"MY SOLDIER DAD."

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 7

"MY SOLDIER DAD."

THE FIKST CONTINGENT. • ; TO CTTASE THE BOERS. TWENTY YEARS AGO TO-DAY. Quite apart from the Empire-wide JL-iations of this day-October 21—as the anniversary of Nelson's glorious victory at Trafalgar, this day marks a mile post in the history of the Dominion ot New Zealand. On Trafalgar Day twenty years ago the Boer War was raging in earnest, and on this day the first contingent of troop* Failed from Wellington to help in the .Mother Country's cause in South Africa. This was the first contingent of troopa that ever left the shares of a British colony to fight. Looking back through the files of the "Star ■' for those twenty years. w e resurrect the wire that came through from Wellington to give the news of the departure of these troopa, with their Major, the present Commanding Officer of New Zealand. Major-Gen-eral Sir Alfred Robin. This was the message: — "The weather \i tine. There is a tremendous crowd and the town is decorated. The inarch was a great success with tears and patriotism mixed. The continsent are healthy and cheerful. "Just sailing now. "The Wniwnra pot away with the contingent at ,i o'clock. Tremendous crowds lined flic shores, wharves and house-tops, nnd fourteen stpnmers escorted her to the Heads crowded with passengers and Mazing with 'bunting. ,.