FAREWELL TO SPECIAL FORCE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22909, 4 January 1940, Page 3

FAREWELL TO SPECIAL FORCE

TO THE EDITOB O* THE PH.ESS. ei r The speakers at this morning's farewell function were most sincere and their remarks were to the point; but as a soldier of Anzac, T was sorry Jhat each one referred only to J;he Hpeds of the Division from New Zea. land during the Great War. For my own part, let me here that I was actuated to enlist in 1914 by theexnmDle of those of a prior generation. ■ " who did so well in the South African war during which New Zealand was represented by no fewer than 10,000 m No doubt those men were- inspired hv those other New Zealanders who in their generation joined the local forces who laid the foundations of New Zealand's military history hv the Maori wars In amplification of this, the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers fought alongside British .troops a-Royal naval detachment at. the battle of Waireka this being the first time-that volunteers raised under_Queen Victoria's Volunteer Act participated in battle in the Empire. Thus the present New Zealand Expeditionary Force ik the fourth to bear arms for war in the short span of 100 years. The officers and men comprising it have no small tradition to uphold. That they will do so with credit to themselves an? to their forerunners I have not the slightest doubt. '-■-'.' -To go abroad m our centenary year and Upon - such an errand is rather a remarkable coincidence.—Yours, etc., ~ . 1914. January 3.: 1940. ; : ■