Whangarei RSA Reunion Returns To Town Hall

Northern Advocate, 25 May 1949, Page 2

Whangarei RSA Reunion Returns To Town Hall

RETURNING to the style of former years the Whangarei Returned Services’ reunion held in the Town Hall last night was an unqualified success. In his opening speech the president (Mr F. C. Eyles) extended a special welcome to the ex-servicewomen who once more patronised the function.

Mr Eyles said that during the last who had turned out. three years the reunion had been held “They did as good a job as the men in the A. and P. Hall owing to the in- overseas, so let’s give them three hearty crease in numbers of the branch. cheers, Diggers and Kiwis.”

The executive felt that the re- A capacity house showed what they unions were not of a sufficiently high thought of the service the women had standard, and the women had found given during the war, that they preferred to stay away. Mr Eyles repeated that he was glad to see the number of ex-servicewomen

MILLION POPry PETALS

“Think of them as they were and as they are, for remember they are not dead, but are asleep,” said Padre J. W. Burley, proposing the toast Fallen Comrades.

“I do not know whether I speak as a New Zealander or Tommy,” said Mr Burley, “as I left Whangarei as a Lewis gunner in the First World War, and went to India and Burma in the Second. .

“When I think of. the number of young men who made the supreme sacrifice, I wonder jf it could happen again.”

While the padre was in England he saw two things which left an indelible impression. They were the Tomb of the Unknown Warrier, typifying the sacrifice of nearly 2,000,000 young men, and the Armistice ceremony in the Albert Hall, London. At this service more than 1,000,000 poppy petals are released in the dome of the idimly-lit hall, each fluttering petal representing the sacrifice of one young life. THE ENTERTAINERS At 9 p.m., the hour of the moment of silent prayer during the war, the toast was honoured and the men and women, veterans of three wars, stood for a moment remembering Fallen Comrades.

During the evening items were given by Messrs C. Bambery, M. Proctor, I. Smith and H. Gribble, while Mr Bambery led the community singing, to the music of Ces Wright’s orchestra.

From the indication of this return to an older style of reunion, the old ways were good ways and the Kiwis will meet with the Diggers for many years.