"MOTHER OF BLIGHTY"

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 3 May 1923, Page 3

"MOTHER OF BLIGHTY"

A THRILLING AND AMUSING STOR"S. PATHOS AND HUMOUR. Many phases of th© work done during the war m various centres have been described, in which, stories oi varied interest have been the setting and work iror the soldiers the theme, but it is sale to say that none has touched New Zealanders more nearly than the story told by Miss Lily Butler, C.8.E., of the work done at Blighty m Pans from the stirring days at the declaration of war through the dark days and crisis to the conclusion of the armistice. At the Soldiers' Club last night Miss Butler kept a large audience thrilled and amused for an houi and a half, relating in a way quite her own anecdote, story and historical incidents, in a very happy manner, changing to a note of seriousness as she told first the amusing stoi ies of the men of the Allied armies and then the hardships they so willingly endured. Mr Gorton, president of the association, w«s in the chair, and Mrs i Lovell was also present. In her opening remarks, Miss! Butler told of the fever of; excitement and enthusiasm that] reigned in Paris, where she wai, ' on August 1, 1914, and th« feeling that pervaded the city in 1918 at the thought that in a, short time France would once more be mistress of Alsace-Lorraine. It was, sho said, a time of high exultation which reigned in the breast of everyone, high and low, rich and poor. She related some very amusing anecdotes of her being able, by the help of a medal presented to her some time before by the President for relief worn during the floods, and also by her appeal \,u the honour of the French so»----d:er, to get forward to a village where her sister lived. She expressed her eternal gratitude to those tew French soldiers, who helped her, and who, at her appeal, decided "not to break another crust" until she had reached her destination. She added: "They were ships that pass in the night. I never saw them again, for they were part of the First French Army., and probably paid the supreme sacrifice." Her first work wa.; at a soup kitchen, and sho reached a high plan** of oratory when she told of the work and looking after the homeless refugees. She told of the first British hospitals set up in Paris, one by Red Cross nurses, the second by the militant s«i-fra-gettes, those people whom "you do not know out here, for you women of New Zealand have everything your own way.'' These suffragettes turned out to be the gentlest and kindest nurses one ever saw. She described in vivid terms the saving of Paris by the men who were sent out in motorbuses and all kinds of odd vehicles' to unite with the first British Army, and so to save Paris from being overran by the Hun. Then the overseas troops came to France, and the sight of a lonely Aussie in Paris and the treating him to a cup of tea gave her the idea of setting up a home where she could supply millions of dozens of cups of tea. As the result of her persistent appeal the French Government handed over to her a beautiful old Palace, free of charge, rent and taxes, as a home for soldiers, and she called it "The Corner of Blighty." Her staff was 65 English ladies, and all worked remarkably well. There she learned to love, revere and appreciate the boys, : and there sh© found the New Zealand«rs the best behaved of all the soldiers < of tlie Allied armies; never did. one of theu. *jip-?*2 vor** toi *ttivik \n that i home nor bring anyone to the house j who should not be there. 1' She called < them the ''Gentlemen of the Coionial Army.'' New Zealand, she added, ■ should be mighty proud of her soldiers. ' It was, she said, relapsing quickly into ' » humorous vein, a club for privates ■ and N.C.O's. If officers behaved themselves they could come in, and lieutenants were just glorified diggers, ' but generals had to be careful. ■ The fighting generals thought all the more' of Blighty because in it."privates were first, but the War Office hated her because they were non-fighting generals. After some amusing stories of the life of the men, she related the tragic i incident of the collapse or the Rus- 1 sians and the moving of the German c divisions to the West Front, with the s resultant big push and the shelling of i Paris by Big Bertha. With a wealth of 1 pathos, she told of that awful Good < Friday when a church in Paris, packed s with worshippers, was shelled and < scores of their women and children -< were killed or maimed. Despite all t this, for the sake of the 'boys, she de- s cided to stick it in Pans as long as sh© could while the armies prepared for what looked like the last stand. But, she added, Paris was never safer, because Sir John Monash, with five divisions of Australians, was guarding the line at Amiens. She actually carried on until the Armistice and a year alter. Turning to her travels, she said ' Nlie had been wonderfully well received < in Australia, where she had travelled < •■iti qver the length and breadth of the land. But, she added, the welcome in New Zealand from the time she landed from the tossing Moeraki at Wellington right throughout her tour was beyond expression. She said she was . i«i love with New Zealand, her people, and her wonderful scenery. It was one long' succession of warm-hearted ■ | ; i

kindness, and sho seemed to be doing notlnng but saying "Thank you all the time. She was particularly touched by the gift of a railway pass from the Prime Minister, who said it was for what you have done, a free gift from the people. It would be of interest, she added, to know that Mr Massey and Sir Joseph Ward had had a New Zealand evening at Blighty, and that ! Miss Massey had done wprk as one of '. the waitresses. j Before concluding, Miss Butler ex- ' Inbited several historic flags and gave «. short story of their significance. First the White Ensign of the British Navy, which she admitted "pinching" from one of the flotilla sent up the Shine to show Germans that Britannia, nob Germania, ruled the waves; next the Victory flag, one of fifty issued, having on it the flags of all the Alihed nations round tricolour of -France, and then the New Zealand Ensijm presented to Blighty by General Sir Andrew Russell, on which she intMnded to secure the • autograph of Lord Jellicoe and General Russell, and which she wished to leave to the people of New Zealand when she passed away. Lastly, sho showed a sample of the apron used by th« girls in Blighty and which, to the huge amusement of the audience, sho put on the piesi- j dent. She told them before closing many amusing incidents of visits paid to Blighty by the Prince of Wales who, she said, appeared to thoroughly enjoy getting away 'from his staff and from the detectives whose duty it was to shepherd him in Paris, arid by many other distinguished visitors. : Referring lastly to the R.S.A., she advised the boys to stick together, pay up the subscription, and be a power iv the land, more powerful! than any other. She hoped that in the future tiM sons and grandsons of the soldiers would hand on the memory of what New Zealanders have done. "For yoiif welcome and your kindness,'?, she said, in conclusion, "1 thank you from the bottom of my heart." When she finished the whole audience broke out in loud and continuous applause. On the motion of the chairman, a very hearty vote of thanks was passed to Miss Butler for her \-ery able, amusing and instructive 'talk', which had been enjoyed and appreciated by all. In acknowledging the vote, Miss Butler said she wished to get on her autograph album, which contained a record of all visitors to Blighty, the names of all diggers in Hawera.' fch«? also said she was writing a book on New Zealand, and to assist the publication she. was asking people tv buy post-cards illustrating the various phases of her work, and these were freely taken by those present. Thus ended an evening which was full of interest, replete with incidents of (the /war interspersed with amusing anecdote and very human touches, loggers would not soon forget the visit of the "Mother of Blighty," who showed such kindness and gave such attention ti> the men from overseas.