TWENTY YEARS AFTER

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 93, 17 October 1934, Page 6

TWENTY YEARS AFTER

ANNIVERSARY REUNION

IMPEESSIVE SCENE

| Some weeks ngo a notice was pubilished that the officers of the Main Body !of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force would bo holding a reunion in Wellington on October 13. From that the idea sprang oE 'having a reunion of all ranks. It was soon evident, from tho number of letters that began to pour into tho headquarters of tho 8.5.A., that it was an extremely popular proposal, but it is doubtful if tho committee which was set up to arrange a function to coincide with tho twentieth anniversary of tho departure of the Main Body from Wellington anticipated such a. splendid response as was received. Over 500 men sat down at the gathering last night in the Winter Show buildings, accommodation being fully taxed. It was, it seems safe to say, the greatest gathering of returned soldiers at a reunion that has been held in Now Zealand, members of tho Main Body being present from many parts of the country. Tho president was Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, the chairman Colonel W. H. Cunningham, and tho deputy chairman Major P. Waite. The first part of tho proceedings, that in which tho short toast list was honoured, was broadcast to give members of tho Main Body who wero unable to be present tho privilege of listening in and so enable them, it was hoped, to catch something of the spirit of the Great Adventure of 1914 pervading tho assembly. After that, as tho chairman said, "tho lid" was lifted, and a very convivial evening waa spent. VISITING MEN WELCOMED. "Your attendance hero on this occasion, tho twentieth anniversary of our sailing from New Zealand, in such large numbers and from places far distant from Wellington," said Colonel Cunningham, addressing tho gathering, '' is the best possible proof to tho local committee responsible for these arrangements and to our enthusiastic honorary secretary, Mr. Comrie, that their zeal in promoting this gathering has been fully justified and meets with your approval. To tho members of tho Main Body who come from outside Wellington we in Wellington extend' a warm welcome. We are very happy that you have come, many of you many miles, as we knew you would, to meet old friends and talk ovor old times. We are particularly pleased that our old divisional commander, Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, who left with us as Brigadier of the Mounted Brigade, is with us tonight. (Applause.) Had his homo been at the North Cape or "the Bluff, I am sure he would have got here." Colonel Cunningham said that apologies, among others, for non-attend-ance had been received from MajorGeneral Sir William Sinclair-Burgess, Colonel I. T. Standish, tho HoiV. W. Downio Stewart, and Captain L. C. Worrall, tho last-named one of the few captains of the Main Body transports still alive. Generous support, Colonel Cunningham procoeded, had been received for tho reunion from tho merchants and business people of Wellington, and tho committee also had been very materially assisted in their preparations by a ■ committee of ladios who had volunteered i to cut sandwiches and generally to lay out and put tho •finishing touches to the supper. To all they "wero deeply grat'o-j fui. .■ ; ■ . ;■; ! FALLEN COMRADES. .' ■' | Tho toast, "Fallen Comrades." was proposed by Major Waito. Of that great company, which sailed twenty years ago, he said, many never camo back. There were many soldiers, sailors, and nurse&they would never see on this earth again. They recalled their memory that night. '-'We who havo seen war," continued Major Waite, "do not seek to glorify it, neither do we wish to unduly glorify the soldiers, but we must <io our comrades bare justice. They, vere prepared, when trouble threatened, to placo their bodies between tho country and their country's enemies. John Ruskin, many years ago, in analysing tho different services rendered by each class to the community, finally gave the highest honour to the soldier, saying: 'This is rightly so, for placo him in a fortress breach, with all the pleasures of tho world behind him, and nothing but duty and death before him, you can depend upon it, ho will keep his faco to the front.' Those absent comrades kept their faces to the front. Those friends of ours knew of the pleasures of life. Many were in tho prime of life. Some were pathetically young. When Socrates was condemned to death ho said: 'And now the time has como to go our different ways—me to death and you to live, and which is better God alone knows.' We cannot probe tho great mysteries of life and death, but tonight we affectionately recall aji those dear friends of ours that went West. This toast has no response but that of the trumpet, no human voice—only silence, and then the trumpet. I ask you to riso and honour the memory of our fallen comrades." The gathering stood in silence. The' "Last Post" was sounded on the bugle by Sergeant-Trumpeter R. H. Braccfield. This was followed by tho "Requiem," sung by Mr. Harison Cook, and then tho "Reveille" was played by the trumpeter. Well-known war-time songs, such as "Tipperary" and "Pack Up Your Troubles" wore sung by the company before Mr. C. Batten proposed the toast of "Tho Main Body," coupled with tho name of Major-General Sir Andrew Russell. Mr. Batten said that Sir Andrew was an example of tho Main Body spirit; he had come back to work for tho returned men. His sword ho had beatou into a ploughshare. SIR ANDREW SPEAKS. When Sir Andrew rose to reply he was greeted with prolonged applause. Ho j said he felt extraordinary proud to bo ! present with his old comrades, and to bo occupying tho position of president, and also to have been entrusted with ! thu honour of replying to tho toast. | Throughout tho whole war thcro was i attaching to the men of the Main Body j a certain maua which survived, hoj |-thought, oven today, and which made [ thorn, as Colonel Cunningham had said, i a family. He believed that the success I which attended tho wholo New Zealand Expeditionary Force from start to finish was dne to the- fact that there- was a family spirit. Sir Andrew said that ho wanted those present to carry back to their homes that same spirit. They had contributed to the coining of the word "Anzac," a word which was immortal. Many of them now, like himself, had grey hairs, but he was glad to think that the bulk of thorn still belonged to that ago when they wero active participants in tho life of their country, and as one who had passed that age ho should feel his country was socuro if tho younger men displayed tho same spirit in tho future as they had twenty years ago. (Applause.) If they had done good woisk at the Front, and h<! was proud to believe that they had, it waa very largely due to tho good work of the Imperial officers who guided their tottering footstops in the early days, who led thorn over the sands of Egypt, nml, irlio would not sn.y-—marlo I hem cln i( aqaiii. ( l",:iucrlit«-i-.) II was l>y iloin.c

it again, however, that they learned to do it right. Sir Andrew said ho had received a cablegram from General Godley, their old G.0.C., extending to them tho warmI est expressions of his good will. There wero many others lie could name who had played a big part in their success. He felt perfectly certain that any ono of them—and there was to be a visit from General Godley in the near future —who camo to New Zealand would reeoivo the warmest welcome it was in their power to give. I (Applause.) Two other toasts, "Tho Ladios" and "The Sister Services," wore honoured. In addition to the New Zealand Main Body men thorp were present twentyfour Australians who left with tho Australian Main Body, and eight naval men from the Pyraums, Philomel, and Psyche, three of tho warships which comprised the escort for tho troops. These men \vare> seated together.