AN OLD SOLDIER

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21124, 27 March 1934, Page 10

AN OLD SOLDIER

VETERAN OE GARIBALDI'S CAMPAIGNS I THE IT.ESS Spoaat St", vice! AUCKLAND. March '.Hi. A ceremony that i« perhaps the mo.-1 unusual event to be celebrated aumiallv in the Dominion was held at the Auckland Working Men's Club, when members assembled to congratulate Captain William .loin .Newby. of Grev Lvnn, on attaining his 101st birthday, and to ctrink a pint ot ale with Ih'm The old man. wiio amvcif some time before the commencement of the ceremony to meet his lonnef companions and have a eha* w.i.i tr-m was wearing the Kings l-.mpne Veterans' Medal, and also ribbons won in his campaigns with Garibaldi, tor more than a quarter of an hour a continual stream of visitors tiled past the captain, and congratulated him, and all were greeted with a cheery word or reminded ot" former meetings. Captain Newby later went to the committee room of the club, where relatives and members of the committee had assembled. In welcoming him, the president of the club, Mr N. A. Ching, said lie had disproved the old maxim that "old soldiers never die, thev only fade away," for lie had apparently determined to do neither. Captain Newby is believed to be the only living survivor of the famous British Legion which went to assist Garibaldi in the liberation of Italy. His wife, wlio is more than 00 years old. celebrated his birthday with him.