ANZAC DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 April 1939, Page 5

ANZAC DAY

THE CELEBRATIONS

OBSERVANCE AT HOKITIKA. The weather yesterday was fine for the observance of Anzac Day. In the morning the sky was, overcast, but by' noon‘the clouds had cleared, and the Afternoon was bright and sunny. The town- wore a deserted appearance in the morning, but after one o’clock a; goodly crowd gathered iy the streets to wiitcli ' the . procession’ to Cass Square. ■. , V \ ( -7 ' llie nnlitary parade moved off from the Drill Hall promptly, the Munici-; pal Band heading the procession, and playing'-inspiriting marches. Then, came the : Returned their numbers showing an increase each year, Territorials and Boy Scouts. , , v The; patade was under the charge of Captain o.' J., Hutchisoy. It marched up, Revell Street and thence into Weld Street to the South African Memorial,: where a wreath was laid, three volleys were fired, and the “Last Post” was sounded by Bugler L. L; ; Ross. ■ Tile parade then marched to the cenotaph on • Cass Square, where the maih ceremonial took; place. There was a large gathering of the general public, apg ■,’tfae. ( speeches. were broadcast* by an amplifier arranged ,i-:by. , Messrs R. Francis; and Co. ■ . ’ ": jEsq,-,-Q.B^l; )\'- made the referring - a,t length to the cause 0f.,; the BUy’s. celebration, and tributing the valour of the ; men . who had won the> admiration of,, the world by their. , actions on the battlefield, voicing his . regrets! at the heavy toll of r Vif.e !: that

resulted, 1 and recognising the dpj?t of gratitude to those who had left their bohes on foreign soil and. the necessity to give every possible assistance to those who; had; returned and who were in.need of thejr help. " ■ - Mr R. G. Milieu, ;President of the Hokitika Returned Soldiers’ Association, followed with i address, and the placing of a wreath on the cenotaph followed. The memorial service arranged by the- Clergy followed. Rev. D. D. Thorpe led in prayer, followed }>y the hymn, “God of Our Fathers Known of Old:-*,..'Then’ Rev. ;G. Hanna gave a prayer,- which was followed by an address by,- Major, Jd. Campbell, M.C:, Vit). The “Old Hundredth” hymn waa then sung. • ; - i :

Tlie Last Post and Reveille were then sounded by Bugler L. L. Ross.

, Tlie' Rev. M. H. Feist followed in player,' and then ■ came the Benediction, given by Pastor Langford, the Returned Soldiers then filing past the cenotaph and dropping poppies on the base of the monument.

' The band, which had also accompanied the hyttins, played the National Antheih, and the ceremony concluded. «

Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the , Returned Soldiers marched to the cemetery, where a wreath- was placed on the soldiers’ plot. They subsequently returned to the Soldiers’ Hall, where they were entertained with many friends at afternoon tea.

THE KING’S MESSAGE

(Per Press Association.—Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, April 25. ~

The following message was received by. the Governor-General from the King in connection with the observance of Anzac Day: “The Queen and I are proud to join with our people in New in observing this day of remembrance.—George R. 1.” The Gov-ernor-General has ■ sent the following reply to the King: “Your Majesty’s gracious message has been communicated to the people of New Zealand, who. deeply appreciate the association of YpjUr., Majesty and. the- • Queen... t in, their of this...(lay of, im-. mort.aTj: ..iptgppry. ; Gu their . behalf,. ,! beg t-e, ; tender.. grateful, ; thanks -., to Youy„Mftjesty^. and a renewed assurance of abiding loyalty.—Galway.”

A DAWN PARADE. AUCKLAND, April 25. For thousands who took part in it, the Anzac dawn parade and service to-day at the Cenotaph was an experience that will not be easily forgotten. Never before in New Zealand annals bad a great multitude .of people including the highest in the land, gathered in early morning darkness to ' perform an act of remembrance and self-dedieation. A more dramatic setting than the Court of Honour, dimly illuminated by a reflection from the floodlighted lighting above, cofild hardly be imagined, but the dominant. impression was spiritual, depp and united devotion to ideajs which, more than ever, are being assailed to-day. Public imagination had been touched by the proposal to commemorate the men of Anzac by a ceremony at the . same hour as that in which, 24 years ago, the Australian and New Zealand troops landed, at Gallipoli.

