SECOND A.I.F.

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 21, 25 January 1940, Page 10

SECOND A.I.F.

VICTORIAN CONTINGENT

GREAT CROWD SEES PARADE

BARRIERS BROKEN

(By Telegraphr-Press Association— Copyright.l

MELBOURNE, January 24. Cheered by the greatest crowd Melbourne has ever seen, Victoria's quota of 5000 men for the A.I.F. gave an impressive display as they marched through the city streets today. Their bearing and discipline, though subjected to a most severe tesf when the wildly-excitftd crowd broke the barriers and blocked the path'-of the parade, showed them to be fit successors to the Anzacs who marched 25 years ago. Every inch of the two and a halfmile route was lined? by a tightlypacked crowd .estimated to total 500,000,' many having waited since dawn to assure a good viewpoint. As the long line of guns and army mechanised gear, followed closely by the first of the infantry detachments, entered the main city streets excitement knew no bounds. Confetti and streamers cascaded: from every window and parapet along,the gaily beflagged route. FINE MILITARY BEARING. Roars, cheers, and the music of the bands filled the air,' but not all the noise and enthusiasm could disturb the fine'military bearing of these sturdy young men, bronzed by weeks of sun at their Puckapunyal camp. Intent only on the job in hand, that of doing credit to themselves as Victoria's fighting men, they marched steadily on in their new threes formation. .• '

At the Town Hall corner a serious delay occurred when the crowd came through the barriers and forced the ranks to break, but the men were equal to the occasion.; They struggled through in single.file, rifles with fixed bayonets held aloft, and re-formed in threes further along the route.

For an hour and a half they marched past the base at Parliament House, whei?e the Governor-General, Lord 'Gowrie, took the salute. Then the route took them -. back to the station, where they entrained back to camp.