SOLDIERS RETURN HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17144, 25 April 1919, Page 5

SOLDIERS RETURN HOME.

. ARRIVAL OF THE lONIC. , DRAFT OF 711 ALL RANKS. TUXNELLERS INCLUDED. • HEALTH GENERALLY GOOD. The transport lonic, which arrived in 3 Auckland Harbour on Wednesday evening, I berthed at the Queen's Wharf yesterday t morning. The vessel brought 49 officers, 1 18 nursing sisters, 644 non-commissioned . I officers ■ and men, 168 soldiers' wives, and , ]63 children, in addition to 38 men who J served with the Imperial Forces,, and 29 t civilians The total number of passengers I was 1009 A formal welcome on behaif _ I of the citizens was given to the soldiers by m J the Deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican. The next of kin of the returning men . were conveyed in a ferry steamer to the transport while it was in the stream. A 7 seaplane from the New Zealand Flying " I School at Kohimarama flew over the lonic, 'and dropped cigarettee and messages of i welcome, and as special tribute to the soldiers' wives, a sackful of confetti. As the vessel came alongside the wharf the L sirens of the shipping in port were sounded - and a salulte \va6 fired by the Garrison . Artillery at Stanley Point. Flags were flown on the various ships and on build- " | ings in the city. The men were disembarked very quickly. -Those who live in Auckland were con- . vcyed to their homes by tho voluntary motor corps, under Mr. A. A. Martin. The Rdlorua express, which was delayed until f ten o'clock, took the soldiers for Rotorna, - Thames, Waihi, and Paeroa, The remaining men were given leave for the day. Morning tea was provided in one of the sheds on the wharf by tho Ministering Committee of tho Women's Paltriotir League. The men whose homes are not in Auckland were entertained to dinner and tea in the city, and during the afternoon were taken for motor drives to the suburbs. Men for the South left by trains at 7.40 and 8,30 o'clock in the evening. An Uneventful Voyage. The lonic left London on March 14, and the voyage, which was mado via the Panama Canal, was smooth and unevent- .; ful. A most cordial reception was acI corded the troops by residents in the canal 1 I zone. The health of the soldiers was good , • Lhroughout, there being only three cot I cases, none of them serious, when the f'voffiel arrived An inhalation chamber „ i was used on board as a safeguard against 5 j influenza, I The troops were commanded by Major : N. W. B. B. Thorns, D.5.0., M.C., » N.Z.S.O. Major Thorns was at Nelson , when the war broke out, and he went , away in command of the first infantry brigade. Captain P. B. Cooke, M.C., of ' Palmerston North, formerly associate to ' the Chief llustice, was second in command ]of the troops. The ship's adjutant was [ Captain W. J. King, M.C., a well-known , 'Auckland footballer. Major J. I\ Simeon, i of Wellington, who served at Samoa, acted as quartermaster, and Major J. L. Reed, superintendent of the VVaipawa County Hospital, Hawko's Bay, as chief medical officer. Major Reed was attached to the No. 1 Stationary HospLal. Tho New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, which did splendid work in France, returned as a complete unit, under tho command of Captain R. H. Daldy, M.C., of WaihL Captain J. F. G. Richards, t ! D.S.O.', of Auckland, medical officer, ' accompanied the unit. The Tunnel--3 lens were recruited from the mining 3 districts in 1915, as the result of a demand for men with special kno v- , ledge of underground work. Tho full strength of the corps was 560 officers and I men. The msmbers who returned yester--9 day numbered 215. 8 Educational Glasses. 5 9 ' Educational claeses were held daily on , the vessel throughout the voyage, under J tho direction of Captain H. M. Keesing, 1 M.C., of Wanganui. The men were given 1 the choce of attending the classes, which , occupied three hours each d iy, or of carry--3 ing on with the usual routine. The course f of instruction inc'uded English, ariths metic, French, Latin, book-keeping, surveying and levelling, and basketmaking • The teachers had previously attended a ' refresher course in England. The classes 1 were supp'ememted by lectures and do--3 bates. Many concerts were held, and the 1 committee which organised them made the • following comment in its report to the > officer commanding:—"The lonic Pierrot 3 Troupe has revealed talent of first-class 3 order. The Y.M.C.A. pictures proved to • be one of the most popular innovations ' on the ship, and drew great crowds at 3 every show." Five of the babies on the transport were ' suffering from measles when the vessel ! arrived They were taken to the general 5 hospital. One of them was stated last 5 i evening to be in a critical condition. f _____________ 1' ARRIVAL OF THE BHAMO. ' TO BERTH AT 8,30 A.M. i 'i . ARRANGEMENTS FOR WELCOME, The transport Bhamo arrived in tho stream at eight o'clock last evening, and will berth at the Queen's Wharf at 8.30 '. this morning, provided she is given a clean bill of health by the port health officer. The disembarkation of the troops will bo proceeded with immediately. In view of the fact that nearly 600 men are for Auckland, a special appeal is made for as many motor-car ownorß as possible to be at the wharf. Arrangements have been made for welcoming the draft. At 7.30 a ferry boat with a band and next of kin on board will go out to the vessel, returning in time j to allow the passengers to be on the wharf 'when the transport comes alongs-de. If the weather is fine a seaplane will drop messages on the ship, and the vessels in port are requested to sound their sirens as she approaches. The Southern portion .of the draft will be entertained during the I day by the patriotic organisations. They ! ■will leave for the South by a train at i 8 p.m. THE OORrNTHIC'S DRAFT. AUCKLAND MEN DUE TO-DAY. [by telegraph.—press association.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. ; The hospital ship Maheno berthed at 9 a.m. to-day, and the Monowai, with the northern men of the Corinthio's draft, a quarter of an hour later. Both drafts were mot by numbers of next of kin, who gave the men a rousing recep- ; tion. The Auckland men left by the Main : Trunk express at 12.45 p.m., and the Taranaki and Hawke's Bay sections leave' bv express trains to-morrow morning. The Nelson men left at five o'clock today, and the Picton men depart at 1.30 p.m. tomorrow. The Maheno left for f Lytteltor. and Dunedin at 3.30 p.m. 5 ________________