SECOND ECHELON’S DEPARTURE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23052, 21 June 1940, Page 10

SECOND ECHELON’S DEPARTURE

Memorable Send-off From Lyttelton

SOLDIERS TRAVEL ON MODERN LINER

One of the noisiest and most exuberant of farewells which Lyttelton has seen was given when the Burnham-trained troops of the 2na Echelon left the port on a liner for overseas. The ship which carried them away with so heartening a display of the good wishes and thanks of Canterbury ranked as one of the most modern ships of the world’s mercantile marine. Actually, the time of their departure from Canterbury to join the other ships of the convoy of the 2nd. Echelon in Cook Strait was 6 a.m. on the calm, dark morning of the following day. From early the afternoon before, the liner, which carried all the Burnham troops except the Field Ambulance and also the Forestry Company which was trained in the North Island, was anchored in the stream. Blacked out except for her riding lights, the giant transport lay throughout the night under the dark cover of the Port Hills, and an hour before dawn she sailed for the north, escorted by naval vessels. The soldiers were in great heart as they went aboard. Again, the organisation for the embarkation was perfect, and as platoons from the long rows of soldiers off the three troop trains climbed the steep gangway and reached the entrance hall of the liner, they were moved smoothly and expeditiously to Ifieir quarters. The .accommodation was of a standard of excellence which would have amazed the general public, .were it fortunate enough to see it. and within a few minutes of going aboard the men were much at home. The scene when the vessel left Lyttelton was memorable. Every ship in port sounded its siren long and loud, and thousands on all the wharves cheered and waved. It was a grand farewell to the soldiers. As the ship moved downstream to her overnight anchorage, many hundreds of motor-cars on the road to Christchurch blasted furiously on their horns. Although unidentifiable to those on shore, the soldiers on the troopship waved back their acknowledgements of the messages of goodwill from their relatives and their friends, the general public.

ARRIVAL AT WHARF

GATES THROWN OPEN

Three Trainloads of Troops BIG CROWD WATCHES DEPARTURE . Three trains were used to bring the troops from Burnham to the embarkation wharf at Lyttelton. Each train arrived according to schedule, and although the utmost secrecy, had been observed about the sailing, when the first train arrived at least 1000 people were gathered along the wharf. By the time the third train had arrived there, at least 3000 people were congregated about the wharves and along the vantage points above the harbour. “Egypt of Bust”' was.th'e legend written on .one of } the. carriages carrying the first detacfeipent of troops. There were many amusing captions ,on every carriage, and, particularly, some clever sketches of Hitler. ■ Some people, anxious to see the soldiers go away—mothers, wives, and sweethearts—were on the wharf at Lyttelton in the early -hours of the morning. They had a long wait, the ' first triinload of troops not arriving until 9.40 a.m. But by that tune, a big crowd had gathered along the ropes guarding the embarkation jetty, on ■the ferry wharf opposite, and on the jetty on the other side of the transport In this way. the soldiers arriving first were given a warm welcome, people rushing from every point to be able to wave to their friends on board the train. The trains were shunted right on to the wharf, but there was ample opportunity for people there to see their relatives or friends and say a word to them. Once on the wharf, the men were soon disembarked from tne trains and marched single file on to the troopship- ' Disposition of Troops The men -who embarked on this ship totalled 1400. Officers and n.c.o.’s of the 3rd Echelon acted, as baggage overseers and as details in charge of tne trains. Many officers of the 3rd Echelon were able to remain on board the transport until the last few minutes and so say farewell to their friends of the 2nd. Their assistance in the general arrangements for the embarkation were -greatly appreciated. The facility with which the troops were landed on board the transport, without a single hitch, was. generally commented on. The nrst train arrived on time, the other two were to schedule, and the transport moved out into the stream' at the very second decided on, 2 - p.m. , The ease with • which the men were put through the arrival, and the necessary checking on the wharf naturally reflected the experience gained in the embarkation of the Ist Echelon, which was itself carried out most expeditiously. The first train did not arrive until 9.40, yet the 1400 men had Deen checked on board and in time for them all to be served a pleasant lunch. In fact, by lunch time, they had all settled down, even to the extent of being so much at home that they had found the chief cook on the transport and, for some of them, wheedled out of him a preliminary meal. All over the ship one could hear only the most flattering remarks about the quarters the men were assigned to. The man who shouted out from the ship, “Yes. and a telephone, too,” in answer to the inquiry from the wharf about hot water bottles, was. not exaggerating. There were telephones in every cabin, and the majority of the troops were in cabins quite as luxurious as the most up-to-date interisland steamer. It was a most interesting interlude for them all, when settling down in their bins, arranging bunks and finding their bearings. They then went on deck and, along the spacious decks, found some spot from which’to wave to relatives or friends. And it was interesting to see that, in spite of all the secrecy observed about the departure of the 2nd Echelon, thousands of people were, along the wharves to see the departure, and there were few troops on board the transport who were unable to “spot” some friend or relative in the crowd. Music on Board As soon as the troops started to take up their quarters, an amplifying system on board the transport gave them music, and while generally the bearing of the men was much quieter than when the Ist Echelon went away, there was plenty ox cheery badinage and conversation between the boat and the' wharf. Later, pipers on the transport made the atmosphere even more cheery, and the sound of pipes was the last that many of those on the wharf heard as the troopship pulled away into the stream. But long before that the familiar tune of “Roll out the Barrel” had been heard a score of times along the’ length" of the ship. . This seemed to be the favourite song of the men on board, and it was frequently broadcast over the' amplifying system, : Stirred by this and other : music, the 'men remained in a happy 1 frame of mind with the crowd fre- 1 quently, joining in the singing. i 1 f) ' ■ .

