School of Signalling at  Aldershot, the School of Military Engineering at Chatham, the School of Musketry at Hythe, and during the autumn manoeuvres in 1890 he was one of  General Sir E. Wood's personal staff. He represented the Victorian Headquarters Staff at the Queen Victoria Jubilee celebrations in London, and was  attached to the personal staff of Karl Roberts, who then held the rank of Field-Marshal. During his visit to England Colonel Hoad had the opportunity of  further extending his military knowledge by forming part of the staffs of his Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught av.d Major-General Lord Methuen.  He took part in the South African war, and was in command of a composite Australian regiment. Subsequently he was placed on the staff of an  Australian mounted infantry brigade and took part in the action in Colesburg, the advance on Kimberley and further operations in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. He was mentioned in despatches, and received the Queen's medal with three clasps, in addition to the order of C.M.G.