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RAMBLINGS IN REVERIE

AUCKLAND REGIMENT Reunion Flashlight* Seven-thirty on Saturday night and Diggers am congiegating at the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, Auckland, for a combined reunion of the Auckland Infantry Battalions, 5.7.. K.F. Tn the adjoining main hall a wrestling match attracts thousands, but Auckland's sporting public perceives a more deep-felt enthusiasm when these Anzacs greet each other. A half hour's chat with old cobbers mid at H p.m. the troops fall in and mens orderlies are summoned "at the double." Four long tables each bearing a placard 3rd Auckland, flth Hauraki, I.Hh North Auckland and lflth Waikato are soon tilled. Cheers greet Gordon ( "ate* arid Sir Ernest Davis on arrival. As chairman, fiordon Coates soon sets Hip bull rolling with his opening remarks to "Men of Hie 3rd, Hth, lflth and—ah— CJumdlggera!" A short toast list, and who will forget that, solemn voice from the Hauraki table when "Absent Comrades" is being drunk: "They shall arow not old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, At the going down of the sun, and in the morning. We will remember them." List of apologies for being "absent from parade" are read out, and what Imndclapping and cheers go up when dear old Steve Allen is mentioned. Short speeches by representatives of the Army (Colonel N. W. McD. Weir), the Navy (Commodore .J. N. Rivettf'arnae), and Air Force (SquadronLeader R. C. Olscn), and the Diggers soon settle down to a fair dinkum "estamlnet" smoke oh. Several artists entertain the lads. Community singing is indulged in, and all the old wartime songs go over with • awing, including the unabridged version of "Mademoiselle from Armentleres." Ration parties are kept busy, and in the words of that old wartime communique. "The spirits of the troops are excellent." Old snaps, diaries and souvenirs arc •agerly scanned and joked about. New Zealand's youngest returned "garcon" is discovered in the mob and the chairman insists he stands on the table and shows himself. Applause greets this drummer boy. of the main body band. A 3rd Auck'lander with his

quota nf "bork" aboard desiring to sing a French song mounts the platform, but us the mike is switched off he warbles to himself while his pals are swapping yarns around the tallies. All too soon "Auld Lang Svne" is announced and these veterans gradually disperse. One bad come from as far as Napier to meet his pals. Twas a good mob and a great night. The writer was one of a party who later adjourned to a Digger pal's home to help cican up a couple of bottles of "vin rouge." At 1.30 a.m. we disperse to our various bivvies, hut at 2 a.m. our host commenced his usual job as a milk roundsman—so who said the old regiment and the P.R.I, cannot still "curry on?"—• "Red Diamond."

A SUTTON MEMORY.

" Is sue Parade " Subterfuge November 11, 101S, after 11 a.m., was the date and time that most of the living Digger* received their dilapidated soul* bark from the war loads and interested financial pools. The Diggers said farewell to necessary discipline, thought their own thoughts, and acted upon them to a great extent. Sutton Cold fields, a camp in Blighty, was full of New Zealand soldiers fresh from the army of occupation on the Rhine.- One and all loathed parades, if we except one or two newly fledged officers fresh from the 0.T.C., and one of them was nearly breaking out into a rash or bubbling over, chock full of lately acquired discipline, and he failed to measure up to the idea of the assembled Diggers as an officer worth following. It wan whispered or even shouted through the camp, "An issue jmrade in the morning.*' Such a parade was worth looking into, as it might mean an issue of new clothing, cigarettes or "toby."' On this particular morning the two-np rings were deserted. On the parade ground we obeyed the command, "Attention." "Now, men, we are going to alter things in. this camp," we were told. "There is too much gambling, loafing ami mooching about. We will etart right now with a route march." We had no control over the officer's imagination, but unfortunately for him the route lay pa*t our open-door huts, which were soon tilled with disillusioned Diggers who lost little time in route marching out the back door to the two-up rings, and any remarks later from the exasperated officer were drowned by "A deener. I head 'em," "Heads a couple of bob." L.V.M.

BURIAL ARMISTICE Some Incidents Recalled Two or three incidents in connection with the nine hours' armistice on linllipoli for the burial ( ,f 111*» dead, came to my mind on rending the nrlicle in "The Page" a week or two back. Our Inspector General of Medical Services, Sir (ha* Ryan, when a young man served with distinction with'the Turkish -Medical Corjw. in the Russo-Turkish »'"■• for which he received the Mcnindje Star and I rescent from the Sultan of Turkey. lie was called "Plevna" Ryan for years after. When he went o\er in No Man's Land during the armistice on May J4. l!tl.">, the Turks turned out a guard of honour for him, and he wasn't wearing the Turkish decoration cither. It made us think how ellicient their intelligence Department was. Our ofticer* picked out the tallest men available for the burying party, so as to impress the Turks, but our men were met by men of .similar physique on the enemy's side. The night before tlie armistice everything was very quiet on that sector, when, at about S 'o'clock, someone in the Turkish line began singing 'The Rosary" in a beautiful tenor voice. We applauded the singer and, in response, came a request from the Jackos asking "Any of you fellows come from Sydney?" "Yes'' we nnswered. "Well 'take that you blank a ids," and over came a welldirected bomb. We didn't ask for an encore.—T. McC., Late A.1.F.. Auckland.

T- ▼ T T A DIGGER'S SEARCH

Last Saw Cobber At Damascus 13/2390 Trooper T. T. Scott, now of Te Poi, Matamata, wants to meet a wartime cobber. He writes thus:— "I have read the Diggers' page for a long time and have had many memories recalled of incidents in. which I took part. I have always wanted to find a cobber I lost the trail of. I last saw him at Damascus, Syria, when he wa- very ill. It was the first time, I think, that he had ever paraded sick as long as I knew him, and that v.v- four years. We were in the 15th Company, 1.C.C., and later the 2nd N.Z.M.G. squad. "His name is R. C. WHITE, and he was a 13-bar man, but I can't remember t!--> rest of his number. "We use to be in the 4th Waikatos in Egypt in 1915. Could you help me to find him, or could any of your numerous readers give me any information?'.' Who could help Trooper Scott?

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19390617.2.191.58.6

Bibliographic details

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 141, 17 June 1939, Page 12 (Supplement)

Word Count
1,172

RAMBLINGS IN REVERIE Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 141, 17 June 1939, Page 12 (Supplement)

RAMBLINGS IN REVERIE Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 141, 17 June 1939, Page 12 (Supplement)

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