PEOPLE ALLOWED ON WHARVES MOVING SCENES AS VESSEL DEPARTS Relatives and friends of the. men on the troopship appreciated the opportunity given them to say farewell just before the vessel sailed. The gates of the embarkation wharf were thrown open 10 minutes before the departure, and at least 1000 people surged on to the wharf. The troops themselves rushed to the port side of the vessel to see their people and there were many touching scenes. All the hawsers were hauled in from the wharf before the gates were opened. Such action by the military authorities must have been anticipated, because just before the opening of the gates there, was a long silence on board .the troopship,- with the men' straining their eyes towards the- people they, knew on the wharves. The gates were opened at 1.50 p.m., just as the Lyttelton Harbour • Board’s . tug was taking the strain on its hawsers. Men. women, and children ran on to the wharf calling to the men on board. Some of the troops, on the upper decks of the huge liner, were so far above the wharf that to see them meant craning the neck in the most discomforting way. But they all seemed to find some familiar face on the wharf. Almost on 2 o’clock, a machine from the Royal New Zealand Air Force station at Wigram flew over the harbour and__ dipped in salute to the transport Streamers were flung from the,wharf to the decks of the transport, a bugle sounded, and with every whistle in port blowing, the troopship started to move out of the wharf. The troopship broke her ensign as she moved out into the stream, while the thousands of people along the wharves cheered in response to the cheers from the ship. There were many vessels in port and their whistles, with those of railway engines, motor-cars, and factory sirens, made a great sound as . a background to the cheering. Many ’ of the men on board the troopship dropped messages to thei?’ friends, on paper wrapped round pennies, as the vessel pulled away from the wharf, but, although the_ general atmosphere was one of cheery farewell to men . going away to fight for their country, there were many tearful faces as sons, husbands, and sweethearts waved good-bye. Crowds Along Road The crowd along the wharves, once the troopship had left the inner harbour, made the best of a splendid opportunity to see her from the heights above the harbour. Hundreds of motorists, hearing of the impending sailing, had parked their motor-cars along the road from the harbour to the top of the route to Sumner, and those people were able to secure a splendid view of the transport sailing down the stream to join her consort near the Lyttelton Heads. These people waved their last farewells to the troops; and the men, although unable to see individual faces, responded from the decks of the steamer. These people along the road had an unrivalled view of the great troopship, with the khaki-clad men still manning the decks, and with small craft cruising round her, as she hove to near the escort. At least 2000 people must have watched the ship from the road, and they cheered lustily as she sailed by, hundreds of feet below the cliffs. •Navy Greets Army The cheering of the thousands on"the wharves and the screeching of horns continued while the troopship made her majestic way out of the moles, with the tug Lyttelton II leading and the Lyttelton nosing her along on the starboard bow. As the ship slowly headed down harbour, the dredge Canterbury, blasted her farewell and the ships in the harbour again took up the noisy chorus. Mirrored on the still, sunlit water of the harbour, the great liner made a magnificent picture. Moving dead slow ahead, she was accompanied by the two tugs to near where a warship was moored. Hundreds of robust voices of sailors on the foredeck of the cruiser greeted the soldiers, who responded with equal vigour, singing, after their roar of cheers. “For They are Jolly Good Fellows,” as a compliment to the men in blue. It was a remarkable exchange of greetings between the land and sea forces, between the men of one country of the Empire and another, all inspired for service to defend their commonwealth. When half a mile nearer the heads, the deep liner, churning-, up the mud. reversed in a wide arc out of the main channel and dropped anchor. There she remained till early on the morning of: the following day, when she departed finally from the harbour, giving to the men who were up on deck sc early but a dull sight of prominent landmarks of a province, of which the majority were the sons. Unostentatiously, the liner, escorted by her naval convoy, slipped out to sea and once into Pegasus Bay slipped fast over the horizon on her way to the rendezvous with the other transports.