“TROOPING THE COLOUR”

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23884, 1 March 1943, Page 4

“TROOPING THE COLOUR”

DISPLAY FOR PATRIOTIC FUNDS AIR FORCE BAND’S VISIT Magnificent drill and spirited music by the band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, good marching by units of the Air Training Corps and Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, and the spectacular tableau, "Trooping the Colour,” stirred Christchurch spectators to unusual enthusiasm at Lancaster Park on Saturday and yesterday, when displays were given in aid of patriotic funds. More than £SOO was raised.

The tableau was arranged by Mr A. D. Lynch, Napier, who also acted as marshal, and it was a fitting conclusion to an unusual and successful afternoon’s programme. The Union Jack, the Ensigns of New Zealand and Australia, and the Stars and Stripes were carried through the ranks of Air Training Corps and Women’s Auxiliary Air Force units to the accompaniment of appropriate music by the band, and then the whole parade, headed by the four flags, marched past a dais where the salute was taken on Saturday by Air Commodore G. S. Hodson and yesterday by Wing Commander Sir Robert Clark-Hall. On each occasion the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews), chairman of the Canterbury Patriotic Council, who was accompanied by the Mayoress (Miss E. Couzins), congratulated all who had taken part and thanked them on behalf of the men overseas who would benefit from the proceeds of the displays. He expressed the general feeling of spectators when he said he had been thrilled. The slow march of the flag-bearers and their escort through the ranks, and, in fact, the marching of all units as they took up their positions, were bright features. Taking into consideration the occasional nature of their training, the A.T.C. youths did particulars well. The four, flags were borne by three North Island girls, Misses Merle Greenaway, Charlotte Parata, and Joan Jorgensen, and by Miss Molly Furness, Blenheim. The programme opened with a parade of the units which took part in the final tableau. The Air Training Corps was led by the band from a military camp, which co-operated in the programme. Then a remarkable display of physical training was given by men of an aerodrome defence unit, remarkable in that such precision of movement was a result of only a few days’ training together. The squad demonstrated the individual nature of modern physical training in a series of movements with some spectacular effects.

The Air Force and military bands gave a combined marching display, in which their cohesion was surprising, and the Air Force Band alone did ceremonial marching of high quality. The final section of the introductory programme was an intricate musical march by W.A.A.F.’s, to music played by the military band.

Flight Lieutenant Gladstone Hill, director of music to the Royal New Zealand Air Force, whose work was heard in the playing of the band, acted as commentator.