'The South Franklin Mounted Rifles Corps.

Franklin Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 121, 16 October 1936, Page 5

'The South Franklin Mounted Rifles Corps.

FOUNDED 51 YEARS AGO. .REUNION OF SURVIVING MEMBERS. "‘OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE . . . “Old soldiers never die they simply •fade away.” If proof of these words ■of a popular melody was required, one had only to attend a function held at the Pukekohe hotel yesterday afternoon, when 30 members of the defunct South Franklin Mounted Rifles Regiment assembled for a reunion. Mem•ories of the volunteering days of over half a century ago were recalled by the military veterans whose ages ranged from 91 downwards. They comprise the remnant of the battle of years but despite the great toll that time has taken of the regiment, the characteristic spirit so inherent in the pioneers •of this district still kindles in the make up of these hardy sons of the best British stock. They, so to speak, are the bone and sinew of this now flourishing district, the men who blazed the trail to the bush-clad, unroaded backblocks to carve out homes for themselves and to lay the foundation for posterity. In their ranks were professional men, businessmen and farmers. All came to the district with a definite purpose, knowing the tasks ' that confronted them. They knew how to work and they knew also “that I all work and no play made Jack a dull lad.” They were compelled to make i their own amusement and provide their •own recreation, yet despite the lack of facilities for such, compared with j conditions today, they were ‘has happy j as sand boys.” Is it little wonder then | that even in modern times the veterans j refer to other days as the “good old ■days.”

The Survivors.”

The South Franklin Mounted Rifles 'Corps was founded about 51 years ago under the command of the late Major Harris who had as his assistant offi-

cers Lieutenant Robert Bilkey and the late Lieutenant R. F. Webster. The only surviving officer is Lieutenant Bilkey, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, and who was unable to attend the function owing to illness, but forwarded an apology. Those present included: Messrs R. T. Wright (Buckland), the first, bugler; John Adams (Pukekohe), P. Hogan (Pukekohe), A. Gath cart (Onewhero), J. Cathcart (Onewhero). A. Wright (Pukekohe Hill). W. J. Cox (Pukekohe West), J. J- Hart (Pukekohe), J. W. Johns (Papatoetoe), W. McNally (Buckland), H. Hawke (Pukekawa), J.‘Wylie (St. Heliers Bay), Jas. Turbott (Harrisville). W. J. D. Sharp (Ramarama) „ W. McMullen (Awanui), Jos. Slater (Pukekawa), W. Allen (Hamilton), H. Dell, senr. (Pukekohe, wno was later commanding officer of the Pukekohe Mounted

Rifles), John Cummings (Maramarua), John Patterson (Pukekohe), R. Maxwell (Pukekohe). John Morrow (Te Awamutu), Dr. J. Dalziel] (Pukekohe, the troop medical officer), Messrs W.

Roulston (Herne Bay), W. Glasgow

(Tuakau, the humorist of the regiment), H. Jones (Auckland). R. Jones ( Auckland). D. K. Clark (Waia Pa), R. McGough (Auckland) and W. 11. Adams (Pukekohe). , Those known to he living hut not

•present included Lieutenant B. Bilkey (Pukekohe Hill), Corporal A. McDonald (Epsom), Messrs Arthur Fausott (Thames), .T. Woods (Patumahoe), L. Geraghty (Manurewa). A. Crawford (Ponsonby). John Boden Giddress not known). Major Reid (Hamilton), M. Hira (Waikato heads) and Jas. Pollock (Pukekohe). Major Reid, the adjutant, sent an apology, saying he did not feel well enough to undertake the journey. Full justice was done to an appe-

tising dinner, after which a short toast ' list was honoured and a cake made and donated by Mrs J. H. Keith and Mrs

T. Varlev. daughters of the late Lieutenant R. F. Webster, was eiul. The - cake, adorned with 50 candles and a spike and shield from Mr Webster s helmet, was cut by the oldest, member of the company. Dr. Dalziel, who was its honorary medical officer. How the Function Emanated. Mr William Roulston. a sergeant in the company, presided, and after thanking Messrs R. T. Wright and J. 11. Keith for organising the function, welcomed his old comrades-in-arms. The function, he said, emanated from an article published in Ihc Franklin Times on the life of Mr Joseph Adams, who in an interview a day or two nefore his death, referred to the activities of the regiment and to a championship rifle shooting belt. As a result the last winner of the belt, Sergeant D. K. Clark, came forward with the trophy and said he was prepared to hand it over to some authority fox * preservation on account of its histoiical value and association with the volunteering days. Mr Clark, he said, left the matter entirely in the hands of the meeting. Mr Roulston said it was a great opportunity for those M advancing years to meet as young men so to speak, to talk over the many happy times they had spent together. He was particularly pleased to see their old medical officer. Dr. Dalziel, present When the doctor came lo Pukekohe, he, (the speaker) was a boy running about the hotel which was (Pen conducted by his father. r.,e doctor he added, had performed good and faithful work in the district, and he hoped he would enjoy good health lor many years yet. Proceedings commenced with th , toast of the King.

