HONOURS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2994, 3 February 1917, Page 3

HONOURS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS

PRESENTATION BY THE CORPS GENERAL

GALLIPOLI AND PRANCE

(From Captain Malcolm Boss, War Correspondent with the New Zealand Forces.) > Northern France, November 26. The other day, not far behind the tiring line, 125 members of the >*'cw Zealand Forces in the licld were drawn up on parade to receive at the hands of tho Corps Commander the ribbons of /honours and awards granted by the King for services on Clallipoli and in France. Tho Divisional Commander, Brigadiers, and other officers were also present. There is some discussion and much letter-writing as to tho term Anzacs, but that term is not now applied here to tho force as it is constituted in Franco. AVo are no longer Anzacs. We are Australians and New Zealanders' again. The word Anzae is sacred to the memory of the men who fought oil GalHpoli. There are not a groat many of them loft, but for many a year after tho war is over they will moot in New Zealand, and in England, and in probably other parts of the Empire to celebrate the old times and the old deeds in Turkey. Tho question nt issue lias been so well put in "Punch" that I cannot refrain from quoting the lines: — The Real Anzacs, There are plenty' of slouch-hatted soldiers in town, Doughty and dsbonair, stalwart and brown ; Somo arc from Weymouth or Salisbury Plain,.. Othors have "pushed" in'the Western campaign ;• Call them "overseas soldiers" or "downunder" men, : ' Declare that each one is as daring as ten; Call them. "Cornstalks" or "Fernleaves"—all out for a fightBut don't call them • Anzacs, for that .. isn't right. The Anzacs—thoir ranks are but scanty all foldHave a separate record illumined in gold. • Their blood on Gallipoli's ridges they poured, Their souls with the scars of that strug-gle-are-scored ; Not many are left, and not many are sound, And thousands lie buried in Turkish ground. These aro the Anzacs; 'the others may claim Their zeal and their spirit, hut never their name. It was strango to hear at this late hour of tho day such, records as the folilowing calkfl out in a field in France: — For splendid gallantry in demolishing wire entanglements on Gallipoli in August, 1915. For conspicuous -gallantry at, Oman's Post, Gallipoli, in September, 1915. For bringing in four ■ wounded men after-other attempts had failed on Gallipoli in May, 1915. For great gallantry in carrying nine men under heavy fire on Gallipoli in August, 1915. For exceptionally good work during tho evacuation of Gallipoli in December, 1915. What memories the recital of such deeds recall! They carry one's mind hack to a strenuous campaign, in which practically overyono was every day of his life under.', artillery,. and in most cases also under machine-gun and rifle fire.,. The man who carried iirthe nine men was a Maori. Then thero were such incidents as these: — ; For magmficent gallantry in rallying trrcd men and personally leading several, attacks, whereby heavy losses were inflicted on the cuemy, and a most important point was held against a number of fierce co'untei'-attacks by the Germans on the Somme in September, 1916. ' .'.

For courage and energy in organising bombing parties, though himself suffering from shell shock, and leading themagainst the enemy on the Sommo in September, 1916. ) For fine courage and determination in carrying out a successful retirement of a raiding party near Armentieros in July, 1916.

For bravery in • succouring wounded and in cheering 'on the men during tho advance on' Flors on the Somme in September, 1916. The General Commanding the Corps told tiny men how very proud ho himself was to be there before the representatives of the whole division to present tho awards'so graciously given bv His Majesty the King. 'They had heard of honours, and awards that thev all knew to have been thoroughlv well earned. Oho, he said, only wished that a very much' larger proportion, of the men who. had so gallantly fought on Gallipoli and on the Somme could have, received similar decorations, but there was, of course, a. limit In the number that could be given. There were- many who were killed on Gallipoli and on the Somme who had equally earned such honours and awards, and the awards wore but representative of the splendid work done by the men of the division. They were representative of the gallantry and the splendid fighting qualities and magnificent services that bad ever been performed by the Now Zealand Division ever since it had- been engaged in war. For himself he would only say that it gave him the greatest pleasure to present the symbols of these services to the officers and men of the division that sailed with' him from New Zealand iii October, 1914. He was afraid that there were not many of the original lot left here now. but others who had taken their places would.' he felt sure, carry on the fine traditions that their comrades had- elsablishcd. lie felt confident that they would do in the future as well as they had done in (.ho past, and would maintain to the full the credit- and honour -of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force.