UNREHEARSED INCIDENT.

Lake County Press, Issue 2788, 5 June 1919, Page 5

UNREHEARSED INCIDENT.

Sip James Allen at Milton. Returned Soldiers' Opinion of General Godley. At tho presentation of a D.C. M. medal at Milton on Saturday night we note from the Bruce Herald, which gives a different version to that of the daily press, Sir James Allen was subjected to unpleasant interjections on the part of a number of returned soldiers. Speaking of the fine work of the New Zealand soldiers at the various fronts, Sir James went on to say the New Zealanders had scarcely ever failed to accomplish anything they were asked—with tho exception of Passe!) ■ ,, .c , 0, where the conditions were sucu ih.ii it was humanly impossible to oapture the ridge. A Voice : Passchendaele was General Gcdley's mistake. Sir James: Oh, no. General Godley was a first-class soldier. A Voice : Perhap3 in New Zealand, but not at the front. Sir James Allen : We have it on the authority of Genera's Russell and Richardson that General Godley was a first-class soldier. A Voice :We never saw him, We saw Lady Godley. Sir James: It is not generous of you returned soldiers to criticise your officers. Continuing, Sir James referred to the system of sending reinforcements. New Zealanders at the front always knew their comrades were speeding across the ocean to help them. A Voice : Not sc on Gallipoli. Sir James : 1 must request the returned soldiers not to interrupt, and remember that they are still under a certain amount of discipline. Voice : No. We have finished with your discipline. Sir James Allen then referred to the incidents which had earned for Rifleman Keogh the Distinguished Conduot Medal during the fighting at Passchendaele and after reading an extract from the London Gazette of the incident, pinned the medal on the recipient's breast, remarking that he would like to have such a record himself. A VoiGe: H°.ar, hear, and ' I'd like to change places with you.'