WARTIME TRADITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21817, 4 June 1934, Page 12

WARTIME TRADITIONS

FINE MEMORIAL SHIELD AUCKLAND MOUNTED RIFLES / To keep alive the wartime traditions of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment and of the old territorial regiments from which the present units sprang, a very fine memorial shield has been presented to the Ist New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade by members of the regiment which served in the war for annual competition among its three units. Tho shield was presented to Colonel M. Aklred, the present Brigade Commander, by Colonel J. N. McCarroll, who commanded the regiment in Palestine, at the annual reunion held in the Lewis Eady Hall on Saturday evening. The body of the shield,' which was designed bv Mr. H. L. Wade, is made of a splendid piece of mottled totara and measures 33in. by 18in. The central panel bears the words, " The holders of this plaque are by virtue of their patriotic service and their soldierly efficiency right worthy custodians of the proud traditions of this regiment. To this their predecessors who served in the field give grateful acknowledgment. " Below the inscription are ranged 30 silver plates in three rows for tho engraving of the winning regiment's name each year. Down tho shield, on each side of the central panel, appear the 16 battle honours of the regiment, dating back to the Boer War. The shield will be awarded among the present three regiments, the North Auckland, Auckland and Waikato Mounted Rifles, for general efficiency. The officers commanding the regiments, Lieutenant-Colonel K. B. Tennant, Lieutenant-Colonel W. C. H. Stevens and Lieutenant-Colonel T. Paterson, regpectively. were present at the reunion on Saturday, and returned thanks on behalf of their regiments. ANNUAL REUNION HELD A RECORD ATTENDANCE Tho annual reunion of the Auckland Mounted Rifles was held on Saturday evening in tho Lewis Eady Hall, there being a record attendance. Veterans were present from all parts of the province. Colonel J.- N. McCarroll, who commanded the regiment in Palestine. presided, supported by Major F. C. Wood, adjutant of the regiment on Gallipoli. The present brigade commander of tho Ist Now Zealand Mounted Rifles, Colonel M. Aldred, and _ the officers commanding its three regiments, Lieu-tenant-Colonel K. B. Tonnant, Lieuten-ant-Colonel W. C. H. Stevens and Lieu-tenant-Colonel T. Paterson, all of whom were with the regiment on active service, also were present. The "Silent Toast" to the dead was proposed by the Rev. W. W. Averill, a former combatant officer. Greetings wero received from artillery units in India%and England which served with tho regiment at one time or another.