A Company 65 Strong. Mr Roulston said the next item on the programme was the chairman’s remarks. He asked one of the organisers of the function, Mr R. T. Wright, to say a word ,or two. Mr Wright apologised for the absence of Lieutenant Bilkey and Major Reid, the adjutant. Mr Wright said the company was formed in 1895 under Major Harris, who was associated with Lieutenant R. F. Webster, Lieutenant Bilkey, Adjutant Reid and a full complement of non-commissioned officers. The company w 7 as 65 strong. After several years of splendid effort it disbanded and was fater reformed as the Pukekohe Mounted Rifles. It was felt, said Mr Wright, that it would be idea and pleasant surprise if the old comrades could be assembled to renew acquaintances for they were scattered in various parts of the country and had not seen each other for many years. Mr Keith, although not a member of the unit, was really responsible for the function and he had worked untiringly to make it the success it was. Both were agreeably surprised at the response to the invitations issued and were well repaid by such response for any work they had done.

Fine Body of Men. The toast of the Army, Navy, Air Force and the South Franklin Mounted Rifles was entrusted to Mr Keith, who said that the original idea emanated from Mr Bilkey who he regretted to say, was unable to attend. Thirtyfour invitations had been issued and 30 were present. If any member had not been invited it had been due to an oversight as after so many years and in the absence of records, it. was a difficult matter to remember all who had been members of the company. It there were any who had been forgotten he hoped tbeir names would be given so that they would be remembered in future. The response to the invitations had been very gratifying and it was also most pleasing to see a spirit of comradeship formed over h 0 ago still predominant among the vetbrans of the company. Mr Keith said he well remembered the first parade of the men, mounted on dashing chargers, in their picturesque white helmets and red tunics. The mud was up to the horse’s girths, and the troop marched along King street and Harris street to the parade ground. They were a fine body of men and tho horses were of splendid type. There were good hacks and good men in those days, and if the call came even now for them to defend their country they would be ready to do so. lie recalled that the men would take their horses from the plough, saddle

them up and gallop to parade. They were as keen as mustard and more keener than some of the young men of today. Mr Keith spoke of the army, navy and air force and refen ed to the part each section of the service would play in the event of war He wished the surviving members of the South Franklin Mounted Rifles continued happiness and prosperity in 1 the autumn of their lives, and conclud- ! ed by saying that the donors of the I cake would he delighted to know that ! it had been cut by Dr. Dalziel. whe had J been a very intimate friend of their late father. ‘‘Nicknamed ‘Yellow Hammers’.” Mr Dell, in responding to the toast, said he well remembered the meeting held in the room in which they were | now meeting, 51 years ago when the proposal to form a company was discussed. Time passed ami the Mounted Rifles Corps was eventually formed and he was one of its first meinj hers. Major Harris was the officer j commanding. The first uniform was of a brown colour with yellow 7 facings, the dye of which when it. got wet ran, hence the company was nicknamed “the yellow hammers.” A little later, said Mr Dell, a red tunic and white helmets were worn. Referring to the type of horses used Mr Dell said jhe recollected Mr McCormick taking a horse from a plough and winning a high jump with it. He regretted ! the absence of several of the old com- ' party who were still on deck, among litem being Mr Thomas and Mr G. Ingram. Speaking of the shooting belt Mr Dell said that Mr W. McNally was the last member of the South Franklin company to win it, although by that time the late Mr Joseph Adams having won it several times, became the proprietor. The old _company was disbanded and a few years later the Pu- . kekohe Mounted Rifles Company was 1 formed. Several of those present had j taken part in the Boer war. among i them being Mr Johns and Mr McGough. Others of the company also I served overseas. During a tour abroad Mr Dell said he visited Ihe war zones which revealed in a striking manner some of the ghastly horrors the soldiers went through. Even today some of ihe sons of the old volunteers w 7 ere suffering severely from the effects of that holocaust. ,He visited one spot where 60 New Zealanders fell in action, one of them being a member of the original South Franklin Mounted Rifles. “Although only playing volunteers we laid a foundation which assisted in tho maintenance of our freedom under Ihe British Hag,” said Mr Dell. It was a great pleasure to meet old comrades again and to talk over old times. M • Dell concluded by expressing the opinion that interest in the volunteer movement had not died down and if the lime came they would slid form a strong volunteer company in Pukekohe. He thanked the gathering for the manner in which it. had honoured Ihe toast.

