MILITARY FUNERAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17198, 19 June 1916, Page 5

MILITARY FUNERAL.

[From Our Correspondent.] ASHBURTON. June 18.

Corporal John Pickering, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, who enlisted in Ashburton and left with the Fourth Reinforcements, and who developed pneumonia on his way to Egypt, died in tho Ashburton Hospital on Friday, and was accorded a military funeral yesterday afternoon. There was a very large gathering along the main streets and a still greater concourse of people at the cemetery. The funeral cortege was headed by a ’firing party under Ser-geant-Major Patchett, followed by the Defence Corps band. Six returned troopers acted as pall bearers and the chief mourners were Messrs J. B. Christian and C. W. Nicoll, secretary and treasurer of the Ashburton Patriotic Society. There were also present as mourners tho Mayor of Ashburton (Ur R. Galbraith), tho chairman of the Ashburton County Council (Mr C. J. Harper), the chairman of the Ashburton County Racing Cli|l» (Mr T. E. Upton), members of tho Ashburton Citizens’ Defence Corps and many others in motor-cars and other vehicles. The service at tho grave was a most impressive one and was conducted by the Rev Nelson Wright, of the Anglican Church. After throe volleys had been fired over the grave Bugler Moore sounded the ‘‘Last Post.” j

Corporal Pickering’s friends reside in Oxford, England, but after doing light military duty in Egypt and elsewhere he was invalided to Christchurch, but afterwards, at his own wish, he was sent to Ashburton, as be had friends • and acquaintances in the district. Corporal Pickering, who was thirty-three years of age, was in tho Second grenadier Guards before* coming to New Zealand. Tho only relative he has in the Dominion is Private H. Pickering, who is now in o.ainp at Trcntham and is leaving for the front with the next Reinforcements.