A WAR MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 302, 15 September 1921, Page 5

A WAR MEMORIAL

FRIENDLY SOCIETY’S TRIBUTE

ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED

The members of the Manchester Unity Ancient Order of Oddfellows assembled in full force in the lodge room, Lambton Quay, last evening, on the occasion of the unveiling of a memorial to those members of tho Britannia Lodge who took part in the Great War. All the lodges in the Wellington district were represented, and there were representatives from Auckland, Otago, and Westland. Bro. A. G*. Steffenson, Grand Master* of tho Wellington district, presided. Among those present, besides Major-General Sir Edward Chaytor and the Mayor (Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P.), was Major W. J. Hardham,. V.C., representing tho Returned Soldiers’ Association. ' The memorial, which is 9ft. by 7ft., has a rima base with oak panelling, the 82 names being lettered in gold. Elevon of the members made the supreme sacrifice. The tablet was veiled with the white ensign that was flown by H.M.S. Queen when she covered tho landing of tho Now Zealanders at Anzao Cbvo in April, 1915. The flag was lent by the Bev, C F. Askew, of St. Mark’s Church, to whom it was presented by Rear-Admiral Thursley, who was in command, for hanging In the memorial cathedral • The proceedings wore opened with the ringing of the National Anthem. The

chairman then referred to the objects

of the gathering, and while regretting / , the loss Of so many of the nation’s mimhcocl he extended a hearty welcome to ■ those members of the ledge who were privileged to take part in the war nnd to be spared to return to New Zealand. Bro. J. Kershaw, corresponding secretary for the Order, in his address stated that about 3000 members of the order were in the firing line, and about 500 had made the great sacrifice. He further stated that the Order decided early in the war that such of its'members on active service who happened to be in hospital through receiving wounds or Contracting eickness should receive the ionefits duo to them, and in this respect the Manchester Unity distributed about ,•620,000. - Major General Sir Edward Chaytor, on rising to perform the unveiling ceremony, said he deeply appreciated the honour of being invited to unveil the memorial. Ho considered that such memorials did a great amount of good besides being of justifiable pride to those who set them tip. He thought the memorials ought to be looked at as reminders of what the men who went away gave up, and what they endured, and that would remind those left of their duty to earrv on what the.soldiers had fought for. There Was a great tendency when a. war ended to look upon it from the point of view of history. The boys who read the history could not realise what it was, but if they could get a man who went to the war and experienced its horrors to tell them of it, no one would want war. War was a terrible thing, and the more one saw of it the less one liked it. They should do everything possible to keep out of war. but if it did come to endeavour to keep it out of our own country. There was a worse thing than war, and that was to drift into a state to bring about another war. There was a way of keeping out of war, and that was by giving in to every demand that other nations might make upon us. Trying to keep out of a quarrel by doing that would not be tolerated by our people. General Chaytor referred to the agony of some of the men, whose letters from home were most appealing. One man who had received such a letter from his wife and. Children deserted. Ho was captured, court-martialled, and sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, and when the matter went before ihe Commander-in-Chief for confirmation, and ho learned the circumstances, ho reduced that sentence of seven years to seven days, which he believed' was the shortest sentence on record for such an offence. General Chaytor then unveiled the tablet m a record of the services of the 82 men, and to the glorious memory of the elevon who made the great sacrifice. The Mayor (Mr. 11. A. Wright, M.P.) Baid that they had met that evening for tho purpose of doing honour to the memory of those of their Order who wont to the front and fought to ■ preserve the privileges of the people. Mr. Wright extolled the services of the men who fought in the world war. Major Hiirdham nlso addressed the gathering, and referred particularly to the wonderful sacrifices sustained by the mothers and 1 sisters and wives of the men who wont to the front. An excellent programme of music wns enjoyed, and at the close supper was served. The ceremony wns most impressive.