ANZAC MEN BACK

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 3 May 1938, Page 4

ANZAC MEN BACK

SYDNEY EXPEDITION SALUTES TO THE FALLEN N.Z. VETERANS HONOURED BONDS OF COMRADESHIP "There are no words to express what we all feel about our journey, and about the reunion of Australian and New Zealand veterans on Anzac Day in Sydney. We all felt that we had a special mission to uphold the credit of the old New Zealand Expeditionary Force, but none of us was really prepared for the magnificent welcome given us in Sydney, nor for the extraordinary display of ‘Digger’ sentiment which Anzac Day called forth. There will never be anything like it again!”

Gisborne and East Coast veterans who returned this morning to their home district, after having taken part ' in the visit of the New Zealand contingent to Sydney, were unanimous in their endorsement of this comment by Mr. W. Oakden, secretary of the Gisborne Returned Soldiers’ Association, when they stepped from the D.H. 86 plane in which they completed their homeward journey. * All were keenly enthusiastic concerning the organisation of the tour, and -the manner in which the Anzac Day celebrations in Sydney- had been managed. The outstanding impression, however, was that Sydney had opened its arms to the New Zealanders in a welcome that could not be sufficiently acknowledged. Returning the Compliment

“The Australian veterans accepted the New Zealand invitation to send a contingent to this Dominion for the centennial year, in 1940, and judging by the interest created by the invitation, the difficulty will be to limit the contingent to a manageable number. Every ‘Digger’ we met seemed 'bent upon making the journey across the Tasman to our side, and returning the compliment which they were kind enough to feel that we had paid them," said Mr. Oakden.

“The comradeship of other days burned strongly throughout our stay in Sydney, and most of us could have wished to spond a little more time with our Australian friends. We all look forward to renewing the acquaintanceship when the Australians make their return visit.”

The gathering of between 40,000 and 50 000 men of the Australian Imperial Forces and of the New Zealand expeditionary units made a magnificent spectacle in Sydney on Anzac Day, Mr. Oakden continued. The city was alive with “Diggers,” thousands of whom had journeyed almost as far as the New Zealand contingent to take part in the annual festival of-remem-brance. Trains from various parts of the State were discharging loads of ex-servicemen throughout the night of April 24 at the Sydney terminus, and as accommodation in the city was at a premium most of these late-comers spent the night in the streets.

Dawn Assembly

A large proportion went straight to Martin Place, to secure good places for the dawn assembly on Anzac Day, scheduled for the exact hour at which the first boat-loads of troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula 23 years ago. The hour in Sydney was 4.30 a.m., and members of the Gisborne party taking part found interest in the fact that the actual salute to the dead in the New South Wales capital coincided to the minute with that in their home town, held at 6 a.m. New Zealand time.

In order to take part in the Sydney parade at ddwn, the New Zealanders mustered from their ships at 3 a.m., and there were few absentees when the column moved off to take up its appointed position in Martin Place. The huge crowd gathered in the first rays of dawn was a moving spectacle, especially significent because to each member of the assembly attendance at that time meant more than passing inconvenience. In its own way, the da\vn parade was as fine a tribute as that paid later in the day at the State memorial, though the preliminaries and even the service itself were shrouded In darkness., Magnificent Parade Only the disabled soldiers in cars, the naval veterans, and the Austra-' lian winners of the Victoria Cross preceded the New Zealand contingent in the magnificent parade of “Diggers” through the city'and on to the Domain, where a united religious service was held. Every man from the Dominion carried himself with an air. and the spick and span appearance of the New Zealand contingent, contributed - to by the wearing of uniform black and white ties, was remarked upon by every commentator. It was wonderfully stimulating to take part in the march as one of 1400 veterans of the N.Z.E.F., and to feel, emanating from the crowds massed along the route, a spirit of goodwill towards the representatives of the sister Dominion, as well as of comradeship with the men who had fought side by side with Australia’s.

That spirit was exemplified at every turn throughout the stay of .he New Zealanders in Sydney, and it was with keen regret that the visitors from this Dominion realised how short was the time available to them. Clubs, institutions, and organisations of every kind seemed to vie vvitli each other in making the New Zealanders welcome, and the organisation of the R.5.5.1.L.A., the New South Wales Government, and the city authorities in Sydney left no stone unturned to show appreciation of the visit.

If the contingent had set out on its expedition in a holiday mood, the experiences in Sydney must have left every man with a sober recognition of what Australia thinks of New Zealand, and of the strength of ties forged in the war years.

Speaking of the organisation of the contingent, on the part of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, Mr. Oakden stated that the staff work was remarkable for its completeness. More remarkable still was the elasticity of an organisation that had to be sound and disciplined, and which yet enabled every man to follow his bent in search of enjoyment outside those hours dedicated tb the memory of the gallant dead. Afloat and ashore the members of the contingent had imposed upon themselves a restraint which was not only admirable in. itself, but which also had aided immeasurably the success of the expedition.