COMMEMORATION SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 18925, 27 April 1925, Page 9

COMMEMORATION SERVICE

GREAT GATHERING AT EXHIBITION BUILDINGS DR HERRINGTON'S IMPRESSIVE ADDRESS The Anzac Day commemoration service, which is yearly held by the Eeturned Soldiers’ Association in memory of tho men from this country who fell not only on Gallipoli, .but also, in every..other theatre of war, was held on Saturday afternoon in the No. 1 Exhibition building. In former years the service was held in His Majesty’s Theatre, but it was always found not nearly large enough to accommodate the great crowd that wished to attend a service befitting the day. In the huge Exhibition building, which was secured on this occasion, seating accommodation was provided for 2,OtW persons, this in itself being a large undertaking for the local B.'S.A. Tho seats, which seemed to occupy but an infinitesimal part of the space, were soon occupied by next-of-kin of soldiers, by nurses, by representatives of local bodies, and by those who took part in the procession from town —a detachment from H.M.S. Dunedin, members of the E.S.A., members of the South African War Contingent’s Association. and all the bands of the city and auburbs.

The service was conducted with fitting solemnity and reverence, but certain members of the public behaved in a most ■unseemly fashion. When the main door for the general public was opened, numbers of people took part in a stampede to reach vantage points in the hall, and it was not very edifying on such an occasion to witness men (not boys) and women rushing in and scrambling hastily, along the hall. One must not forget, however, that a great crowd was present—it probably numbered eight or ten thousand ■—and that those who behaved in this way, though they made themselves look conspicuously undignified, were but a small proportion of the whole. _ The service opened with the playing of Chopin’s ‘Funeral March’ by the Third Artillery Band, followed by the singing of Kipling’s ‘ Recessional ’ to the accompaniment of the Kaikorai Band. The Mayor (Mr H. L. Tapley), .who addressed the gathering, said ho had to thank the R.S.A. for the privilege conferred on him by inviting him to preside. He was sure it must be a source of great gratification to all of those_ concerned to see such a largo number of citizens present to pay reverence to their beloved dead. That day was a day of remembrance —a day which he hoped would bo observed for very many years to come. He was sure the hearts of all went out to the relatives of those_ who had lost their dear ones dyriug the Great War. TJioy as citizens 'would cast their minds back to April 25, 1915, and remember ■with pride and heroism their New Zoaland sons who made the great landing at Gallipoli, and gave their lives with the thousands of others who followed them, that the world might continue to enjoy liberty and justice. They had met to honor their soldiers who had given their lives for their countiy, and they would honor them throughout the ages In honoring those who died they ninst not forget those who had come back. Anything they could do for them, especially those who were maimed and guttering—it was up to them to do their best to make their lives comfortable and happy. Ho was sure it would be a sol,r £ o of gratification to know they had t e great privilege of having with them tha. day Commander Beal and officers and men of H.M.S. Dunedin. They all realised the services rendered by the great British Navy. They could not possibly have succeeded in winning the war without those services. When they came to remember the thousands —the millions —of troops transported from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, and America without a single transport being sunk, they must realise the wonderful work earned out by their great Navy. They were Slad to have the representatives with aem that day of the British Navy. On behalf of the citizens he would like to extend to those who had suffered the loss of their dear ones their heartfelt sympathy. He was satisfied that their sorrow would be tempered by the thought of the heroism and courage shown by their boys who had laid down their lives, they would know that that day, throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the British Empire, the people were thinking of them. He was sure it would give them great joy to see bv the cablegrams in the 1 Rress ’ that -His Majesty the King had sent a message expressing his remem-

branee of Anzac Day and his sympathy with those who had lost their beloved ones.

Portion of the crowd having applauded during the course of the mayor’s remarks, Rev. l)r Herrington said they must understand this was a service, and he asked them to refrain from applauding. Dr Herrington then read tho eleventh chapter of Hebrews and offered up prayer, tlio R.S.A. choir rendered the anthem ‘ For Homo and Liberty ’ (Acton), and the St. Ivilda Band contributed a selection.

