COMRADES DURING WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 11

COMRADES DURING WAR

COLONEL STEWART’S VISIT. tributes from the ranks. Members of the Second Canterbury Battalion who participated in the Great War gathered in Christchurch this week to meet their old commander, Colonel Hugh Stewart, who is visiting New Zealand on a holiday trip from England. Colonel Stewart chatted with patients in the Rannerdale Home, and later was welcomed at an informal gathering in the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association rooms. Prior to the gathering he had afternoon tea with members of the Christchurch executive.

Many friendships formed during the strenuous years of the war Were renewed at the meeting, where one of the men ■whom the colonel encountered was his former batman, . Mr.. R. E.. Agassiz. Colonel Stewart was a guest at lunch at the Officers’ Club.

In welcoming Colonel Stewart at the Returned Soldiers’ Association rooms the president of the association, the Rev. F. T. Read, stated that ton years ago their guest was president of the Christchurch Association, and at ong time was New Zealand president. Colonel Stewart, in his address, said that he had met with the kindliest of feelings from all ex-servicemen in New Zealand. Battalion officers, he was sure.

had always seen to it that the men were treated fairly and fed well. He was glad to know that, though there was inevitably a great deal of distress among returned soldiers in New Zealand, a large number had settled down and were doing good work in . their particular spheres. He trusted that all would go well and that the position in New Zealand would improve in the next year or two. He could not feel very optimistic about the near future, but hoped that ft would not be long before his old comrades had a “better spin.” Colonel Stewart was professor of classics at Canterbury College in 1913, and joined the Canterbury Regiment as second lieutenant on the outbreak of war, sailing with the Main Body. He served with distinction on Gallipoli and in France; and reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1916, when he was appointed to the command of the Second Battalion, Canterbury Regiment. He was in charge of that battalion Until the end of the war.

The colonel was awarded the Military Cross, the D.S.O. and bar, the C.M.G. and the French Croix de Guerre, and was mentioned in dispatches five times. After the war he resumed his scholastic career at Canterbury College, and in 1926 was appointed professor of classics at Leeds University. In 1930 he was appointed principal of the University of Nottingham.