WAR DAYS RECALLED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23046, 24 November 1936, Page 7

WAR DAYS RECALLED

EX-SERVICEMEN’S GATHERING GOVERNOR-GENERAL ATTENDS THE STRENGTH OF BRITAIN His Excellency the Governor-Gene-ral, Viscount Galway, was the guest of honour at a reception tendered by the Imperial Ex-servicemen's Association in the Somerset Lounge last night. His Excellency, who was accompanied by Captain A. G. W. Heber-Percy, expressed his pleasure at being present at a gathering of men from the United Kingdom who had served in the War, and spent some time in conversation with a member of the association, Corporal Harding, formerly of the Ist Life Guards, which is his Excellency's regiment. His Excellency was piped into the room.

Welcoming the Governor-General to the gathering, which was largely attended, the president (Mr L. G. Lilly) said the members felt proud and honoured at having him with them. Many of the members were regular army and navy men, and one at least, Corporal Harding, had actually served under him. During the present times, when rumours of war were in the air, they followed the trend of events as closely as possible, and it might even be possible that they would be called on again to stand by and serve his Majesty the King in some way. Mr Lilly assured his Excellency of the continued loyalty of members of the association, even though they were living in a far outpost of Empire, and stated that their thoughts would be turned next year to the Coronation in London of his Majesty. The members present then rose in turn and announced the names of the regiments in which they had served, a proceeding which was closely followed by Viscount Galway. In all 31 different units were represented. “It is a great pleasure to meet the members of your association,” said his Excellency, when addressing the gathering. “ I am pleased to see that so many different units are represented, and I am especially pleased to meet Corporal Harding, formerly of my regiment. I am sure we little thought 26 years ago when I was adjutant and he joined the regiment that we should meet in a place so far removed from Knightsbridge Barracks as this.

“We passed through strenuous times in France and Flanders during the war 20 years ago/' his Excellency continued, “ and we well remember those battles from which England emerged victorious and once more in her rightful place as the leader of the world. We sincerely trust that such times will never again face the Bxdtish Empire; but if the call ever comes again, I am sure it would be answered in the same magnificent spirit as in the past. We all perhaps remember the end of the war, when speeches were made and we were told that another war would never be, but we have seen the trend of history and have seen how Bi-itain tried to lead the world towards peace and disarmament and the other nations x’efused to follow. Indeed England was alone in disarmament, but now she has seen the danger although she cannot completely rearm for at, least another year NEED FOR REARMAMENT “It would be idle to deny," his Excellency added, “that'the British'Empire is not strong enough in rearmament at the present time to fill her prefer role as the leader of peace. While dictators bluster in Europe rearmament is steadily continuing, and we hope that in a year or so England will be so strong that no nation will dare to attack her or to break the peace.” His Excellency once more expressed his pleasure at being present at the gathering, and said the members must derive a gx-eat deal of pleasure from exchanging reminiscences of war time. He inferred to a visit he had recently paid to the former scenes of war in Fi-ance and Belgium, and said that although almost all signs of war had now vanished he was sure the people who lived there would never forget the terrible times they had gone through. His Excellency spent some time chatting with members of the association before leaving the function, at which stage he was accorded musical honours.

Captain I. G. Glennie, commander of H.M.S. Achilles, who was accompanied by Paymaster-lieutenant H. R. Butchers, was also a guest at the gathering, and gave a short address on .the situation at Home. Items were provided during the evening by Messrs H. O. M’Farlane, A. Snell, A. Macdonald, J. Paterson. R. Watson, and G. Butler. VISIT TO CLUB RETURNED SOLDIERS’ WELCOME “ONE OF THEMSELVES” Viscount Galway later attended another gathering of ex-servicemen, this time New Zealanders, at the Returned Soldiers’ Club, where he was met by the president (Mr H. L. Paterson), the members, of the executive, and a large gathering of members. Mr Paterson said the members of the club, which was one of the largest of its kind in the Dominion, welcomed him very sincerely, not only, for himself but because he represented one of themselves. His Excellency was the representative in New Zealand of his Majesty the King, who was himself a “ digger.” and although they were far removed from England, they still regarded it as “ Home.” They gave place to none in their loyalty to his Majesty. “ 1 would have liked to come to Dunedin before this,” said his Excellency, when replying, “but various reasons, including those associated with a long session of Parliament, have prevented me from doing so. It is a great pleasure to meet the returned soldiers of Dunedin at a gathering such as this, where we recall those stirring days of 20 years ago when we were in the thick of the war that seemed to have no ending. When the end came, however, we saw the triumph of the Empire. which was the main figure in that conflict. Other nations would have collapsed if Britain had not thrown the whole weight of her vast Empire and its resources into that struggle for freedom and justice. “ In some ways the outlook is now black over Europe.” said his Excellency. “ but we feel confident that Britain will continue to play her part for peace and justice and all those things for which the British Empire stands. We pray that the British Empire may be spared from experiencing again the terrible times she went through between 1914 and 1918. “ Not long before I came out to New Zealand I paid a visit to those parts of France and Flanders where the New Zealand Division distinguished itself,” added His Excellency. “It was curious to see the change that has been wrought since wartime days. Villages had grown up again, the Jand was cultivated, and there was little to show the terrible havoc that was made by the war. Nevertheless there are many who ’will never forget the anxious times we went through, but at the same time we remember the wonderful friendships that were formed then and the magnificent spirit that everyone showed during those times of war.”

His Excellency was loudly applauded as he sat down. He spent some time chatting with members of the association," after which he visited the different portions of the club rooms, expressing admiration of the appointments and the service available to members of the club.

A FULL ITINERARY THEIR EXCELLENCIES’ VISIT The Governor-General. Viscount Galway, and Lady Galway have a full programme for their visit to Dunedin, which will be concluded on Friday

morning. This morning visits will be paid to the Otago Boys’ High School, the Otago Girls’ High School, and the King’s High School, Their Excellencies will dine this evening with Sir Lindo and Lady Ferguson, when a decoration will be presented to Lady Ferguson. Later their Excellencies will attend the Dunedin Choral Society’s performance of “The Messiah.”

To-morrow morning His Excellency will attend the meeting of the Masonic Grand Lodge, while her Excellency will be the guest at morning tea of the ladies of the Masonic brethren. In the afternoon Viscount Galway is to open the North Dunedin Boy Scouts’ Hall, and her Excellency will attend at the Otago Women’s Club.' In the evening her Excellency will dine with the Misses Mill at Port Chalmers, while his Excellency will attend the Masonic installation in the Town Hall.

Their Excellencies will pay a visit to the James Powell Rest Home at Warrington on Thursday morning, when they will plant two trees. Later, the Otago University will be visited, and a decoration will be presented to Professor A, G. Strong. His Excellency will be the guest of the Rotary Club at luncheon, and will later attend the Forbury Park Trotting Club's meeting for a time. The laying of the foundation stone of the Queen Mary Maternity Hospital is fixed for 3 p.m„ and this will be followed by a visit to Littlebourne House. At 8 p.m. his Excellency will dine at the Fernhill Club, and their Excellencies will later attend the Masonic Hall.

His Excellency will leave for Invercargill on Friday morning, and her Excellency will leave the same morning for the north, accompanied by Captain Heber-Percy,