VICTORIA GROSS DIMMER

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1929, Page 9

VICTORIA GROSS DIMMER

450 SURVIVING HOLDERS

PRINCE’S INSPIRING SPEECH SCENE IN HOUSE OF LORDS British Wireless. Rugby, Nov. 10." There are 450 surviving holders of the Victoria, Cross. Those not attending the dinner were mainly absent through inability to make the long journey to England from the Dominions and colonies.

Private Williams, aged 82, • was another holder present who won the decoration at Rorke’s Drift. Although 321 guests were entertained in the Royal gallery of the House of Lords, a place of traditional ceremony, there was an absence of all ceremonial about the proceedings. Everyone wore lounge suits and generals and privates sat side by side, according to the chance of the ballot for seats. They were united as the holders of the greatest of all decorations, which knows no distinctions of rank or class.

In his speech the Prince of Wales said, “You are recipients of an honour which it is true can be won only in war, and there is no one to-day who, having learned what war means, does not pray that it may never occur again. But that fact only enhances the value of the Cross, for it is a symbol of the possession of those qualities - which warfare called forth. They are really the foundations of ' peace, being the qualities of courage and undaunted heart, fearless disregard of self, and, if anyone thinks that valour is only called for in fighting on the actual field of battle he must have a very distorted view of life.”

The Prince, in concluding, spoke of those who had lost their lives in an act of valour or might, otherwise, have broken bread with them that night, and of the many good ' men whose nerves cracked under the terrible strain, but who lived on with mind and spirit crippled and bewildered. “They, too, might have been with us. Let us remember them all.”

GREETINGS FROM NEW ZEALAND. REPLY RECEIVED FROM PRINCE. Wellington, Nov. 11. The Governor sent the following cablegram to the Prince of Wales: “Eleven weave re of the Victoria Cross are dining with me to-night at Government House. They desire to present their humble duty to Your Royal Highness, to express their loyalty to His Majesty the King, and send their greetings to all old comrades in arms.— Fergusson, Governor-General.” To this the following reply was received; “All present at to-] ight’s Victoria Cross dinner thank Your Excellency and the seven New Zealand V.C.’s for their greetings, which are heartily reciprocated.—Edward P.”