FAREWELL MESSAGE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 93, 16 October 1914, Page 3

FAREWELL MESSAGE

BY SIR A. J. GODLEY TO PEOPLE OF NEW ZEALAND. The following farewell message to the people of New Zealand and their Citizen Army has been issued by Major-General Sir A. J. Godley, Officer Commanding the Main New Zealand Expeditionary Force : — "On leaving the Dominion in command of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, I wish, on its behalf, to thank all ranks of the Citizen 'Army, both Permanent and Territorial, for the loyal support and assistance they have given in its formation 1 . It must be a. great satisfaction to the Regiment of Royal New Zealand Artillery, the officers of the New Zealand Staff Coips, the warrant and non-commissioned officers of the New Zealand Permanent Staff, the clerical and stores staffs) and the t ranks of the Territorial Force, to realise that their hard work and devotion to duty during the past year* has succeeded in producing so fine and well-organised a body of men as the Expeditionary Force which I have the honour to command. "I feel also that we owe a deep debt of gratitude to the old Volunteers and their organisation on which the Territorial scheme was based. Not only they, but also the other branches of the Citizen Army, the rifle clubs, and the Cadets, may feel that they have an important share in the result that has been obtained. To all — Royal New Zealand Artillery, New Zealand Staff Corps, New Zealand Permanent Staff, the clerical and stores staffs, Territorial Force, Volunteers, rifle clubs, and Cadets — I wish to express on behalf of the Expeditionary Force our deep sens© of gratitude and thanks for the services and the spirit which have made possible the preparation and despatch of a Force so worthy to represent New Zealand, and so well fitted to do valuable service for the Empire. I would impress upon all ranks, and upon all branches of the_ service, the vital necessity of continuing to maintain, in the absence of the Expeditionary Force, the -same high standard of effort, not only in order that drafts of equal value shall be despatched to reinforce it, to»t also that the scheme of universal training for the defence of the Dominion shall in no way suffer by our absence. "To all citizens and all classes of the community, I wish also to express the gratitude of the Expeditionary Force for the support and assistance they have given üb. To the ladies who have worked so hard to provide comforts and necessaries for the troops ; to the business community, who have helped materially and financially ; to the farmers, who have given us of their best in the way of horses and forage; to the professional classes, who have ungrudgingly, and as a rule gratuitously, given us their skilled assistance; to all classes of labour, who have worked with a will and at high pressure to meet our requirements at short notice ; to all branches of the Government Service; to municipal and other public bodies; and to all who have subscribed so liberally to the various patriotic funds, we owe our most grateful thanks. I wish specially to acknowledge the way in which the press of the Dominion, as a whole, has loyally observed the restrictions ren' dered necessary by the state of war. It is only another instance of the help and support which practically all newspapers of the country have given to the military authorities during the past four years A work in connection with the inception of the scheme of universal training. "Thanks to the efforts of the community with respect to the Expeditionary Force and the support' of the people in the cause of universal training, we leave the shores of New Zealand well armed and well equipped, and it will be the aim and endeavour of every man of the Force to prove worthy to represent the Dominion when he finds himself ranged in Europe alongside the other Forces of the Empire. " For myself, I feel I cannot adequately express to the people of the country my gratitude for all the kindness and sympathetic support I have received from them throughout my tenure of command of the New Zealand Citizen Army. I can only say that in return for it all, I will do my best for the Expeditionary Force which they have entrusted to my care, and that it is my earnest hope that I may return with it to the Dominion, and so revisit the many good friends I have made in the country with* which I am prond to be so thoroughly identified, and of which I hope I may be allowed to feel myself almost a citizen. "I wish also to express to the people my heartfelt thanks for the valuable gift of a' sword of honour which they have presented to me on my departure in command of the Expeditionary Force. I shall value it particularly because it comes from the people, and. if such a, thing were needed, it will always be a delightful reminder to me of the happy days I have spent in the formation of the Citizen Army of the country. Lady Godley wishes me to add how sorry she is to be leaving the Dominion, and that she hopes very much to return with me to see it and all her friends again. " (Signed) ALEX. GODLEY, Major-General, " General Officer Commanding New Zealand Expeditionary Force."