"TRAMP. TRAMP"

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 109, 10 May 1941, Page 10

"TRAMP. TRAMP"

IMPRESSIVE MARCH

DEFENCE FORCES

EFFICIENCY DISPLAYED

Queen street reverberated to the ' i ramp of marching feet to-day when ! approximately 12.000 members oi'il Home Defence units paraded to pro-;! vide one of the finest military spec-.! lades ever seen in Auckland. \ The Territorial forces. National Military Reserve. Royal New Zea-j, I.iikl Air Force, Home Guard. Emcr-|| Keiic.v Precautions Scheme Organisa-t, lion and women's service corps were j represented. Highlight of ihi' parade was the firsl appearance- in Auckland of tlv-l new JO-ton lank, about which the pubiic had heard so much. Lex/kin.-: grimly efficient as it. rumbled majestically down the street, it gave the public an idea of the scale of tho Government's defence programme. Compared with it, the low-slung Mren gun carriers looked like overgrown beetles. Hearts of descendants of the Highlanders in the crowd beat faster when the Scottish unit marched past, resplendent in new Black Watch tartan kilts. This is the first public parade in which the unit has appeared in kilts, and the men presented a stirring spectacle with sporrans swinging and white-spatted feet keeping perfect time. They were led by their commander, Major V. F. Maxwell. Governor-General Takes Salute His Excellency the GovernorGeneral, Sir Cyril Newall, took a salute at the Town* Hall. He was attended by Wing-Commander H. C. Uevan. military secretary, and Captain C. J. Holland-Martin, aide-de-camp. Brigadier P. H. Bell. D.5.0., officer commanding the Northern Military District, and the Mayor, Sir Rrnest Davis, were also at the saluting base. The Minister of National Service, the Hon. R. Semple, was unable to visit Auckland for the parade, owing to pressure of important public business. The parade was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel W. McK. decides, M.C.. N.Z.A., officer commanding the Northern Fortress area. Major J. L. Scouller, N.Z.S.C., brigade major of the Northern Fortress area, acted as staff officer. "Right of the Line" In their traditional place of honour at the "right of the line." the artillery units made a fine sight as they led the long column, marching in sixes, from the Domain, along Park Road, over Grafton Bridge, along Karangahape Road and down Queen Street to Customs Street, from where the units marched to separate dispersal areas. Music was provided by bands stationed at intervals along the route. It was obvious from comments among the crowd that many were suprised at the scale of the march. It has been said that a force that shows up well on parade makes a powerful fighting force. If that is so, then Auckland has something to be proud of in the quality of its defence units, for, on their display to-day they would be a tough proposition for any possible invader to encounter.