REGIMENTAL ALLIANCE

Evening Star, Issue 22271, 24 February 1936, Page 7

REGIMENTAL ALLIANCE

OTAGD REGIMENT’S GIFT TO WILTSHIRES A pleasing function took place in Otago Officers’ Chib Rooms on Saturday afternoon when the officers bf the Otago Regiment assembled to meet Colonel J. H. M. Mee, retired, the Wiltshire Regiment, who until a few months ago, commanded the Ist Battalion of this unit. The Wiltshire Regiment is one of the English regiments to which the Otago Regiment is allied. As an expression of the honour .which the Otago Regiment felt in its alliance with so distinguished a unit as the Wiltshire®, the commanding; officer, Colonel J. M'Pherson, 0.8. E., on behalf of the officers of the unit, handed to Colonel Mee a token in the form of a carved kiwi mounted on New Zealand marble and bearing a plate suitably inscribed. . , ■ , Stating that a young unit such as the Otago Regiment did not possess traditions such as the Wiltshires and that its mess did not possess trophies dating back many centuries, Colonel M'Pber-

son explained that these were in the making and that a collection of mess plate had been commenced. In this connection the Wiltshires had materially assisted the unit by making a gift, a few years ago, of a valuable historical piece of silver plate which had been very gratefully received and which the regiment prized highly, it had been difficult to find some appropriate gesture by which the regiment in Dunedin could express its gratitude and the honour which all its members felt in their association with so distinguished a unit. Til accepting the gift on behalf of his old battalion, Colonel Mee thanked the officers present, and commenting on its novel nature, stated that bis only regret was that he was no longer the senior officer of the mess in which it would find a prominent and honoured place. Colonel Mee, who is on a world tour, will take the trophy to the depot of the Wiltshire Regiment 'at Aldershot, whence it will be taken to the Ist Battalion, at present serving at Bangalore, by the first officer going out. ' The visitor expressed himself as being particularly charmed by the Dominion’s sceiierv, stating that the West Coast fiords far exceeded those of Norway in splendour and magnificence. He also commented very favourably on the attractions of Queenstown and Rotorua.