A BATTLE-SCARRED FLAG

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17636, 28 May 1919, Page 7

A BATTLE-SCARRED FLAG

MEMORIAL TO A BRAVE OFFICER. An interesting ceremony toot place ai - the Garrison llail, Port Gli aimers, on Monday afternoon, wiien an historic and warscarred lied Cress Union Jack was presented to the District High School in mem- f ory of an ex-pupil—Major Bernard Charles Texinent—who sacrificed his life in the. cause of freedom during the great war. The presentation of the flag was made' by Colonel O'Neill, C.M.G., D.li.O.,'who said that he regarded it as an honour to participate in any ceremony such as the present. Before the war Major Tennent was a medical student in th© Edinburgh. University, and subsequently held a position in .London before Ae returned to New Zealand. Not long after his return war broke out with : the Central Powers, and Major Tennent was one of the first to answer the call of the Empire. On his arrival in the Home Country he was granted a commission in the rt.A.M.C., and throughout the whole period of his active service he showed himself to bs a gallant officer and gentleman. \ His devotion to duty was rewarded with promotion, and he won the Military Cross and bar In August of 1918 he fell, serving his country on the battlefield in France. ColonelO'Neill then read copies of the despatches which resulted in bringing him his'decora-; tions. . The description of the flag is ao follows:—"This Union Jack belonged to Headquarters, -A Section, Second LondonField Ambulance, the 84th on active service. It was taken to France on January 9, 1915, and for two months flew- over Ambulance Headquarters at Ypres. During the second battle of Ypres it flew at Poperhinghe, in Belgium, arid when'the battle of Loos waa fought in September, it was unfurled at - Befchune. A little later the flag was placed at the entrance to the communication trench at La Bassee, and there received a liberal. sprinkling of shell splinters and bullets. It was then taken to Egypt and Salonika, and, was continuously used until June 1, 1916, when it was replaced by a new flag at Hadji Byraniti, in Upper Macedonia." On the cabinet enclosing this historic piece of bunting is the following inscription:— "In memory of Major Bernard Charles Tennent,' M.C., R.A.M.C. (a pupil of this school 1696-99), who fell in action in France', on August 2, 1918. This flag, which flew for 18 months over his ambulance in France, Egypt, and Salonika, was presented to this school by his widow." Cither speakers were the Mayor (Mr J- MStevenson, Mr J. atli Mr G.F. Booth (rector of-the school). Mr Booth, in accepting the flag on behalf of the school, said that 314 pupils had gone to the war, and of these 48 had laid down their lives for their country.