KING'S EMPIRE VETERANS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19503, 6 December 1926, Page 12

KING'S EMPIRE VETERANS.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE VISIT. Proudly wearing their service medals about 30 King's Empire veterans assembled at Government House on Saturday morning to meet the GovernorGeneral, Sir Charles Fergusson. The function, was quite informal and the old soldiers and sailors exchanged reminiscences and told His Excellency of the heroic deeds in the Maori wars, of warfare against the treacherous Zulus, and of life in the Royal Navy. The little band of veterans in Auckland is diminishing in* number every year. Two or three years ago a hundred of them could be relied upon to turn omt to a function, but now it is seldom that one sees 50. John McCallum, one of those present on Saturday, surely has a record. He joined the navy : in". 1863, seeing service in: all parts of the world and assisting in the transport of troops to South Africa during the Boer War. He offered himself for service at the beginning of the Great War and once again, joined up as chief petty officer. In this capacity he saw service in the North Sea and at base stations. The veterans have not forgotten the rigorous training of their young "days, judging by the smart way in which they fell in at the gates of Government House and marched down the avenue. They enjoyed the function immensely,