THE KING AND HIS TROOPS

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4601, 3 July 1917, Page 5

THE KING AND HIS TROOPS

NEW ZEALANDERS INSPECTED

.MAY DAY *IN ENGLAND.

A MEMORABLE FUNCTION

(Special to Gisborn e Times.) . • ENGLAND, May 2., Yesterday was May, Day in England, the day that is the harbinger of Spring. And it proved a true May Hay, for seldom is the weather so fine here. But of more than ordinary interest was . this May Day, for His Majesty tlie King came down from Windsor Castle, to inspect the- New Zealand Troops on Salisbury Plain. It was the first time'many of u s had had the opportunity of seeing Royalty, and there was an added importance to the occasion in that we were to he specially privileged., for no other troops were present. Then His Majesty was accompanied by a distinguished entourage, including General Sir lan Hamilton, who was present by Command. Brigadier General F ,E. Johnston was in charge of the Review, with General Sir A. J. Godley also present. Then amongst the distinguished New Zealanders who came down for the occasion were the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey) the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward), the High Commission(Sir Tliomas MacKenzie), and the High Commissioner for Australia (Mr A. Fisher). They were accommodated with special seats behind the Saluting Base,'and were 1 presented to His Majesty -before the Review commenced.

In the camp at Sling that morning all were astir early, for it was going to be a day to be remembered by many a New Zealand boy- when ho got hack to his native country. . All' had been rehearsed, of course, for if was a necessity that there should be nothing wrong when His Majesty came to ride down the long lines of khaki clad warriors from his farthest Dominion. "While many were new troops there was a big' proportion who had seen service, and- were again ready to go back to the front. So, well before the, appointed hour, the troops were formed up in column of line on the natural amphi-theaire formed by the beautiful rolling land on Salisbury Plain. ARRIVAL OF HIS MAJESTY

Just before 11 a.m. a- special train could he seen pulling into Bulford, a pretty village about a mile away. Here" His Majesty stepped out, and was met by Sir lan Hamilton and other officers. His Majesty mounted a. beautiful black charger, and Cantered across the fields with his escort'. The first we who were waiting saw was a small body of mounted officers coming towards us. Then behind one of the foremost figures we observed fluttering the Royal Standard of England, and so' we were able to pick out His Majesty. ' Sitting his horse with erect figure, and wearing uniform, His Majesty looked —well he looked just as most of us have been accustomed to seeing him look in the picture theatres. He was smiling heartily, and chatting affably .to tli© officers riding alongside. Nearing the Saluting Base the Royal Ensign was broken loose from the flagstaff, and as His Majesty wheeled his horse to face the soldiers the band struck up the Royal Salute. The King lost no time in commencing his inspection, for at once he cantered over the several hundred! yards of turf separating him from the- columns of men,and then at a- slow pace went from end to end of the line—and it was a frontage of hundreds of yards, for there was a big muster of the Dominion troops present. Having inspected the men the march past was proceeded with, and one could see His Majesty asking questions and commenting on d* fferent bodies —the Pioneers (Maori Battalion) appearing to be of especial interest to him. The whole ceremony lasted some time, over half an hour and then a presentation of'medals was made by the King to men ol the New Zealand' Forces who had won them for acts of bravery on the field of battle. As each one was called forward the particular act of gallantry performed by him was read out, upon which the’ King shook hands with tli© man, pinned the medal on his tunic, expressed a few words of praise, and the recipient saluted and stepped back. The medals presented! went to the following: D.C.M to Cadet G. H. Boles; Military Medals to Cadets C. R. Carter, R. N. Gray, Corporals J.T. Andrews, G. G. N. Mitchell, Privates J. B. Lamb H. AJohnston, J. W. O’Brien, and Gunner G. McConnell. THE KING’S MESSAGE.

Social intercourse occupied some time, and amongst those presented to His Majesty were Mrs and Miss Massey, Lady Ward, and Miss MacKenzie. His Majesty then rode away, being given a hearty cheer from the spectators. Later the foilowing message from the. Iving was conveyed to the troops:

“Officers, N.G.O’s and men. It was a pleasure to me to inspect training Units of my New Zealand Troops to-day, and thus to show ray appreciation of the splendid services rendered by that Force in the Great War. You are the, representatives in the Mother Country of comrades who by their glorious ■deeds on the battlefields of. Gallipoli, Egypt, Palestine, and. Flanders have helped to immortalise the name Arizac. From the appealanc© displayed by all ranks on parade I am satisfied that you in your turn will uphold the fame of those regiments to which you belong. “jV.D- 1 GOOD LICKING.” During the. afternoon the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward and the High Commissioner took the opportunity of coming into closer touch, with the New Zealand men, and also briefly addressed them in eulogistic terms. Sir lan Hamilton, who -also spoke, said that the New Zealanders made history for themselves in Gallipoli and it was a- proud thing, whatever happened there. .to have commanded them. y 1 , 11 '.. Ward took up a cheery vein in speaking, and at' one stage gravely m , 01 ’ “ ed the troops that he was a full-blown Colonel himself, “and,” he added, “on Tuesday next I have to wear the uniform.” But the gravity of. the occasion was broken when an irrepressible soldier at the back c.le out: “And, Bill Massey’s . puttees tno>” Sir Thos. Mackenzie hoped that the boys would mill through and give the Germans adi good lickin®;” “JOHNNY RAW”