SHANNON WAR MEMORIAL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1001, 28 April 1924, Page 6

SHANNON WAR MEMORIAL.

UNVEILING CEREMONY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The unveiling ceremony of the Shannon war .memorial was performed on Friday by His Worship the Mayor (Mr W. Murdoch) m the absence of Mr Clutlia Meckenzie, of Auckland, who unfortunateb could* not be present owing to the railway strike. Mr Mackenzie wired (hat ho was greatly disappointed at not being able to make the journey. Earlv in the morning. forms which were kindly lent by Messrs Wilkinson and Hyde were placed in front of the memorial. There was a large gath ering, the surrounding districts being weil represented. At 10 a.m. the Foxton Band was played up lo the school by Piper McLeod, of Feilding; there the school children were waiting and the procession marched off to tho memorial as follows: Firing party in charge of Sergeant-major bells, pipers, band, returned soldiers, school children and citizens. The ceremony commenced with the singing of "0 God our Help in Ages Past " followed by a prayer after which the hymn, "Lest We Forget," was sung and a Scripture reading given by Rev. A. Stewart. His Worship the Mayor, before unveiling the memorial, said: To-day we are met together for a most solemn ceremonial—the unveiling of the monument raised to commemorate the self-sacrifice, courage and devotion to duly of our heroic lads who died for us in the Great War. In August. 1914, it was flashed over (he cables that the Empire was at war with. Germany. No sooner was the news received than a call to arms was made in this country which met with ready response from thousands of volunteers. After a few months' training the first contingent left for the front. Then came news of. engagements in Egypt, but when the landing at Gallipoli was cabled and the news filtered through we realised more fully the stuff our lads were made of. Days, weeks, months, years passed and every now and again we received news of our boys and their work. It is agreed that the New Zealand lads on no occasion shrank or flinched in their duty. Their conduct in the front, in the trenches, on leave, or in ports of call, was declared by all to be exemplary, and they worthily upheld the honour of New Zealand. We mourn the death of our heroic countrymen. We cannot remove from the parents, wives, sisters and brothers of the fallen their great sorrow and loss, but we can mourn with them and show our appreciation by honouring the memory of those who died for us that we might live in freedom. The great lesson that has been taught us by our heroes is embraced in one word "duty." Our lads did their duty nobly and well and this monument is raised to the memory of those who left Shannon and district. Let it be a beacon light to us and future generations to do our duty. At the present lime the world is in a very unsettled state. There never was a time when duly was more imperative than now. Individually, duty is required of us and if we do our duty as individuals as a nation, we will reap the benefit. In this land of plenty where every prospect pleases, we cannot fail if each individual is imbued with a sense of duty. Our forefathers overcame great difficulties; they had a sense of duty and we are now enjoying much that they accomplished for us. We must go on progressing, bringing industry and science to bear in every department of life. If we do this we will be following the example set us by our heroic soldiers. They did their duty without faltering or flinching, let us take that as our beacon light. May this monument with its enshrined names bo ever a reminder to us of the glory, courage, selfsacrifice and noble devotion of our heroic dead and inspire us with the highest ideals of dutv and service. The "Mayor then unveiled the memorial and some magnificent wreaths were placed on tho steps by relatives and the general public. Two minutes' silence wa-s then observed in honour of the fallen, after which Piper McLeod played the "Lament," being followed by the firing party. A fitting termination was the "Last Post," which was beautifully sounded. Before dispersing the Mayo'r thanked the Foxton Band, who also supplied the bugler and Paper McLeod, of Feilding, all of whom came a long distance, giving their services free. Beforo returning home, the visitors were entertained at dinner. I