"FOR THEIR COUNTRY"

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 128, 26 November 1921, Page 8

"FOR THEIR COUNTRY"

ROLL OF HONOUR UNVEILED

WELLINGTON GAS COMPANY.

An' impressive function took place in the Wellington Gas Company's offices, Courtenay-place, yesterday afternoon, : when a Roll of Honour, containing the names of 57 men who ■ joined the Expeditionary Force, of whom 15 were killed, was unveiled in the presence of a very large gathering of employees, including those engaged at the Miramar works. Others present included Dr. C. Prendergast Knight (chairman of directors) and Messrs. H. Beauchamp, G. Fitzgerald, G. F. Pearce, A. L.' Warburton (director*), J. H. Helliwell (exsecrofcary), and R. J. F. Aldrich and Major W. J. Hardham, V.C. (Returned Soldiers' Association).

The names of the men who lost their lives are :—F. E. Ballard, W. Chirnside, A. S. Crowther, J. G. FaulknoiyH. Gisborne, H. Hallam, J.i Hardy, A. J. Hosie, H. Jones, A. T. Perry, A. Pope, A. E. Price, sen., F. Stevens, G. Tait, W. Waite. The names of those who returned are :—H. J. Alexander/ W. H.. Bodon, J. Bray, C V. Broad, T. Burns, G. Campbell, E. :P. Carman, ■J. Carney, R. D. Christie, W. D. Church, R. Clayton,' W. B. Cooke, F. Cooper, W. E. Corbett, A. H. Coward, J. A. Culling, D. Dennehy, A. L. Dentice, S. H. Dodgscn, A. E. Evensen, H. A. Ferrell, W. J. Forbes, P. A. Glennie, J. Goldsworthy, T. Hall, E. Hoffer, L. Hook^V. Jones, T. R. Lear, C. S. Luke, J. M'Carthy, W D. M'Williams, H. V. Morris, J. A. Nicol, J. J. North, &. A. Petherick, A. E. Price, jun., T. Shanahan, B. J. Sharlow, W. H. Smallbone, C. Stevens, B. B.p Williams. ') "When I unveiled the memorial tablet erected by the men at Miramar Gas Works in memory of their brave comrades who gave their lives in the Great War,'1 said Dr. Prendergast Knight, in performing the ceremony, "I stated it was the intention of the Gas Company to have erected in the city building',a Roll of Honour to contain the names of all its men who had joined the Expeditionary Force. We, therefore, are assembled ' this afternoon to ■ honour the memory of those who have fallen and to rejoice with those who have foughtand coma back to their homes and friends.

. . . In addition to their Value from an historic and personal record standpoint these memorials have another and permanent function —the perpetual reminder to all who see them ofAhe first duty of a|l communities to defend themselves from foreign, aggression. . . . This memorial tablet will be a permanent warning to all heads of families, who visit here for the purpose of paying the monthly gas bill, that as these men .whose names are recorded here, and ■many of whom stand around here today, took up ' rifles for the defence of their country, so will the day come when they or their children will Have to follow the lead given them, and once more defend their country. The, directors feeP proud indeed to be able this day fo exhibit tlris Roll of Honour, which will always stand out as a most distinguished event in the hisjjory of the Wellington Gas Company."

Major Hardham, V.C., also spoke. He pointed out that 'the Returned Soldiers' Association would like, to see in every institution having employees', who went to the war, a memorial.; He hoped that everyone who looked upon it would remember that they | had a' King, a country, and a flag. '