THE ROLL OF HONOUR

Otago Witness, Issue 3526, 11 October 1921, Page 45

THE ROLL OF HONOUR

CENOTAPH UNVEILED AT OL [ RAM. The residents of West Taieri -the district from Aiomona to Alaungatua, Lee Stream, and around Gladlield - resolved some time ago to erect a memorial lo the local soldiers woo had fallen in lHe* Great War. A commirtee was elected, with Air Peter Chisholm as chairman and Mr Harrison secretary, and a canvass was made of the district. The result was the raising of sufficient funds for the erection of a very fine memorial monument. The site chosen is in the centre of the town of Out ram, at the end of the street leading from the railway station. The monument is a very tine piece of work, and on it are inscribed the names of those m memory of whom it has been raised. On Saturday the unveiling ceremony took place in the presence of a very large attendance. The West Taieri Brass Band (under Bandmaster Al’Bride) was in attendance, and appropriate singing was included in the programme, which opened and closed with the National Anthem. The Chairman said .tile cenotaph had been erected as a tribute to the memory of the falcn soldiers whose names were inscribed thereon. Too much could not he done to show our gratitude for the sacrifice they had made on our behalf. He handed over the memorial to the people of the district, and left it in their care. It gave him pleasure to announce that tile monument erected was free from debt; in fact, there was a small sum left over.—(Applause.) Colonel If. R. Hmith, representing the Dunedin Officers’ Club, expressed sympathy with the relatives of the men whose names were < n the monument. lie also expressed pleasure at seeing the memory of the brave men so commemorated. The Rev. Father Collins said it was a great day for tiie residents of West Taieri. Seven years had passed since these brave soldiers left New Zealand’s shores, and now this cenotaph had Icon erected to the memory*of those whom they revered* He sympathised with the relatives of those who had lost their sons and brothers, and ho congratulated the committee on the completion of its work. It gave him pleasure to join with the residents in honouring the brave boys who had given their lives for us and for our country.- (Applause.) The Rev. Air A!‘Cully referred to the large number of our soldiers who had paid the supreme sacrifice; but their deeds had not been in vain, n.ml their names would ever be cherished by us. He thanked Cod for the courage that has been given to them and for the sacrifice the} had made. The unveiling ceremony was then carried out by Airs Sproif. of Aloinona, who had lost three sons in the war. the band plaved “The Dead March, and a bitgier sounded “The Last Post.” Dr Harrison, president of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, conveyed from bis association a message of sympathy with the relatives of the fallen soldiers. The chairman had said that the monument had been erected free from debt, but they all owed a debt to the soldiers that could never be repaid, both to the memory of those who had fallen and to those who had returned incapacitated. These maimed men should be the special care of the people, especially in view of the present system of incomplete pensions and the difficulty of obtaining a living. The Rev. C. J. Bush-King said he represented the Taieri Returned Soldiers’ Association. from which lie conveyed a message to the West Taieri people. He referred to the steps being taken to mark the graves of New Zealand soldiers on foreign shores, and went on to recite some lines which had come into his possessim? in Egypt. The Rev. R Fairmaid, a former pastor of West Taieri, who was warmly welcomed, said thnt many of those whose names were on the monument were boys in l:is congregation. They gave willingly their lives, and went forth at duty’s call and at the call of Empire. He prayed that God’s blessing would rest on the homes of the bereaved in return l for tiie sacrifice their loved one* had made.