CROWD AMAZED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23545, 4 January 1940, Page 9

CROWD AMAZED

TRANSFORMATION IN MEN FINE BODY OF SOLDIERS BEARING AND EFFICIENCY " AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY To those who have not seen the troops of the first echelon in the later stages of their training the ceremonial parade at the », Domain jesteiday created chiefly a feeling of amazement "dt the transformation that has been wrought in little over three months since the jiic:h marched off to camp. The precision and efficiency with which : the whole parade was carried through i\as a revelation of the effects of training. * The parade was favoured with clear skies and bright sunshine. Until midday the weather was, if anything, too hot, but a breeze which sprang up later made conditions on the march more comfortable. Crowd Gathers Rapidly The units from Ngaruawahia arrived at 9.50 a.m. and marched frpni the railway station, via Beach Road. Stanley Street, the Domain Drive and the Outer Domain to the parade ground on the Inner Domain. There were comparatively few people at tho station when the troops arrived, but by the time they had entered Beach im\ crowds had arrived as if by - magic on both sides of/ the street and on the heights along Anzac Avenue. By tho time two further trainloads had arrived at 10.5 and 10.17 from PapakVira the crowd had further increased. Constant Stream of Spectators Meanwhile there had been a constant stream of pedestrians across Grafton Bridge and before 10 o'clockcrowds were streaming into the Domain from every entrance. By the time the units were in position the slopes on the grandstand side of the ground were filled with spectators and a large, number stood on the bank on the eastern" side. The t attendance was estimated at more than 15,000. After the officer commanding the parade, Lieutenant-ColoncJ G. 33. Parkinson, officer commanding the 4th Field Regiment,' New Zealand Artillery, and his staff officer, Captain J. 11. Page, had taken up position near the (saluting, basej the first unit, the Divisional Cavalry Regiment, under lieutenant-Colonel C. J. Pierce, appeared from the Outer Domain. ** Arrival of Units The fine marching and soldierly appearance of the troops immediately drew rounds of applause from the spectators and this continued unabated as other units marched on to the ground. It was clear that the cto'wd was increasingly impressed, even beyond .expectations, at the bearing of the men and the way they drew up in review order. > The second unit from Hopuhopu, the 4th Field' Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, under Major R. . I'en ton fl nd Major. A. A. Ainslie, closely followed the Divisional Cavalry Regi--Uient, these two . units being accompanied bv the Artillery Band. Ihe Papakura units were headed by the camp band, after which came headquarters and the sth Field Park Comjmn.y and 6th Field Company, Now Zea- ■ Engineers, under LieutenantColonel F. P. Heath; the -18 th (Auck--3Qll) Infantry Battalion, under Lieu-tenant-Colonel J. R. Cray; the Dividual Ammunition Company, under .. Major W. A. T. McGuire; and tlic 'lth eservo Motor Transport Company, , under Captain G. H. Whyte. 't- Applause for Nurses fn^' le i re WUs !l special round of applause >. r the three members of tho Army c;^ slu K Service, Sister D. I. Brown, » P. M. Williams, and Sister W. will serve overseas with the n s . echelon, when they took up their 'IV i °» the right "of the parade. iband of the Ist Battalion, AuckParade com,) ' e t e d the units on ]i e^ e " interest was taken by the pubia mi • 0 arrival of the units marching SWuian. of threes, the occasion being

one of the first on which this innovation in military practice has been demonstrated in Auckland. Many of the units wore the new half-puttees, a recent change in style o.f service dress. The absence of the traditional creased hat of the New Zealand mounted riflemen, which has been replaced by the peaked hat, was another feature of interest. For the first time since the alteration in dress officers paraded publicly yesterday without the Sam Browne belt, wearing instead a plain waist belt. Official visitors on the grandstand included Viscountess Gal way. The party on the official dais on the parade ground comprised: —The Minister of Finance, tho Hon. W. Nash; the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis; the officer commanding the northern military district, Colonel N. W. Mel). Weir, who was accompanied by Lieutenant-Colonel L. Potter and Major W. Murphy; Wing-Com-mander H. B. Burrell; tho president of the Auckland Suburban Local Bodies' Association, Mr. 1. J,. Goldstinc; the president of the Auckland Beturned Soldiers' Association, Mr. J. W. Kendall; and the town clerk, Mr. J. Melling. The troons moved nis one man when they accorded Colonel Weir a general salute. An order to the men to sit down was the subject of much favourable comment among the crowd. After addresses had been given by Colonel Weir, Sir Ernest Davis and Mr. Nash a call by the Mayor for three cheers for the- men drew a thunderous response. Following a second general salute the men were marched off to the Outer Domain for luncheon. It was a most impressive parade from first to last and convinced everyone who saw it that the men of the first echelon have changed in a few months from recruits to fine soldiers. FOOD FOR TROOPS OUTER DOMAIN LUNCHEON EFFICIENT ORGANISATION One of the peaks in efficient organisation reached during the day occurred at the mid-day luncheon in the Outer Domain, where more than 2500 men arrived, were given a meal and were ready to leave in 25 minutes. Tbe Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee was in charge ot' the arrangements, and the work was carried out by its camp amenities committee. Tbe food was provided by tbe women's committee, under Lady Davis, with the assistance of about 250 helpers. The catering was carried out from several large marquees, in each of which wore long tables containing hundreds of parcels. As each unit filed through a marquee tho men were each given a package with a pie, sandwiches and cakes. From a field kitchen thousands of cups of tea were provided. Every man received his share and actually more than adequate provision had been made for their wants. The helpers had been on tho scene three hours before completing preparations to cater for 2700. The Outer Domain was roped off to prevent the entrance of the public, but when the rations had been received many of the men were able to join relatives at the boundary. Tho picnic spirit was shown everywhere, but the scale of the picnic has few parallels in recent Auckland history.