Mr Patterson, proposing the toast of “the only surviving commissioned officer of the company Lieutenant Bilkey,” expressed person-

“Bone and Sinew of the District.” ai regret at his absence. “A more live wire for mounted rifles work never sat a horse,” was how Mr Patterson referred to the subject of the toast Mr Bilkey took a great interest in the company and played his part w r ell. of - ten at great personal inconvenience. He was sorry he was indisposed hutjoined with others in wishing him a speedy recovery. “I am pleased *o he again associated with old comrades. “They were the hone and sinew 7 of the Pukekohe district,” he concluded.

Mr Johns responded on behalf of Mr Bilkey. He said he w 7 as surprised to see so many of the old company present. Mr Bilkey was a keen sportsman, a good worker and a great man for duty. He. too, hoped he w'oulcl be spared to enjoy the declining years of a full life.

Presentation of Belt

At this stage Sergt. D. K. Clark handed over to the chairman the oham pionship shooting belt with a request that the meeting decide .what should he done with it in future. It. trans - pired that the belt replaced a similar one that had reached a state of disrepair and was made and donated »y Lieutenant R. F. Webster. The engraving oij the silver plates and fittings was executed by Mr La Roche, a former jeweller in Pukekohe. A des - cription of the belt w 7 as published in the Times recently. The winners were as follow 7: 1886, Farrier J.* Andrew; 1887, Private Jos. Adams, 1888, Sergeant A. McDonald; 1889, Private Jos. ,Adams; 1890, Private Jos. Adams; 1894, Private W. G. Adams; 1895, Corporal A. Jones; 1896, Private W. McNally. The troop was disbanded and the belt w 7 as then presented to the Pukekohe Mounted Rifles by the owner. Private Jos. Adams, who had won it outright. It was competed for in 1909 and 1910, the respective winners being Capt. Ralph Wyman and Sergt. D. K, Clark. When the Defence Act of 1909 became operative volunteer corps were disbanded and the eligible members were absorbed by the respective units which were constituted under the Act. It was Mr Clark’s expressed wish that the belt should not leave the district, as it was associated with what was claimed to be the first volunteer company formed in New Zealand. Donated to Technical High School, Discussion followed on what was to be done with the belt, and finally it w r as decided on the motion of Mr Roulston, seconded by Mr Dell, that as the descendants of the old pioneers were attending and would in future he attending the Pukekohe Technical High School, and as there was a live cadet company at the school, the belt he handed to the Board of Managers and given as a trophy annually to the host , shot in the school who would have , his name engraved thereon. It was j to remain in the possession of the | school. I

A ceremony will be held, probably next week, when the formal handingover of the belt, will take place. A committee comprising Messrs W. Roulston, H. Dell and R. Wright was asked to make final arrangements. The deputy chairman of the hoard, Mr J. Patterson, thanked the meeting for handing the belt over to the school where lie knew it would he taken great care of and preserved as a memento of the olden days. The toast of the winners of the belt was proposed by Air 11. Jones and responded to by Messrs Clark, McNaily and W. H. Adams, son of Air Joseph Adams. The last-named stated that on the day that Air Clark won the belt both his father and himself had competed but neither was good enough. Mr W. Allen proposed the toast of “Departed Comrades,” which was honoured in silence, Mr J. Wylie ingReunions to be Held Annually.

Votes of thanks were accorded those responsible for the arrangements, the host and hostess, and the donor ol the cake.

It was decided to hold reunions annually, Air R. T. Wright being appointed reunion secretary. Dr. Dalziel piomised the gathering that he would he present again 12 months hence, a remark that created laughter. A happy gathering ended by the “Old Yellow Hammers” joining hands and singing “Auld Lang Syne” and the National Anthem.

Photographs were taken of the veterans seated at the dinner table, and also at the Thorpe Studio.