ANZAC DAY

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 97, 26 April 1916, Page 5

ANZAC DAY

"iiYESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS AT BLENHEIM.

Blenheim, in common with tho other pki.-es in the Dominion, Aus-

tialia., and Great Britain, celebrated .yesterday afternoon the anniversary

of the great adventure on Gallipoli, when tho Anxucs and their British comrades-in-arms jiuide the glorious landing, m face of a well-prepartxl foe, on ?». shoro winch well miglit liayo daunted Cue biavest knight of chivaJry. • j The people congregated in Market Square, and the Natioual Reserve Band led the members of the Reserve to their appointed places, and tho. ' Tenth Mounted Regimental Baind. , headed uhe marcii of returned r

soldiers, soldiers on leave, TerriloriaJsj Senior Cadets, and school

children. \ After tho playing of the National i. Anthem, the Deputy-Mayor (Mr E. ; S.. Parker) briefly announced the j object of the gathering, to- com- v memorate an event that occurred a year ago, an event that would go down to tho ages as unprecedented iv history. He read, by the courtesy , of the proprietors of The Express, • the King's message to tho people oi' { the Dominion. J

Father Fay said that they had. nofc leathered in a spirit of hoastfulness or national conceit, but to-show their appreciation of the great deeds aocourpiished by the men sent from Australia and Now Zealand. The tourage displayed by our boys was beyond anything that was ever expected of them, and in their great achievement it ,v;is only natural we should exult. lie then detailed the difficulties and dangers of the* landing, and concluded by saying that as long &s New Zealand was New Zealand the people would owe those heroes- a debt of lasting gratitude. Mr E. IT. Penny :">aid that we wore at the parting ot the ways. Ono road ied to freedom and the right of free nations to a. national development through righteousness; the other road to the hypocrisy of a people hardened by a barbarous. lust for power. 'The bodies of many brave mou were lying mouldering in the ground '>± Galiipoli, but their souls would go marching on til] the Cross took tho place of the Crescent on the minarets of Constantinople. They wanted some recompense for the blood of their brave' boys . spilt-..0n tho blood-soaked 'ground of Ga.llipo.li, and their duty would not ' bs- done until righteousness ruled over the barbarous hordes of Central Europe. In memory of the fallen heroes the Tenth Mo raited-Band played'the requiem "'Garland of Flowers." The Rev. B. F. Rothwell said he was glad of the- opportunity of laying •a. "garland of flowers on the graves of the heroes of Gallipoli. It was a 'great day for New Zealand, and a great day for the Empire. Their boys had been sent away with great hopes, and wheu the opportunity came, and when the great test was put upon them, they had proved themselves worthy of their grandsires. The dame of Anzac had become the symbol of an heroic partnership, the blending: of Australia ajid New Zealand and the unity of'the'Empire. Tt also represented the union of the Maori and the European in this land. Dr Innes saio that they were thrilled that the men sent forth, to this great achievement had done such, noble deeds and had. overconie such ihcsredib'le' difficulties; a precedent for which wa*s not knoAvn iti history. These, deeds of untold heroisni would never be forgotten. ■ A great many would never. return; therefore tho 'soil of Gallipoli should ever remain sacred to us. Some day, \he hoped that New Zealand ; aaid Australia'would-take steps to acquire tKese sacred acres in' order to keep the dust of those who had

died for our beloved Empire. Archdeacon Grace, 'speaking in the place of the Salvation Army representative, said that some : pessimists, had stated that the Gallipoli cam-

iwiign was a mistake. The enemy called it an ■■absolute failure. But

the Gallipoli campaign was not over yet.' John Bull learnt by experience. That campaign was:.neither- a mistake, nor Jt failure. Tiie forces held,

200,000 Turks from , the Russians in ;tiio. Caucasus,, and ; made, possible the Russian \ successes/ai" Erzeroum and

Trebizond. Whoa victory came Gallipoli. should be reserved to Britain as a national cemetery, with' a fitting monument to the everlasting kemofy of those who shed their blood for the bake of their country. This concluded the speech-making, :md with the playing of , '/Rule Britannia" by the combined bands the'gathering dispersed.