BIG PARADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 296, 13 December 1940, Page 8

BIG PARADE.

OVERSEAS TROOPS.

CITY'S DEFENCE FORCES.

If th«>. weather continues fine, Auckland will see to-morrow one of the biggest military parades ever organised in the city, and it will be headed by the Fourth Reinforcements of the Second Xeiw Zealand l\xi>edit ionarv Force, in training at Papakura. The parade will be a spectacular one, with nine, possjbly ten band*, taking part, and practically every nurl.ili-ed unit in the city will pa it ii-ipa to. The troops will be drawn up in mass order in the Domain at 11 o'clock, reinforcements being in battle dre.-s and Territorials in khaki serge. The Women's National Service Corjm will al-o parade several hundred strong, while ex-service women and returned so'di-nr* will form up facing the parade and to the rear of the saluting base.

As soon as units are in position the officer commanding the district. Brizadior P. H. Bell. D.5.0., will be received with a general salute. Short addresses will li« given by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis. the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister of Supply, and Brigadier Bell, while a chaplain will deliver a short prayer.

The parade will then move off, at approximately 11.40. and will march via Domain I>rive, Park Road, Grafton Br id ce, Upper Queen Street, Queen Street and Customs Street East to the railway station, where it will be dismissed. As the column marches past the Town Hall the salute will be taken l»y Sir Ernest Davis and Brigadier Bell. Interspersed through the parade will be nine li.inds, as follow: — Papaknra ( amp Blind, Auckland Waterside Work ers" Band. Auckland Kast Coa-t Mounted Killcs Band, St. Andrew's I'ipr Band. Artillery Band, tim-re-s Hall Band. 1-ii'st Battalion National Military Reserve Band. First Battalion Auckland Regiment Band and I'onsonbv Boy" Band. The Akarana (Jills' Band has also been asked to parade.

In the event of wet weather, a decision regarding the Territorial part of the parade is to be made by district headquarters to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock, and it is likely that the overseas trocps will parade at the Town Hall.

In the event of very -wet weather to-morrow th« Territorials will not join in the parade. In this event an iiimouncement will be made from station IZB between 9 and 9.30 a.m.