"ARMY SPECIMENS."

Auckland Star, Issue 311, 31 December 1900, Page 2

"ARMY SPECIMENS."

GOOD-BYE TO THE DUKE'S BODY-

GUARD,

The London injßarthy contingents who go out to Australia as samples of the British Army for the inaugural ceremonies connected with the opening of Australia's first Federal Parliament —they are.called the Duke of York's Bodyguard by some —left the Metropolis last Monday for Southampton, where, they embarked on the Britannic for conveyance to Sydney. Their departure took ' place from. Waterloo at eleven o'clock—a very convenient hour at which all the heavy morning traffic city ward is pretty well done with.

The* Londom contingent comprised ten officers and 165 men, and in addition four officers and a hundred men from Dover arrived at Waterloo in time to be coupled up with the South Western "special" to Southampton.

The metropolitans comprised the composite Foot Guards Company, consisting, of ninety-six officers and men selected from the Grenadiers, Scots, Coldstream, and Irish Guards, and a squad of the First Middlesex Volunteers (Victoria and St. George's Rifles). A'detachment of the Fourth Norfolk Regiment, representing the Militia, also travelled with them. It was a chilly, damp, misty morning, giving an unpleasant foretaste^of the winter, which ■ the departing- troops will no doubt be glad enough- to escape. The cold was, however, no'fc sufficiently keen, to. necessitate the wearing' of overcoats, except in the case of the Irish Guards1, who had donned their thin khaki tunics and helmets, the rest of the Guards wearing' their familiar red coats and bearskins. As they arrived the different sections were formed xip on tlie plat-

form, at- the further end.of which was stationed the band oJ: the Coldstream Guards, and the drums and fifes of the Scots. Guard. A liner body of men than' the 'representatives of the Guards it would be hard to find- The Grenadiers, for instance, averaged 61t 4in in height) among-"tfi'em being Private MeCulloch, who is over 6ft lOin, and is said to be the tallest man in the British Army. To the spectators the most interest ■• ing section was that of .the new Irish Guards. As already remarked they were in khaki and wore long grey overcoats, while their khaki helmets and brilliant side plumes of St. Patrick's, blue added to the distinctiveness of their appearance. They were -fine big fellows, all of them,'and as smart looking a lot of men as anyone would wish to see. When they had taken their places in the train the helmets were exchanged for the new:broadtopped forage caps—bound round .in their cases .with green bands— whi gave the wearers a. somewhat foreign appearance. The Irish Quart's were in charge of Lieut. R. C. A. MeCalmont, who "before the train started obtained an armful ol1 newspapers and magazines, which he distributed among his men. The gifts were received, with open arms, and the kindly spirit which; prompted it augurs well for the future relations 'twixt the Lieutenant and his men. and suggested to me that the MeCalraont would find great favour in Australian eyes. Lieut, the Hon. Guy Baring was in charge of the Coldstream Guards), nud Lieutenant Lord Falconer of the Scots Guards. The Victoria and .St. George's Vohmters looked very fit in their neat dark uniform, while the Fourth Norfolk, who were of course in scarlet, presented so smart an appearing that it was hard to believe they were "hony bloom in' Melisher." Among the favoured few who were allowed to parade the platform whilst the men were getting reafiy to entrain were Lord Kintore (who, of course, had come to see his son ofT), General Trotter, Colonel Fluyder, Major-Gene-ral Stracey, Captain Earle and- astrong muster of "gilded popinjays"' (as John Burns called them), in the shape of officers and ex-officers of the Guards. The train was sent off promptly to time, and the clieers of the spectators mingled with those ot others who were welcoming General Buller on another platform were deafening. The men embarked on the Britannic in the course of the afternoon, ns did the Aldershot contingent which arrived at Southampton an hour or so before. The latter body included Household Cavalry, 21st Lancers, Ist (Kings) Dragoon Guards 7th Hussars Telegraph Battalion, R.E., Balloon' Section, R.E., Bridging Battalion R.E and COth Field Company, sections from the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), Seafoath Highlanders, Highland Light Infantry and Cameron Highlanders, and detachments ot the Army Service and Royal Army Medical

°By& half past three the Britannic had engulphed the whole of her freight of Vrniy specimens" ordered south.- and soon after four o'clock weighed anchor and stood out to sea in a driving drizzle. In spite of the inclement weather thousands assembled -to see the big ship depart, and the last sounds the: Australian Bodyguard heard, as they drew away from the White Cliffs of Old' England were tue hearty cheers of their friends ashore.