THE KING'S JUBILEE MEDAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22566, 9 May 1935, Page 12

THE KING'S JUBILEE MEDAL

TO THE EDITOR

Sir,—lt interested me to read in your issue of Monday last the list of names of residents in the Dominion to whom h « Majesty had approved of the issue of the Kings Silver Jubilee Medal, but I was grieved at the omission of the names of our prominent women war-workers from among those who have received the honour in Dunedin. Have we forgotten the services rendered by our women to the Empire through the dark years of the world's cataclysm f The women of the Main Body banded together nigh 21 years ago. to work for the men and lads who had gone to repel the foe. Looking back on that dark period, when every few weeks their lade, sons, brothers, and husbands left our shores and travelled thousands of miles to keep the foe at bay from wrecking our glorious Empire, it was wonderful to remember how our women disguised their sorrow and worked calmly on doing their best to cheer the boys at the front with various comforts. How many times the stitches must have been worked with heart pangs, for they knew not whether the next ring at the doorbell might not be an awful message telling that a loved one had been wounded or paid the supreme sacrifice. The brave patience and unfailing courage of these women was a splendid testimony to the women of our Empire, and they can with pride look back on the work accomplished. Those who stayed behind keeping the home fires burning against the days when war would be no more were as brave and self-sacrificing on their particular battlefields as their dear ones fightiug in those far-off lands, and can justly claim to have shared in building our world Empire. These women gave of their best to the Empire without any thought of reward, and it would have been a gracious act had the few who survived after 21 yeare been remembered and included in the list of those who received a personal souvenir from hi« Majesty on the occasion of his silver jubilee.—l am, etc* Dunedin, May 8. Zeala.