PRESENTATION OF WAR MEDALS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 24

PRESENTATION OF WAR MEDALS.

DEFENCE MINISTER'S REMARKS. On Saturday, Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) held decoration ceremonies at l Gore, Kaitangata, and Milton, and at each ! place he presentod medals gained m the great war. At each of the places men- ; tioned the ceremony was held indoors, and ! there wore large attendances and keen 1 interest was taken in the proceedings. At | Gore and Milton local troops paraded, and these were inspected by the Minister, who | conversed with many of the returned men. At Gore, the Mayor (Mr A. Martin) pre--1 sided, and suitably introduced the Minister, j who was loudly cheered on rising. The I Town Hall was packed. Sir James Allen referred to the noble part New Zealand had played in the war. New Zealand was the only country, with j the exception, perhaps, of America, which entered the war late, which had kept up its I reinforcements. New Zealanders, wherever I they went, were well spoken of, and the part they took in the war would never be forgotten. They did not, however, find their returned men boasting of what they had done; it was one of the characteristics of our race not to boast, and this was very clearly exemplified in the young men who had gone out to fight the country's battles. It was the wish of his Majesty the Kipg that the presentation of medals to soldiers should be as public as possible, and he, '' as Minister of Defence, had acceded to his I wish by coming to Southland for that pur- '■ pose. Holding up one of the medals, he I asked those present to note particularly the ! colour of the riband., that when they passed a man wearing it they would recognise a man who possessed courage and who had performed nobis- deeds. Sir James Allen then presented the following medals:— Meritorious Service Medal, to Second Lieutenant F. J. M'Donald. Military Medal, to Mrs J, Kay (Balfour), mother of the late Corporal S. K. Kay. Military Medal, to Mrs C Jopp (Gore), mother of the late Corporal J. A. Jopp. At the Minister's request those present stood in silence for a few seconds out of I respect for those who had fallen in battle. | Cheers were given for Lieutenant M'Donald and for the mothers of Corporals Kay and Jopp, with whom the Minister personally sympathised. After Mr G. J. Anderson, M.P., had spoken the proceedings terminated with cheers for the Minister.

AT KAITANGATA. At Kaitangata several hundred had assembled in the local hall, notwithstanding that the hour was an inconvenient one. Mr Mayor (Mr T. Gage) presided, and referred to the splendid record of the M'Millan family. Sir James said he had come to Kaitangata for the purpose of presenting a Military Medal awarded to the late Private "W. A. M'Millan. He referred to the excellent service performed by the New Zealand troops in Gallipoli, Palestine, and France. He considered the Palestine campaign was one of the most dramatic events of the war. He was sorry that Private M'Millan had not lived to return to New Zealand—he lay buried, but not in. New Zealand soil. In this connection Sir James Allen referred to the work now being accomplished by the Imperial Graves Commission, whose duty it was to see that every soldier who had fallen in battle had a suitable headstone erected on his grave. The Imperial authorities had selected the best architects and horticulturists to carry out this work. The graves would be made as beautiful as it was possible to make them, and uniform headstones would be erected. The work of erecting suitable memorials was also being undertaken in Gallipoli, Palestine, and soma of the larger cemeteries elsewhere. The design was that of a soldier giving -himself up on th-3 altar of duty. This work was being carried out on a most extensive scale, and the Imperial authorities will probably expend over £1,000,000 of money before it was oompleted, and all the countries engaged in the Allied cause had undertaken to give their share of ths expense. New Zealand's share this year would amount to £28,000. Sir James than referred to the part which the New Zealanders had taken in the war, and also to the noble parts taken by the nursing sisters and by the Y.M.G.A. He made special reference to the excellent reputation earned by the New Zealand Tunnelling Corps, a great many members of which enlisted from Kaitangata. Sir Jamea concluded by handing the medal to the father of the late Private Walter 4 M'Millan, and sympathised with him in the loss of a brave son.

After the "Last Post" had been sounded, three cheers were given for the father of Private M'Mfflan and for the Minister of Defence.

AT MILTON.

The Town Hall at Milton not being available, the oeremony was held in the Anglican Schoolroom, but the accommodation was totally inadequate, many being unable to gain admission. The Mayor (Mr T. King) presided, and when Introducing Sir James referred in laudatory terras to the manner in which he had filled the portfolio of Minister of Defence, a reference which the assemblage approved by cheers and applause. On rising to speak Sir James was again loudly applauded. He praised the medical units who had taken part in the war, and stated what was being done in the principal hospitals jn the dominion in the direction of relieving the sufferings of sick and wounded soldiers and the efforts made to assist them back to health and strength. In this connection ho stated that there were something like 5000 in and out soldier patients in the different hospitals of the dominion. The Government was doing everything possible for the men who had done so much for the country. These men wanted sympathy and kindness extended to them. As regards the fighting units New Zealanders. had failed only once to achieve their object, and that_ was at Passchendaele, where the conditions were such that the conditions were a physical impossibility. A Voice: Passchendaele was Godley's mistake. Sir James Allen: Oh, no; wo have it on the authority of Generals Russell and Richardson that General Godlcy was a-first-class soldier. Voices: Wo never saw him. Sir James Allen then referred to the incident which earned for Rifleman J. L. Keogh the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and read tho following from the London Gazette:

Private Kcogh was awarded the D.O.M, for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as a stretcjier-bearer. Throughout the whole operations he caried on hi* work with tireless energy and with utter disregard for personal safety. He con» tinually went into "No Man's Land "- under heavy machine gun fire, and car* ried wounded men in. His devotion to duty was the means of saving many live*. Ho ventured to eay that there was no on* present who would not be proud to have such a record. Ho (tho speaker) would likA to have such a record himself.—Loud ana prolonged applause.) Private Keogh was then escorted to the platform by Captain Chisholm (area office* for Milton district) amid loud and prolonged cheers. Sir James, in pinning the medal on Private Keogh's breast, said he was proud to do so. He congratulated the recipient, his mother, and his friends in the district.—* (Loud applause.) Sir James then shook hands with Private Keogh's mother, who occupied a seat on the platform. On the motion of Mr D. Reid a vote of thanks was accorded Sir James Allen, and cheers were given for Private Keogh and his mother, the former being carried shoul* der-high by his comrades.