LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF R.S.A.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 236, 18 July 1947, Page 4

LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF R.S.A.

VISCOUNT MONTGOMERY HONOURED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, July 17. “I am not certain that I am properly dressed, but there it is now, and I won’t take it off,” said Field-Mar-shal Montgomery when the badge of honorary life member of the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association was pinned on him this evening. “I shall wear this badge on my battledress until I leave New Zealand.” The Dominion vice-president (MajorGeneral H, K. Kippenberger), who presented the badge at a big gathering of the association, said: “This is the highest honour our association can bestow. Honorary life membership is given only in recognition of signal service to the Empire or to the association. The recommendations and reports must be satisfactory to the association. We have studied your recommendations and reports and find them favourable.” During its .32 years’ existence the association had granted honorary life membership to only 25 persons, MajorGeneral Kippenberger continued. They included the King, Sir Bernard Preyberg, Sir Andrew Russell, Viscount Mountbatten, Sir Keith Park, Viscount Jellicoe, and Viscount Allenby. ' As Major-General Kippenberger pinned the badge on Field-Marshal Montgomery’s . New Zealand battledress tunic, the 2000 persons present rose to their feet and sang “Why Were You Born so Beautiful.”