ANZAC DAy.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16508, 28 April 1919, Page 6

ANZAC DAy.

LONDON CELEBRATIONS. AUSTRALIANS MARCH THROUGH CITY. I | | (By Cable.— Press Association.—Copyright) | (Australian an d fab!* A»joci»tionJ LONDON. April 25. • j Anzac Day was a perfect English l sprnig morning, with bright sunshine ,\\ lien the Australians commenced their march in the Anzac Dav procw. s'on, headed by General S'ir John ->lonash and Lieutonant-Genoral Hobha the Mall was crowded. There were , I thousands of other Australians ak>ntr j the route, including a. number of limL-i-n n- 10 ; 1 s e^*P r . (, Pelling bath chairs. I he .Nelson Memorial stops were packed J with Anzacs, one being on top of the lions head. Another popular centra was Australia House. The only regret was that tho Now Zeahuiders were not represented on the anniversary of tho historic occasion. Tho mounted men were a splendid body of picked men. representing tho 1 heroes who captured Gaza, Jericlio. ami Damascus. The Australian Artillery ' was represented by an 18-pounder battcrv,_ followed by General Glasgow • and Brigadier-General lloane, loading : tho First Division, whose battle honours included Gailipoli, Pozioros, and Bulleoourt. General Rosenthal' and j Brigadier-Generals Wisdom and Robertsou led tho Second Division, who ; fought at Brcodseinde, St. Quentin, ' and Mont Bresain. Brigadier-Gen- ' erals MeNicoll and Jesso rode ahead; i of the Third Division, which was '> formed on Salisbury Plain on July 16th ! 1916, and fought at Messines," Pas! j schendaele, aiu\ tho Hindenburg Line, j General McLagan and Brigadier-Gen- j eral Ticano led the Fourth Division, \ the Fourth Brigade of which took parti' in the Anzac landing and the battle of Sari Bair. Brigadier-General Stewart, acting as deputy for General Hobbs, led the Fifth Division, who wero the heroes of the glorious tragedy at Capo Holies tho victories of Bapaume, Polygon Woud, and Peronne.

The procession reached Victoria Station at 10.45, and Westminster Abbey at 11 a.m. Then it proceeded down Parliament, street. There were huge crowds in Trafalgar square, whence the procession turned into tho Strand, tho' head of the column reaching Australia House at 11.17 a.m., where tho Princo " ol Wales took the salute, aocomnnnied ■ by Mr Winston Churchill, Sir Douglas liaig, and members of the Arniv Covin-1 cil, General (Jhauvel, and Sir Williami Birdwood, who was tho recipient of a I flattering reception by the Australians, who recognised the "Sold of Ansae."! Many prominent Australians," including' Ministers and their wives, lined the ialconies and windows of Australia House, which was charmingly decorated with, ■ Australian emblems, the columns being festooned with laurels. The marchcrs reached the Honourable Artillery Company headquarters at a quarter to twelve, where luncheon was quickly served to all the men, apar: from 3o() officers and men who wero entertained at lunch at the Mansion House, thp Lord Mayor. Mr Hughes, and other Ministers sitting down with tho men to a thoroughly British repast of roast beef, plum pudding, and Deer. When tho lunch was finished the men dispersed and found their way to various entertainments.

At the Anzac luncheon, Sir Hughes . said ho hoped to take back to Australia tho tidings that liberty and freedom had| been secured for ever by tho Peace Conference. Australia had also fought for tho right to keop Australia for tho Australians, and to govern her own land in, her own way. As France must liavo the Rhine frontierso Australia must have. such, a frontier. The difference bo. j tween tho leasehold and freehold of thof i Pacific Islands mattered nought; Sir John Monash also responded for> describing Villers-Brelonneux!j as tho crisis of tho wholo war. But for ' tho success of the Australians at Vil-lors-Bretonnoux, Amiens would hava fallen in four days, and the British) would havo been separated from tho ■ French. Mr Fisher proposed tha, health of tho Lord Mayor, tho boys; singing, 'Tor he's a jolly good fol-' low." Sir William Birdwood, in response to i a. unanimous cry for "Birdwood," de-j livered an impromptu speech. Ho. paid a tribute to tlio A ustralians whq; had won Victoria and Military Crosses, ; but said that none was more honour-1 ablo than tho wooden crosses orectocL over tho graves of tho dead. There was some comment at tho ab-! sence of the Now Zealanders, who veto invited to join in tho celebrations at a late stage, the tardiness of the invitation causing some resentment. Tho Australians marched through the City with* fixed bayonets. This is a noteworthy innovation, as tho right hitherto lias been reserved for regiments associated with tho City. Australian aviators performed intricate evolutions at low altitudes along' the route.' EXCHANGE OF GREETINGS. (Received April 27th, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON April 27. Sir Alexander Godley telegraphed to Sir lan Hamilton as follows:—Heanti«sst greetings on behalf of all ranks of the New Zealanders under your command at the landing at Anzac. Admiral de llobeck telegraphed; Greetings from your sailor friends in memory of tho great landing so nobly won by your gallant fellows. Admiral Sir Roger Keyes senA congratulations from Scapa Flow. New Zealand's offer of a German gus| to TValton-on-Thames is the fi.st oversea Dominion gift to any English, town.