8 ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 4 ) ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ’ s ▁most ▁highly ▁decor ated ▁soldiers ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁W add ell ▁was ▁received ▁in ▁the ▁French ▁Leg ion ▁of ▁Hon our ▁and ▁promoted ▁twice . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁awarded ▁the ▁French ▁Cro ix ▁de ▁Guerre ▁seven ▁times ▁during ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Dun ed in ▁W add ell ▁attended ▁O tag o ▁Boys ' ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁then ▁Can ter bury ▁College ▁in ▁the ▁evening ▁to ▁prepare ▁for , ▁and ▁win , ▁the ▁first ▁New ▁Zealand ▁government ▁military ▁scholar ship . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁New ▁Ze al ander ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁open ▁exam ination ▁for ▁an ▁officer ' s ▁commission ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Army . ▁ ▁British ▁Army ▁W add ell ▁entered ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁into ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion ▁( D u ke ▁of ▁Well ington ' s ) ▁West ▁R iding ▁Regiment . ▁He ▁saw ▁service ▁in ▁Natal ▁and ▁India . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁he ▁faced ▁pre jud ice ▁from ▁his ▁fellow ▁officers ▁in ▁part ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁colonial ▁orig ins . ▁Other ▁factors ▁reported ly ▁contrib uting ▁to ▁his ▁ost rac ism ▁included ▁his ▁small ▁build ▁( 5 ▁foot ▁tall ) ▁and ▁a ▁university ▁background ▁not ▁shared ▁by ▁his ▁fellow ▁officers . ▁A ▁Board ▁of ▁In qu iry ▁ordered ▁the ▁ret irement ▁of ▁a ▁senior ▁officer ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁incident