ANZAC DAY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12536, 24 April 1935, Page 5

ANZAC DAY

TWENTIETH ANNIVERSARY TO-MORROW. gtsborNe Arrangements. Observance of the anniversary of Anzac Day to-morrow will follow the customary lines throughout the Poverty Bay district, the principal function being the service of comjnehtoratipn pi Memorial on Kaiti Esplanade; ‘ Gisbornel There ■will bo a nipnjber of other services, in various centres of population; in '_/ honor of the of men of the • New Zealand Expeditionary Force who did not return from the theatres s pf • w«ar, .apd also ip piepaory of the war dead of all nations who gave their lives in the sincere conviction that the sacrifice was demanded for the!,welfare .of their rspoetiye countries. Provided the weather is fine enough t,o permit of an outdoor celebration, there will be a parade of returned soldiers, territorials, and other organisations, prior to the service, which will be undenominational, members of the Gisborne Ministers’ Association co-operating in connection with the devotional portion of the proceedings. The hour of assembly for ..to-mor-row’s parade has been set down as 9.20 a.m. in Fitzherbert street, opposite the former site of the Garrison Hall. Markers will be called from the various units represented at .that hour, and at 9.3 Q a.m. the fallin will be sounded, the parade moving off in good time to reach the War Memorial and for the respective units to take up their allotted places in the gathering there, before the commencement of the district service. In the course of the service, in which the “Anzac Anthem’’ will bo a feature there will be a pause for the laying cf wreaths on the base of the memorial, representatives or local hodios and other orguii.-.r.tlor.' being invited to participate in this ceremony, while members of the ge;: oral public are also ipyited %q take this opportunity of laying their floral emblems on the monument. There is no doubt that throughout Australia and New Zealand, this year’s Day will be marked by unusually large gatherings, in recognition of the fact that 20 years havo passed since the landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula, and the welding of Australian and New Zealand sentiment in tho bond of the term “Anzac.’’ It is expected that Gisborne’s major gathering will be the largest sponsored by the Returned Soldiers’ Association to date. As usual, the Gisborne R.S.A. will hold its annual meeting after the service at the War Memorial, and features of the association’s work for the coming 3',ear will be discussed. WEAR POPPIES TO-MORROW R.S.A'. SUGGESTION The Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association expresses the hope that the public generally will wear the poppy emblems of remembrance, durAring to-morrow’s celebration of the ' anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli. The view is emphasised t-hat the blooms are tributes to the war dead, and that the financial aspects of the Poppy Day appeals should not overshdow the commemorative character of the wearing of the Flanders poppy. In response to a number of suggestion', the Association has arranged that blooms should be available to-morrow, should any members of the public care to secure them, those in charge of the supplies being under instructions to take no active steps to push sales, or in any way to detract from the polemn character of the anniversary celebrations. The blooms will be on hand for those who may wish to. wear them, and who may not have saved the poppies produced last week, in response to the annual apeal of tho R.S.A.

SERVICE AT SOLDIERS’ PLOT,

Tho Women’s National Reserve will hold the usual service of commemoration at the Soldiers’ Plot, at Taruhcru cemetery, to-morrow afternoon, and friends of those interred in tho plot are invited to forward rweaths ,or flowers. Members of the reserve will plot at Holy Trinity Parish Hall fit 10.30 a.m. to-day to make wreaths for both the district service at the War Memorial and for the afternoon ceremony at the Soldiers’ Plot, and gifts of greenery and flowers for this purpp.se will he welcomed, as will the help of any resident skilled in the making of wreaths. Jn all, 80 wreaths are to be made, and in the making will consume a considerable quantity of materials.

GENERAL GODLEY’S MESSAGE

DAY OF SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE

“HISTORY’S MOST WONDERFUL COMRADESHIP.”

(Press Association)

WELLINGTON'. April 23

flew Zealand headquarters of the Upturned Soldiers A.ss,qciatien pgyp received tlio following Anzno Day message from General Sir Alexander Godley:—

“Anzae Ray of 192.5, has a special ' significance for me because it falls almost immediately after my return to the Old Country from a visit to my old Anzno comrades. That visit has for me cemented move firmly than ever the wonderful bond which binds together those of us to whom the name of Anzac means so much, the brotherhood and comradeship of arms greatest and the best comradeship m the world when on top of this,' we ha re the spirit

of Anzac I feel that ‘W<j have the m.ost wonderful cppipadeship that ever existed in the history of the War and so I found it during my yisit. “This year fresh from having: so lately seen so many of you, I feel my bond and my comradeship are specially close and intimate. I think of you all tod'ay not- only those who aue still with us, but those who we left behind and those who have since passed away. May the spirit of Anzac he with us and with our descendants for all time.”

“MOST GHASTLY BLUNDER,”

lAN HAMILTON ON GALLIPOLI

‘PROLONGED WAR NEEDLESSLY’

(U.P.A. by Elec. Teh Copyright.) (Roe. April 23, 7 p.m.) LONDON April 23. Sir lan Hamilton, in a special interview with khe Daily Telegraph, looking back after 20 years to the Gallipoli campaign Said :

“It is my calm considered judgment delivered without rancour, that while the evacuation wa s the nvOsj- ( brilliant tactical operation ever carried out by the British Army, Strategically it was tho most ghastly blunder ever perpetrated in the history of the world. I say that because it prolonged the war need-, lessly and thereby caused the deaths of millions. Whil c the campaign was in progress, men were, actually taken from th e Dardanelles to Salonika bv Lord Asquith, instead of being sent to us from Salonika. Just a ' divisions of reinforcements and wo should have gone right through and finished it. Yet the blindness, of the men,. minds were fixed on. the- Western front to the exclusion of all else, prevented it. Men on Gallipoli knew that, with a. little more backing they could have won the war. Hundreds of them told me so. Some day all the official archives and the secret history of the time will be published. Then ther c will he a great outcry but while the families of certain statesmen are alive t'hig is impossible.”