DEDICATION AT DAWN

' WELLINGTON GATHERING,

/• WELLINGTON, April 25. Two thousand returned soldiers and several thousand citizens gathered about' the Wellington War Memorial in the grey light of dawn to-day and I heard an Anzac dedication pronounc- ! ed by Major James Shelley. In the darkness of early morning, special buses brought from all Wellington suburbs people wishing to dedicate the hour and the'day on which the men of ‘ Anzac received their baptism of

fire ; and to pay tribute to 75,798 Australians and New Zealanders who died in the Great AVar. Silently at 5.30 a.m., war veterans marched to their places. At 5.45, a gun was fired from tile Parliamentary grounds. As the smoke drifted across the hushed crowd, heads were bared, standards were lowered, and there was a roll of drums. Afteri the 1 dedication, wreaths were placed ”bii the Cenotaph by representatives'of the* Australian Imperial Forces Association alid the Wellington Brah'ch !, bf r the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. The Wellington R.S.A. choir sang “There Is No Death,” beginning, “I tell you they have not died—they live and breathe with you.” An address was given by the Mayor of Masterton, Mr T. Jordan. The roll of drums, “The i Reveille,” and the National Anthem brought an impressive ceremony to an end. The crowd remained standing while the war veterans marched in silence back to the railway station. AT' CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH, April 25. Eight thousand attended the principal Amsac Day service at King Edward Barracks. The main address was given by Colonel the Rev. F. J. Miles. Colonel Miles replaced Mr T. C. A. Hislop j Mayor of Wellington, who Was unable through illness to attend.

The service was brief but impressive. Previously there had been a large procession through crowded streets, and many t wreaths were laid on the Bridge of Remembrance and tlie War Memorial in the Cathedral grounds. Another impressive ceremony was the dawn service at the latter memorial, preceded by a parade in which more than UXE took part. Many other ceremonies were held in the city and throughout the province.

SYDNEY DEMONSTRATION,

SYDNEY, April 25

The Anzac ceremonies in Australia to-day followed the customary form. 'A close holiday was observed in most of the States. Twenty-three thousand Diggers marched through Sydney’s chief thoroughfares. Quite a large proportion were showing signs of advancing age and furrowed cheeks, and yet came out to show there was still plenty of vigour and fight in the Anzac brotherhood. x*. couple of Maoris carried the New Zealand colours, and received a hearty cheer along the route, which was lined by a hundred thousand people.

One man dropped dead during the march. He was an original Anzac. At least 500 others fainted, and received first . aid and ambulance treatment. Seventeen bands participated in the parade, which . was held in ideal weather. The usua-Ldawn service was held opposite the., Cenotaph, which wa* heavily covered' with wreaths. An exciting incident occurred outside of the German Consul-General’s offices in Bridge. Street, Sydney, this afternoon, when upwards of a thousand ex-servicemen, including four New Zealanders, made an angry demonstration. Tney attempted to break into the building to haul down the swastika flag which was fluttering outside of a third storey window. A huge crowd gathered when the men tried to force an iron grill, guarding the entrance to the ground floor. Somebody, apparently scenting trouble, summoned the Fire Brigade, which was quickly on the scene with six engines and other equipment in the belief that a fire had broken out in a dangerous area. Forty police arrived shortly afterwards. They tried to calm the demonstrators, who, undeterred, shouted insults at Herr Hitler and at the German Consul, and insisted that'the flag must come down/A timely arrival then was that of MajorGeneral Gordon Bennett, who had charge of the procession arrangements, and who mounted a fire engine and appealed to the men to be reasonable, patient ) and quiet. He reminded them: “We won the last war, and we will do our best to get that swastika removed as soon as possible!” Deafening applause greeted bis appeal, and, within a few minutes, the caretaker of the building hauled in the offending flag to the accompaniment of . prolonged cheering.