TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE DEAD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXV, Issue 7845, 28 April 1886, Page 4

TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE DEAD.

AFFECTING REMINISCENCES. [Pee Pbess Association.] ■ 0 WELLINGTON, Aran. 27. Yesterday, the ceremony was performed of unveiliDg a monument, erected afc* Manaia to the memory of the officers and men who fell during the last war on the West Coast. It had been arranged that the Hon Mr Ballarice should perform the ceremony, but he was, unfortunately,,, detained on the East Coast. The ceremony . was performed by Lieutenant-Colonel 1 . Roberts, N.Z.A.C., who as Captain Roberts., . led the Forces out of Te Ngutu after thedisaster there, when Von Tempskey fell. Colonel Roberts, in speaking, said: Asone of the surviving officers of all engagements described on the I should be neglecting a duty which Kesupon me, to show honour to my dead comrades, if I did not say a few words expTUssive of my admiration of the devoted conduct of the brave men. whose names arehere recorded. When I look at this long,sad list my memory rushes back to ,within, a few months of 18 years ago, at the Te Ngutu O Te Manu, where fell the gallant Major Von Tempskey, whose name appears first on the roll, and no wonder that it does, so appear. He was always the first in. danger and the last to leave and never asked any man to do that which, by example, he was not prepared to do himself. We do well to honour such men ashim. If he had any fault as a soldier itwas the characteristic one of always beingin advance, sometimes, mayhap, too far in advance. The next one on the list is Major Hunter, whose bravery and courage - were always conspicuous, and who fellmortally wounded early in the fight while showing his love and devotion to his country. His last words I remember well; "Follow me closely." Captain Ross is next on the list. He lost his life in defending a post which he commanded, unfortunately for him; and the handful of men. who were with him were taken at such a disadvantage that they were, unable remake use of the soldierly qualities that he possessed. Captain Brown fell .in the trenches , before Ngahapa, while nobly setting his men an example of scorning: danger when duty demanded exposure. The next name is that of CaptainBuck, of undoubted courage and cool sound judgment. Well do I remember his firm, unflinching courage at Te Ngutu, Having lost our leaders, we held brief counsel together, as to what should be done, and I directed him to hold a certain position and await my return from the search for Von Tempskey. He carried out the orders only too faithfully. I returned to find him there at the assigned post, bufc dead, with his face to the foe. Captain. Palmer and Lieutenant Hastings are next on the list, men who met their death while nobly doing their dutyj and then Lieutenant Hunter, who was the life of the camp with his sparkling wit and jovial laugh, whose bright humour was not absent in times of danger. Only a few minutes before he fell he laughingly said - "There is .one of them; I can see the white of his eye j give it to him." These were simple words, but they were words of the brave, sustaining spirit—words to inspire men with courage in the difficulty,. . and lighten the sense of danger. I would fain run oyer the list of non-commissioned, officers and men who, with our allies, the friendly Natives, the majority of whom I knew, and whose courage and _ devotion 11 was an eye-witness to, but time does not permit. We are too apt to forget what we owe to the brave men whose memory we are here to-day to honour, and the surrounding circumstances under which. they sacrificed their lives. All the pomps of war were wanting, but none of its hardships and dangers. There were no brilliant uniforms, no flying banners to cheer the weary, as they filed their way through tangled, gloomy, trackless forest, nor blow of trumpet, nor beating of drum to rouse them to the charge, yet how nobly «11 did their duty! The iast moments of some, perhaps the _ majority, were not eased by comrade's kindly touch, nor soothed bysympathetic looks and hopeful words. They were often agonised by fiendish yells and savage mutilation of the foe. I need say no more. I trust this monument will be kept in good preservation, and the names thereen written, cherished with, pride by generations to come; and I conclude by expressing my great regret that Captain Hempton, to whom much credit isdue for the erection of this monument, is not here to-day. (Applause.) Some of the survivors were also present, but most of them were too affected tospeak at any length.