WELCOME HOME

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 62, 10 September 1938, Page 10

WELCOME HOME

BOER WAR VETERAN

"THE LAST TO RETURN"

A rousing reception was given by South African War veterans in their clubroom last night to one of their number, Mr. L. C. Tennent, who is on a visit from South Africa to his brother, Dr. Alan Tennent; of Wellington. Mr. Tennent left New Zealand for the Boer War with the 4th Contingent, returned to the Dominion, and subsequently sailed again for South Africa With the 10th Contingent. After the war he remained in South Africa, and this is the first time he has been back to New Zealand since then. By his comrades he is referred to as the last man to return.

Captain J. J. Clark, president of the South African Veterans' Association, presided ~nd welcomed Mr. Tennent,

who was accompanied by Dr. Alan Tennent and Dr. L..D. Cohen.

On behalf of the association Captain Clark presented Mr. Tennent with a handsome perpetual calendar set in rimu and with the association's badge on either side of it.

In thanking the gathering for the honor paid him and for the presentation, Mr. Tennent gave a resume of his career after taking his discharge in South Africa. He mentioned that when he was proprietor of the Spioh Kop Hostel he had the pleasure, at the request of the Natal Government, of conducting the late Mr. Joseph Chamberlain, Colonial Secretary at the time of the South African War, over the Spion Kop battlefield. Mr. Chamberlain remarked to him that, he had had the pleasure of meeting a New Zealander on London Bridge but he had not thought of meeting another New Zealander at Spion Kop.

The health of Mr. Tennent was enthusiastically toasted with musical honours.

Mr. R. J. F. Aldridge caused a good deal of amusement with his story of a friend who enlisted in the 30th Reinforcements in the last war. After being in camp a few days his friend was given 14 days' leave and told to report for the 29th Reinforcements. The 28th Reinforcements had not left, and after coming back from leave from the 29th Reinforcements he was ordered to report for the 28th. Once more he returned from leave, only to be told, because of a shortage of men, to report to the 27th Reinforcements. This was rather too much, and his comment was that if the war kept going a few years longer he would get away with the Main Body.

Mr. Tennent has joined the Wellington South African Veterans' Association arid on his return to Dar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika Territory,, where he is associated with a shipping company, he has undertaken to keep the association posted with items of interest in his part of the Empire.