DEFENCE MINISTER'S MESSAGE.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 97, 26 April 1917, Page 3

DEFENCE MINISTER'S MESSAGE.

TO BE SENT TO THE TROOPS

Sir James Allen, Minister for Defence and' Acting-Prime Minister, has issued the ■ following Anzac D"ay message. This message has been pgfiitted to the High Commissioner to be communicated to the soldiers in hospital, to General Godley, to be communicated to the troops in Franco, and tp the Officer Commanding in Egjpt to he conveyed to the Now -Zealand troops with the army operating in Palestine. ''The message reads:— "To-day is the second anniversrtry of the historic landing on Gallipoli, 'which will go dowii in history as one qt the finest feats of* diring in which British soldiers' have been engaged.'- We are proud to think that oiir New Zealand troops emerged from i}iis ordeal jirovp.d and fit" to .rank amongst tho" bravest, deiVnders of the Em--

pire. ■'• • "Since then much blood has been shed and many homos have been made desolate, but it has not been in vain. We stand to-day a united people, part of a united Empire, stronger than ever, but chastened by the. sacrifices that have been forced upon us. Our troops :>.ro still fightjng in the 'far-flung line,' and they will continue to s pi:and .shoulder ,to shoulder with Kugland ;md cur Allies till rm honorabio\ and-.lasting per.ee has been

scon rod. "Let us trust, that the next time. v/e -celebrate Anz;nc Day io will bo in peace, .and that, our Foldiers will hnyo mturnod to us. Let us also hope that, when the clouds of wr>r have rolled away its lessons , will not ho forgotten, and that we shall fil! realif-fv that if a country is to be' free its citizens ,must, not only bo prepared to die for it in ti vne of war, but to live for it in two of peace "