“ What mean yc by, this service?” asked Dr Herrington at tho opening of his vigorous address. They met that day in common with their friends across the sea in Australia and in Britain who took part in the landing on tho shores of Gallipoli ten years ago. This was the birthday of the nations of tho southern sca-s. It was true that they were bom in a sense when the first settlers came to these shores. It was true in a sense that they achieved their birthday when they gained a political constitution; but a nation was not made by settlement or by a political constitution. A nation was made by a spirit, and the spirit of Anzac represented tiie hope of New Zealand and the hope, of Australia. It was the birthday of the spirit of tho new nations that they were celebrating that day, and as long as this people should last they would tell the tale of the doings on the shores of Gallipoli, of the wonderful evacuation, and also the splendid annals of Picardy, Mesopotamia, Palestine, and the other fields of the Great War. fie was very glad that they had the representatives of the Navy with them that afternoon. Ho was particularly glad of the opportunity to express their appreciation of the part that the Navy played in the war because of what he had seen at Anzac Cove. He thought what impressed him most in the early days there was the calmness of the midshipmen as they heard their piping voices giving orders to tho seamen as they steered their little picket boats in and out among the splashing shells. They thanked God for what these splendid bovs did. This Anzac Day reminded us also of tho ties that bound us to our Australian comrades in close fellowship. Whatever potty differences might have existed between the two forces before they landed on the shores of Gallipoli were all swept away in that wonderful charge they made, ami the bonds between them 'became stronger and stronger, and were sealed in tho life-blood of brothers. Again, this historic commemoration brought before the minds of children growing up the great events of tho last ten and eleven years. A boy or girl of fourteen years to-day could not remember the thrill with which the dominion received the tidings of that wonderful attack. It was our bounden duty year in and year out to bring before tho whole community, especially those who were growing up, the deeds of derring-do that were done in those days. Anzac Day commemorated not only tho deeds upon Gallipoli, but all tho achievements of our soldiers in the Groat War. Gallipoli itself had not only its losses, but its gains. It was not a mere failure. It was a moral victory. Before tho war was over and peace signed, in 1918, the Union Jack was Hying on the Dardanelles, and our men who fought there were represented by their comrades in triumph on the shores of that great natural fortress. Even in respect, of casualties, while the British lost 146,000. the Turkish losses were estimated by Von Sanders at 218,000 and by Lieutenant-colonel .Murphy at 290,000. At Gallipoli we took tho initiative from the enemy. It was a great and daring piere of strategy, and if it had been properly backed up by the War Off ce it would have been successful in an outward and visible sense. It did lead ultimately toward that victory which was tho outcome of so many operations in so many fields. Some of the Turkish officers captured in Palestine said: “Wo were not defeated here, in Palestine, but on Gallipoli.” And so Gallipoli prepared the way not indeed to Constantinople, but to the Holy City, and to tho triumph of Cross over Crescent. The campaign changed tho raw troops of the dominion into veterans, who were able to meet the finest trench fighters in tho world, able to Inspire the succeeding expeditionary forces with such traditions of courage, discipline, and devotion to duty in the, face of tho enemy. He recalled, also, the evacuation of Gallipoli, which ho described as the most wonderful military operation of its kind ever achieved in the history of the world. From an historical point of view this was n tale that must never die in the hearts or on tho lips of our children or our children’s children. They were met to remember their dead comrades, the best and bravest they had over known, and to pay their tribute of love and respect and veneration to their memory. In conclusion, he reminded them that Anzac Day looked forward to the future,, and did not merely tell of -the past. It told of tho passing on of that Anzac spirit without which tho sacrifice of our follows would have been in vain; it told of that vision without winch a people must perish, of the service of the Kingdom of God which alone could bring in brotherhood, righteousness, and peace within the nations and between the nations. It sought to serve the issue of international peace, so that in days to come our sons would not be called upon to go to face the horrors of war, but should have ample opportunity to develop their personalities and make the most of their God-given equipment. In conclusion, Dr Herrington quoted the words of Abraham Lincolnbs famous Gettysburg speech:—“That wo here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from tho earth.”

After the Lord’s Prayer had been repeated in union,’"and “ 0 Valient Hearts’ had been sung to the accompaniment of the St. Kilda Band, a number of wreaths were placed on a model cenotaph at the rear of the platform, the Highland Pipe Band meanwhile playing ‘ The Flowers of the Forest.’ Wreaths were forwarded by the following;—Dunedin City Council. Y.W.G.A., Y.M.C.A., R.S.A., Waikouaiti R.S.A., R.S.A. Choir, Overseas Club, Rotary Club, Navy League, Chamber of Commerce, St. John Ambulance Association, South African Veterans, H.M.S. Dunedin, Early Settlers’ Association, Patriotic .Association, St. Kilda Borough Council, West Harbor Borough Council*

and the Dunedin Harbor Board, Red Cross Society, Council of Christian Churches, Otago Hospital Board, and ox-Army nurses. A. largo uumbnv of private wreaths were, also placed on the cenotaph.. The Rev. Dr Herrington offered prayer, and the audience joined in the singing of ‘0 God, Our Help in Ages Past,’ to the accompaniment of the First Battalion Band. One of the most impressive parts of the service was the stirring playing by Sergeant-major Napier, assisted by the drummers of H.M.S. Dunedin, of the ‘Reveille.’ The service concluded with the singing of a verse of the National Anthem, the Salvation Army Band playing the accompaniment.