MILITARY PAGEANT.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15605, 1 June 1916, Page 9

MILITARY PAGEANT.

GENERAL BIRDWOOD'S

STIRRING SPEECH,

D.C.M. MEDALS PRESENTED AT

HORNCHURCH,

(from orr. own correspondent.)

c LONDON j April 2-5. There was a notable gathering of New Zealauders at Hornchurch Camp this afternoon, when General Birdwood jj delivered a stirring address and presented medals to fifteen men. The s gallant General was accompanied by Lady Birdwood, and supporting him were Sir Thomas Mackenzie, BrigadierI- General Richardson, Major Dawson, 0 Major Price, and other officers of the N.Z.E.F. The afternoon was brilliant(J ly fine, and tea was provided on the li lawn in front of Grey Towers. !> When tho move was made to the 0 parade ground, the New Zealand solv I diers were already drawn up in line ™ under tho command of Major Dawson. General Birdwood at once made . a, tour of inspection, ancL when this - was concluded, there was a march ~ past, the leading company consisting ° of members of the original landing \ party in Gallipoli under the command * of Captain Saunders. The troops, having formed a square, 1 Sir Thomas Mackenzie briefly addresst ed them. The Prime Minister of New 11 Zealand, ho said, had asked him to | give them his hearty congratulations I on Anzae Day, and to inform them - that there was a warm welcomc and 1 appreciation in New Zealand for them a when they should return to that coun--3 try. General Godley had also sent a telegram, hoping they would have a - successful day. He was especially J pleased to see General Birdwood pre- ) sent with them, and ho was glad to know that what the men had done s at Gallipoli had no equal in military 1 history. I Three hearty cheers were given for i General Birdwood, and Lady and Miss 1 Birdwood were similarly honoured. • General Birdwood then pinned the - D.C.M. Medal on the breasts of tho

, j following men, slinking hands heartily F j with each man, and wishing him the ) : best of luck ill the future: —Sergeant ■ I A. W. Abbey, A.S.C.; Corporal G. ; | Tempany (Auckland Infantry) Private • A. J. Findley (Canterbury Infantry), >. Private D. Stockdill (Canterbury In- ■ fantry), Sergeant P. H. G. Bennett i (Wellington _ Infantry), Privato L. « Crawford Watson .(Divisional IDead- ( quarters), Scrgeant-Maior P. C. j Boate (Otago Infantry), Sergeant H. ; Spencer (Auckland Infantry), Sergeant B. H. Tavendor (Canterbury- Infantry), . Sergeant F. W. Watson (Auckland In- ! fantry); .Driver N. Clarke (Artillery), I Sergeant-Major L. S. L. Graham • (Otago Infantry), Lancc-Cornoral H. D. Skinner (Otago Infantry). Sergeant- . Major J. F. Hill (Artillery), Sergeant ' Comrio (Hospital staff). A LOT MORE TO BE DONE. | General Birdwood, addressing his 1 company as "boys," said ho did not know that it was right for him to ! make a speech at that juncture: at ' present his idea was that now was not the time for speaking. Deeds were > wanted— not words. They all knew ! the forces they were up against, and, ' j" fact, had been up against for the ; hist twenty months. They knew how hard the Empire had been fighting all over tho world, and thev could none of them tell to-dav what was still before them. They could tako it from him there was a lot yet to be .done. The New Zcalanders hacl been through a lot. but they would have to go through a great deal more beforo they got those Germans where thev wanted them. He was glad to have the opportunity of thanking them for the niafluficent work which they did in G'alfipoli. The people of England admired and acknowledged what they had done, but they could not know how day in and day out, through all those weary months, tho men had stuck it through a firm sense of duty. Often a man would bo really sick and very unwell, and would yet keep on at his work rather than bo invalided. WATER AND RUM. One day, said General Birdwood he saw a man climbing up the steep sido of a hill with two heavy jars of water. I said: "They arc rather heavv." The man replied: "Yes, pretty heavy, but they would not ne nearlv so hcayy if they were full of rum."' The General said they then debated tho as to the relative weight of rum and water, and they came to the conclusion that when starting the journey, the jars would weigh the same, but half way up, the jars would be lighter nnrl the man heavier. Still, this man acknowledged that his one idea was to see the boys in the trenches through their job. That was the spirit that animated all tho men on the Peninsula. It was the same at tho landing, it was the same at Chunuk Bair, it was the same in the evacuation. Men fought to bo at the post of danger, and complained if they felt they were being overlooked. Late in December officers came to him and expressed regret that they were not forming part of the rearguard. He wrote to tho private secretary of the King, giving him an account of thecvacuation. and tho reply he received said that by far the greatest pleasure to the King had been that in which he read how men had fought with each other to be in the actual rearguard which exoected a great deal of fighting. Tho letter concluded: "You must bo proud of your Corps." "Boys." declared the General "I am proud of you all. The work done there will never lie forgotten. I have an esteem, affection and comradeship for you." They must also not overlook the gallant work of the 29th Division (cheers)—the Naval Division (cheers) and tho 42nd Division. They all took part in the landing a year ago, and they performed deeds which will never be forgotten as long as the history of tho British Army lasts. Ho was not born under tho Southern Cross, but he claimed the privilege of being a soldier of Anzac, and as such ho hoped ho might continue throughout this war. VALUE OF DISCIPLINE. It was nice to hear pleasant things about themselves, and they were inclined to pat one another on tho back. But that was not everything. When the blizzard was over in Gailipoli, he went round the hospital and found a man there suffering with swollen feet; he told him not to worry about his feet, they would get better; there was something much worse namely, to suffer from a swollen head. Every soldier must understand fighting, training, and discipline, and the greatest of these was discipline. The fighting qualifications they already had. it was the determination to get at their enemy as soon as possible and light to the end. Training was different. They did not now train in the British Army liko one hundred years ago, which reminded him of tho storv of the badly wounded guardsman. Someono said to tho guardsman: "Why, you've <jot bady wounded" and the soldier replied "I went for him with Guard One, and blow me. if he did not come for me with Cut 2, and damned near had my head off." It was essential that they should take advantage of every little bit of training they possibly oould. He met a man in hospital the other day. The man said he was nice and comfortable. The General replied: 4, Did you- not go to fight?" and tiio man said: "I will be there when there is fighting to be done." The General

