MR ERNEST M'KINLAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20316, 26 January 1928, Page 13

MR ERNEST M'KINLAY.

FAREWELL FROM MEDICAL CORPS. Mr Ernest M'Kinlay, the local lyric tenor, who will leave shortly for Canada to join the Westminster Glee Singers, was the guest of the evening at the third reunion of the New Zealand Medical Corps, held in the George Street Hall on Tuesday evening. Dr Fergus presided over the large attendance. The Chairman, in welcoming the guest, paid a tribute to his ability. Mr M‘Kinlay, he stated, was a member of the No. 3 Field Ambulance, and afterwards joined the Divisional Entertainers behind the lines in France. He had helped to brighten the lives of the sick and wounded in the various French hospitals. The health of the guest was heartily drunk. Mr M'Kinlay, In reply, gave an account, of his tours of the world with the Westminster Glee Singers. When he lelt Dunedin in 1921 he went to Narrow Neck Camp (Auckland), and after nine months there he crossed to Australia. While in Sydney he joined the Glee Singers, and, after touring Australia, went to India, the tour including Burma and the Malay States. The company then went to England, where it sung in many hos pUals—in some of them no fewer than 20 limes. In the English hospitals there were 15,000 young soldiers crippled for iPe After a stay in England he went with another “digger ” to France to renew old acquaintances and visit the battlefields and cemeteries. Captain Bone, in dealing with the doings of the corps, stated that the No. 2 Field Ambulance was started in 1898 by a body of Dunedin men. He told jf an amusing incident which occurred when Lord Kitchener was inspecting troops in Dunedin. When he came to the ambulance section he asked who they were, and was told that were the field ambulance. “Field ambulance!” lie exclaimed.

They would be more useful if they were carrying rifles.” But, Captain’ Bone stated, the field ambulance was a necessary part of any army. A lengthy toast list was honoured.