GENERAL'S REVIEW

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23057, 7 June 1938, Page 12

GENERAL'S REVIEW

WELLINGTON DISPLAY ALL SERVICES REPRESENTED THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS ' [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Monday The first King's Birthday parade in Wellington since 1914 took place in fine weather this morning. Thousands of spectators gathered to see the march { past in spite of the cold southerly, ] which was compensated for by the ] bright sunshine. About 1900 officers and other ranks ( paraded and there was a good display of mechanised units. The parade formed up on the Aotea* breastwork, where the forces were inspected by the . Chief of the General Staff, Major-Gen- ( eral J. E. Duigan, who was accompanied by Captain R. D. Oliver, representing the Navy, and lng-Gom-mander L. M. Isitt, representing the Air Force, The March Past At 10 a.m. the Chief of the General Staff called the parade to attention for the Royal salute of 21 guns, fired from Point Jerningham, and cheers were given by the troops. Major-Gen-eral Duigan then took the march past and the parade, which consisted of anti-aircraft guns, searchlights held guns, howitzers, a motor-cycle platoon, four companies of the R.N.V.R., and an excellent turnout of the coast artillery from Fort Dorset, engineers, Bignailers, A.S C. medical corps and Royal New Zealand Air Force, with the band of the Wellington squadron of the Air Force and a very large party of college cadets. , . The march was through the city by way of the Citizens' War Memorial, where a guard of returned soldiers lined the square. After the salute o the memorial the parade passed on to the Town Hall, where the Mayor, JUr. T. C. A. Hislop, took the salute on behalf of the city. Mr. Hislop appealed to the general public to support the volunteer enlistment system. It we were not prepared to protect our country, he said, we would lose it. Anti-Aircraft Battery While the parade was in progress it was announced that a 22nd craft battery was to be formed for the defence of Wellington, and recruits to man it would be enlisted almost imon the parade subsequently Major - General l)uigan praised the soldierly bearing, discipline, turnout and appearance< oi the men. Those serving, he said, were to be congratulated on this, and he honed that many other young men would come forward, as they f w " or ® urgently required to make the defence system a success. v MECHANISED UNITS CHANGES IN THE ARMY DEMONSTRATION IN SOUTH LORD GALWAY TAKES SALUTE [ht telegraph —press association] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday Watched by a crowd estimated at about 12,000, a ceremonial military parade, attended by all the units in the Christchurch district, was held at north Hagley Park this morning to celebrate tho observance of the King's Birthday. More than 2100 took part in the parade, which was reviewed by the Governor-General, Lord Galway. All departments of the defence forces in the province were represented and the parade was the most impressive held in the city for years. To tho onlookers •it was spectacular and in addition it gave a Visual impression that could not be convoyed in hundreds of words of changes in the army since mechanisation began. Motor-cycle platoons, motor trucks and cars of all descriptions, all painted in the army camouflage pattorn, huge six-wheeled trucks taking the place of horses as the mobile force of the artillery corps, and aeroplanes from tho Royal New Zealand Air Force diving down to give the salute to the Governor-General, were effective proof of changes in the mode of army conveyances. Only staff officers commanding the parade and the well-known Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry were on horses. LOYALTY AND DEVOTION GREETINGS FROM DOMINION GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S MESSAGE The following message wus_ despatched yesterday by His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General, Lord Galway, to the King:— "On the occasion of the celebration of Your Majesty's Birthday in New Zealand, 1 have the honour to tender to Your Majesty with my humble duty on behalf of tho Government and peoples of this Dominion most loyal and sincere greetings and good wishes, and to assure you of their unwavering devotion to Your Majesty s Throne and Person."