OLD COLLEGIANS’ OCCASIONS
ANZAC Day Speaker 2013
Background to Major Anthony Mitchelson, E. D., Royal New Zealand Artillery.
After a GAP year in 1994 at Ardingly College Junior School, West Sussex in the United Kingdom, Anthony MITCHELSON( Marsden, 1989-93) went on to complete a conjoint BA / BCom( 1st Class Hons) at the University of Auckland, majoring respectively, in Psychology, and Management Science and Information Systems.
While at university, in 1995, Tony joined the Territorial Army as a gunner in 11( A) Battery, 16 Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery. Graduating from the New Zealand Army Officer Cadet School in Waiouru in March 1997, he was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Artillery as a Second Lieutenant.
He was then attached as a liaison officer to the Singaporean Armed Forces over a three year period during which he assisted with the successful running of the first large bilateral artillery exercises between the New Zealand and Singaporean armies. For his efforts, Tony was awarded a Chief of General Staff’ s Commendation in 2000.
Upon return to 11( A) Battery, he served as a gun line section commander, troop commander, command post officer and the gun position officer, before qualifying as an artillery forward observation officer in which role he spent three years.
Gaza strip September 2005
Escorting CDF Lt Col R Jones – Guard of Honour, Government House January 2011
In 2005, Tony deployed for six months at the rank of captain with the Multinational Force and Observers, in the Sinai Desert on the Egypt / Gaza Strip boarder, where he was the brigade watch officer. This multi-national peace-keeping mission was established in 1979 to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace,( better known as the Camp David Accords), and employ best efforts to prevent any violation of its terms. Tony was awarded a Force Commander’ s Commendation for his service and actions on this mission.
Upon return to New Zealand, he re-joined 11 / 4 Battery, and following promotion in 2009 assumed command of this unit- the only Territorial combined artillery and mortar battery in the New Zealand Army. Over the period 2011-12, then Major Mitchelson attended the Canadian Forces Joint Command and Staff College in Toronto, successfully graduating in July 2012. Tony has recently been posted as an instructor to the Army’ s Tactical School which trains officers in staff duties and tactics.
He has also been awarded the New Zealand Operational Service Medal, the New Zealand General Service Medal with Sinai clasp, the Territorial Force Efficiency Decoration, the New Zealand Defence Service Medal and the Multinational Force and Observers Medal.
ANZAC Day Dawn Service 2010
In his civilian career, Tony spent six years working as an auditor with KPMG in Auckland where he qualified as a chartered accountant. Then for seven years he worked at McGrathNicol, an independent boutique advisory firm specialising in corporate advisory and corporate recovery work where he held lead roles on the receiverships of Feltex Carpets and South Canterbury Finance. He is now Group Financial Controller with Tru-Test Group, New Zealand’ s leading agri-business manufacturer.
Tony is married to Louise and they have two boys, Edward and Ian.
AUTUMN 2013 • KING’ S COURIER 31