A “DIGGERS’” REUNION

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 183, 29 April 1924, Page 3

A “DIGGERS’” REUNION

AT EASTBOURNE MASONIC BALL. The returned soldiers of Eastbourne held their fourth annual reunion dinner on Saturday night in the Eastbourne Masonic Hall. The tables were plenteously burdened with “rations” and flower-bedecked, and the inside of the building generallj r , enlivened for the occasion with flags, coloured bunting, and festoons. Ex-Cap-tain W. Perry was in the chair, and Secretary “Teddie” Marsden and his working committee —Messrs. J. Staples, A. Hollis, K. lltill, A. J. Walling, “Wallie” Wilson, W. Wilson, and W. Ackin—proved fully equal to the manifold duties which devolved upon them.

A typical programme was leisurely gone through with. The splendid local orchestra, under the baton of Mr. Salvatore Cimino, not only rendering several most spirited “classical” interpretations but being called upon, interim, to “fill in the gaps” between whiles, as accompanists to the “combined forces’ in many a popular and not-strictly-on-the-prograinme item. The toast-list, a brief one, and naturally including the usual loyal toast, saw justice done to the various titles and subjects under which they ranged. I'he all-impressive and silent toast, lallen Comrades,” being rendered even more impressive or. this occasion and beyond tile minute of absolute silence, by . Mr. TT. Piernrd’s singing of the •‘Requiem (R. L. Stevenson’s own epitaph in verse) and Mr. H. W. Adams’s soulful sounding of the “Last Post.” Contributors io an excc lent programme were Mr. 11. B' cra^> ,, r ’ tr ; Boshor. Mr. W. Nugent, Mr Costley, and two leading seamen from the crew ot 11.M.S Repulse (songs), Mr. J. Oi'me and Mr. Rov Hull (re'“tations). and the National Anthem. 7he singing of “Auld Lang Syne” (and •‘rum ration all round) saw the end ol a happy gathering- .