MOTHER’S DAY TRIBUTE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 68, Issue 5941, 10 May 1944, Page 3

MOTHER’S DAY TRIBUTE

BY JUST ANOTHER MOTHER With the advent of “Mother’s Day” on the 14th inst., may I, through your paper, be permitted to pay a personal tribute to all mothers, especially to those in New Zealand who have sons overseas. My tribute, based on personal experience, is honest and sincere with only one thought in my heart, a mother’s sympathy to another mother, knowing the aching heart through loss of her child. I’ve had experience of two wars and contact with bereaved mothers have helped them prepare for the advent of their baby. In 1914-19 and now in these present years see these mothers saying farewell to those same babies starting off on, as it is to them, “just a tour,” full of vim and excitement to get going. To these mothers, in the eventide of life called upon to face the horrors of this war, the anxiety and waiting for news, I extend my deepest sympathy. We in New Zealand have not had to experience directly the real horrors of war and all it means, and although many of our boys have made the Supreme Sacrifice, we mothers have been spared seeing our daughters taken by force to alien countries, there to work and perhaps called upon for worse—God alone knows what—and so for that we should indeed be thankful.

In the main New Zealand should be proud of her women. Even though the men are away, the women are O.A.S. on the home front, working hard on farms, etc., where there is no 40 week, and so the production goes on helping to feed our Allied nations. It is the sons of these women and the sister Dominions who have covered themselves with glory wherever they have been. I speak here, collectively, as one is apt to only think of the immediate surroundings, when in truth this courage in women prevails all over the world, and will do so till victory is won. I do not forget tlje young wives and mothers left to take the responsibility of both parents while their menfolk are over there. It made me very sad quite recently while visiting (where there were war babies) to hear these wee ones referred to as “more gun fodder.” lam sure I hope that is not so. These young mothers are very brave too, and one realises the difficulties they have finding homes, etc., for themselves, not a very easy task these days. Yet their love again is very different to the love of the mothers who gave them these husbands. They are often only acquainted a few months and then marriage. With the mother who gave that son life and watches with pride his growth to mans’ estate, she does when called upon just hand him over, where he will be (she hopes) happier, and feels that is her mission i nlife, but all mothers similarly situated will know the aching void left by such a parting.

These present days we are all alert, keyed up to any news we are hourly awaiting, and news we hope will bring our final steps to victory and peace. In concluding my tribute may I urge all women and especially mothers to try and keep calm, and above all keep faith. Have faith in your boys, their leaders, and the greatest leader of all time—God—always remembering the women and mothers on the other side of the world facing much more hardship than we in the Dominions. A mother’s love is the same all the world over, irrespective of class, colour, or creed, and so to all mothers wherever or whatever you are, I salute you and may God help you.