ANNUAL REUNION

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 134, 8 June 1935, Page 11

ANNUAL REUNION

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS

The annual reunion • of, , surviving members ol the Sixth New Zealand Contingent which served in; South Africa from 1899-1902 was held on Saturday, June 1, at Wellington. About 40 members from various parts of New Zealand were present arid a-very happy evening was spent.in reminiscent vein, recalling the various incidents'of the campaign in South Africa of" over thirty years ago. A feature of the evening was the screening of several lantern slides depicting incidents oh the South African veldt in which the New Zealand "Rough Riders" participated. As the slides were thrown,. on., the screen many forgotten incidents were brought to memory. Messrsi L.''Blundell and R." Denton were, 'warmly applauded for their enterprise and generosity in making the screening available to fellow-members of the contingent. - ■■■•' . Lieut.-Colonel R. Evatt, who-pre-sided, proposed the loyal toast,-and remarked that it warranted more significance at a gathering 'at ex-service-men than the usual formality displayed at ordinary functions. It was fitting that the reunion was held on the eve of his Majesty's■■■: seventieth birthday and in the twenty-fifth Jubilee year of his Majesty's reign. One and all fervently hoped-that he would long be spared to guide the destinies of the Empire. New Zealand contingenters during the South African War were "soldiers of the Queen," but many of these campaigners again fought for their country in the sterner struggle of 1914-18, and in. many cases gave, their lives as ■"solidiersj.bf the King." ;:. ~.,'.. ..." V ■'■"' "Fallen Comrades" was proposed by the chairman. The secretary,;- Mr., G. E. Taylor, read the roll of 136 names of members of the Sixth Contingent who had crossed the Great Divide. The reverent silence with.which the toast was honoured marked the tribute of "Sixers" to.their fellow-comrades now sleeping. ': "The First Contingent" was proposed by the chairman;• 'and responded to by Trumpeter T. W. Brown. In proposing the tpast the chairman mentioned that the members of the Sixth Contingent owed a debt of gratitude'to the First, from the ranks of which had been drawn the officers for the Sixth. It was interesting to know that of the ten Contingents of New Zealanders who served in South Africa, only the First and the Sixth continued to meet in annual, reunion..* .... Interesting experiences were related by Messrs;- Charles Lindop XStratford) and Joe Irwin (Te Awamutu), both Of whom attended the reunion for the first time since the South African campaign. ~:-.-■. ■ .;.■,■ . . Many letters and telegrams.received from all parts of the Dominion from members of the Sixth were read, also communications which had come to hand from fellow-campaigners , now resident in Australia. ,- ■ < Humorous items were given during the evening by Messrs, :B. Evatt, Wright, and C: Girdlestone.. Mr. H. Beardsmore was at the piano.;