said: "Oh that's all very well, but there must be training as well as lighting; I suppose you are one of the dinkums." (Laughter.) Another man whom the General met was not quite as respectable as he might have been, and after a few questions and answers the man said L am not a soldier; I am a fighter! 1 ' General Bird wood pointed out that they wanted to train tho fighter to be a soldier. Fighting a nd training would \i? / n °- v Tro,ll «l take them into the first and second line trenches; then would come the counter-attack, and only discipline would get them hrough the fight. Generals and men Had to discipline themselves throughout their lives. Iney had to remember that the honour of Australia and i\ew Zealand was in their keeping It was a great privilege to have been there that day. and he wished them all the best of very good luck. (Loud applause.)

CONGRATULATORY telegrams. Telegrams were sent yesterday from the ucnot to the Headquarters" of all the regiments composing the 29th Division. Ihe wording was: "On this the anniversary of our great adventure may we, the .\«v Zealanders. tender our tribute to the immortal and glorious valour of the Battalion of ~vour leginient which we had the honour to claim as comrades in arms." Several of the regiments sent renlies in the course of the afternoon. The Lancashire Fusiliers telegranhed : "Thanks for >our kind message. Proud that tho regiments were associated with the ealanfc -\civ Zealanders. Wish vou all luck in the future." The Hampshire Regiment repbed: "Thank you for telegram tendering your tribute to our regiment "\\ e will ever remember the glorious deeds of the New Zealanders." The "Wales Borderers telegraphed : lour gvectings 0 n the glorious anniversary are reciprocated by all ranks of the South Wales Borderers, who arc proud to have been associated with the valiant New Zealanders, and look forward to further co-operation in final victory." The Fifth Royal Scots sent greetings and remembrances of the New Zealanders' undying daring The Essex R-egiment telegranhed that' they had received with "nride and pleasure tho tribute from their New Zealand comrades by whoso side they considered it to have been an honour to have fought. It will live in their hearts as an undying memento of comradeship and nride in tho solidarity of the Empire."