N.Z.E.F. MAIN BODY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18530, 17 October 1934, Page 9

N.Z.E.F. MAIN BODY

REUNION OP SURVIVORS A FAMILY PARTY WELLINfITON 0 ATHEJRINO <l*Hr Press AsHocistion.) ■ WELLINGTON, las* night. By far, the greatest reunion of; survivors of the-Main Body of sj,he New Zealand Expeditionary Force that has ever been held took place in Wellington to-night, When more than . 500' members of that historic- force gathered in the Winter Show buildings, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of tliejr sailing from New Zealand. They came-’from all parts of the youptry and. with them were. 24. Australians who' joined the'conydv nt Hobart, and eight naval men frorri escorting warships, the Pyranms, Philomel, an<l Psyche,' " ' \.

The preside,ut of the . gathering was Major-General Sir > Andrew Russell, the 'senior,, officer now resident-in . the ,Dominion. Colonel W. Jl. Cunningham was in the chair, and the deputy-chairman was Major F. Waite. , . v : Earlier in the evening there was a .ceremony at' .thelCitizens’ Wftf Memorial opposite Government Buildings,; The parade marched through town with Sir Andrew Russell and Colonel.. Cunningham at their: head and Sir Andrew placed it wreiitilv.mv <»«. ‘memorfaT I hi memory'of ;r ‘Tile ititifer ' nmetioh wds, its : Colonel Cunningham put it, entirely a family party. There was a link in the gathering with the first. New Zealander killed in the war, Private E. Ham, who was wounded during an action against the Turks by the Sue/. Canal in February,1915, and later died. He w,as a member if the 13th Nelson Regimebt. His brother and Majqr Brerton, whp 'commanded the regiiperrt, as wejl as manywho were at the graveside when Private Harp was buried at Ismalia, were present this evening. ‘ It was essentially an, evening pf .conviviality. The speeches were, brief f and after them members settled doiyn to .«x»‘ change reminiscences and renew old. Sfir.. quaintances across the* table; interspers--ing their talk with the singing of .biice'. popular choruses of wartime,