OLD-TIME MEMORIES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 241, 12 May 1933, Page 2

OLD-TIME MEMORIES

Two Veterans Meet j The arrival in Auckland 72 years ago iof !he 70th Regiment of Foot, now known as the East Surrey Regiment, will be marked to-day by Mr. A. Huett, of Whangarei, and Mr. T. Donovan, of Hastings, two old colonists whose fathers were members of the regiment. They ' will meet in Auckland and, over a cup of tea, recall old times and their voyage 'to New Zealand on the troopships. Mr. Huett said yesterday he was ten vears old when, with his father and family, he arrived in New Zealand with the regiment, which had been sent from India to take part in quelling the Maori hostilities. There were three troopships, the Louisa, Daniel Rankin and Mendim. They arrived af Auckland on May 9, 1861, but ne.body disembarked until May 11. When in England in 1931 he met General Sir John Longley. who was then in command of the regiment, and Sir John had urged him to form an association in New Zealand of all descendants of the regiment. So far he had established contact only with Mr. Donovan. The East Surrey Regiment is the oldest regiment in the British Army, having had its nucleus in the old-time force of Marines serving with the British Fleet. In the course of its history it underwent various changes of name, including Owl of 70th Regiment of Foot, until subsequently it became known by its present title. The Otago Regiment is allied to jthe East Surreys.