WAR COMRADES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 121, 18 November 1940, Page 5

WAR COMRADES

MEMORIES REVIVED

WELLINGTON REGIMENT

ANNUAL REUNION

Comrades in arms during the war of 1914-18, some of them in uniform once again, revived old memories on Saturday at the annual reunion of the Wellington Infantry Regiment, N.ZJJ.F.; The Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., presided, and there was an attendance of over 100. Visitors included Colonel G. T. Hall, C.M.G., M.8.E., Colonel L. Potter, JNT.Z.S.C. (Commander jf they Central Field Force), and Lieutenan.fcColonel A. Cowles (president of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association).

The toast "Fallen Comrades" was honoured by those present standing ia silence for two minutes. Stevenson's "Requiem" followed, and Trum-pet-Major Chegwin sounded the "Reveille."

Proposing the toast "The Welling,ton Regiment," Colonel Cowles said that, although he did not serve with it himself, he knew its history and the wonderful show it put up. While the regiment appeared to be only 25 or 26 years old, its roots really went back to the old days when our forefathers had to fight hard to maintain themselves in New Zealand.

Colonel C. H. Weston, K.C., who replied to the toast, said that the regiment was represented overseas bythree new battalions, the 19th, 22nd, and 25th, commanded respectively by Lieutenant-Colonels Varnham, L. W. Andrew, V.C., and A. S. Wilder. "Behind them today is the spirit of all the old comrades of the regiment," he said. "When most of us think ' the war, I think our minds go out to those boys of ours in England and Egypt." THINGS DIFFERENT NOW. The toast, "Navy, Army, and Air Force," was proposed by Mr. J. S. Hanna. Welcoming Colonel Potter to Wellington, he said the colonel would find things different in Wellington now. "Although for 20 years we have stupidly not bothered about the Army, now the whole civil population is behind tne Army," he said. Mr. D. S. Hawker, ex-Royal Navy, Colonel Potter, and Leading Aircraftmaii W. T. Fishehden replied to th§ toast. ■

The toast, "The Returned Soldiers' Association,"- was proposed by Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P., and replied to by Mr. Perry. . , ■■'.:■■ Mr. Perry said the association, which during the last 25 years had done so much for the Diggers of the last war, had set out to take under its care the new Diggers of the new war. He spoke of the attention already being given to the repatriation and rehabilitation of soldiers and said that if the war ended tomorrow the Diggers of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. would come back to a much better pensions system than those present came back to in 1918. The old Diggers of the last war had done a great job, but they woultf^do a' greater job still in this war. National Reserve units were composed of Diggers who would be the first line of defence if trouble came to this country. Mr. Perry said he wanted every man who was not serving in a National Reserve unit to join the Home Guard.