MEMENTO OF N.Z. ARMY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27322, 12 April 1954, Page 3

MEMENTO OF N.Z. ARMY

Gift To Queen Mary In _1941 HISTORY OF HAT BADGE (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, April 11. A question which has puzzled the Princess Royal and New Zealand s High Commissioner in London ibir Frederick Doidge) has been solved by Major D. V. Thomas—it was Major Thomas who gave Queen Mary her 2nd N.Z.E.F. hat badge. When Queen Mary died, the hat badge was found in her famous collection. It was sent to Arimr Headquarters in Wellington by the Princess Royal through Sir Frederick Doidge and'the Minister of Defence (Mr T. L. Macdonald). . . No-one knew who g,ave the badge to Queen Mary, but it was assumed that i New Zealand soldier, grateful to Queen Mary for a lift in her car, had given it as a token of appreciation. The badge will be prominently exhibited at Divisional Headquarters at Linton. Army Headquarters in Wellington has received a letter from the wartime commander of New Zealand s 14th Forestry Company (Major D. V. Thomas) stating that he gave Queen Mary the badge.' He is now a Hawke’s Bay sheepfarmer, and news of the arrival of the badge in N€w Zealand reached “Tuhara, his Wairoa home. Visit to Forestry Company While Major Thomas’s company was stationed at Grittieton, England, Queen Mary several times invited New Zealand soldiers to Badminton House, her country home. Queen Mary took such an interest in the forestry company that she went to watch its tree-felling work early in July, 1941. She arrived at the forest with the Duchess of Beaufort, a lady-in-waiting Lady Helena Gibbs, an equerry. Major John Coke, two dispatch riders, a detective, and her chauffeur. The Duchess of Beaufort mentioned that Queen Mary would like a New Zealand badge. Major Thomas took off his Army cap and gave the Queen his badge.