DEPARTURE OF THAMES VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FRONT.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XIV, Issue 4058, 31 October 1881, Page 3

DEPARTURE OF THAMES VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FRONT.

Saturday morning will long be a memorable day in tho history of tho volunteers i of this district, owing to tho departure of • a strong contingent of the local corps to ; tho front, in response to the call of duty. From, an early hour the township was astir, and about 0 o'clock members of the various companies who had enrolled for activo servico might have'been seen parading the streets', wendihg their way in tho direction of the drill-halls to prepare for mustering. Tho greatest enthusiasm has been'displayed by the Thames public since.the mind of the Government was first known, and up to within a few minutes of falling in recruits presented themselves ready to proceed to Parihaka. Business was suspended during tho timb of embarkation, and tho population appeared to turn out en mam to witness tho departure of tho volunteors. At half-past nino tho companies fell in at the Naval Brigade; Hall, numbering as follows Thames Naval Brigade: Capt, Wildman, Lieut. Gavin,i and Sub-Lieut. Gordon, 11 petty officors, and 53 seamen—total, 67. Scottish Battalion: Captain Johnstono, Adjutant Schoficld, and 47 rank and filetotal '49. Hiiuraki Engineers; Lieut. O'Sullivan, 2 sergeants, 4 corporals, and 18 rank pnd filo—total '25. Grand total, 138. —The contingent was exercised in several company and battalion movements by the officers, and before leaving the lial! tho men 'were addressed by Major Murray, who exhorted the men to maintain tho good behaviour for which the Thafoos Volunteers had always been remarkable, and thoy would bo a credit to themselvos and to the district thoy represented. Government expected a great deal from the Thames men, and so also did tho population of tho colony, and he was confident thoy would not bo disappointed. A voice from the crowd f!' Aro you going to tho front yourself?" tp which the.Major replied that he' regretted, ho was linablo to accompany .the battalion j but hoped to bo' with them in tho coursc of a few weeks, Tho companies then formed a column four deep, and marched out of the hail, halting in front of the building, where a photograph of tho;forco was taken .bv Messrs, ioy Bros. Tho column re-formed, and headed by tho united-bands of the Navals and Scottish niarcliod riloug Brownstreet towards tHo plnco of'oinbarkation to the spirit-stirring music of "Tho Girl I leftbeind me," " Auld Lang Syne," " Home Sweet Home," and similar tunes. Along the line of march overy street corner was occupied by hundreds of spectators eager to catch a glimpse of the civilian warriors on tlieir way to dofond the rights of their follow-countrymen, A large. concourse accompanied th'o men to tho'wlmrf, and tho scono alongside tho steamer was affecting, the men bidding farewell to friends anu rolativesihs thoy stepped forward on the gangway. Conapiciious among the battalion were the three Carbine Champions of the colony, Petty' Officors j Armstrong and Thomas, and, Lieut. Gordon of the Naval Brigade. In addition' to the numbers given above, two men of tho Scottish and ono of tho Engineers missed thoir passages, and wero to leave by tho Enterpris# in the evening, whilst five men or the Scottish and several Navals intimated their dosiro'to go during tho day, and also left per Enterprise at night, making tho total up to; 150 of all ranks, Captain Payne, of tho Auckland Artillery, mado tho necessary arrangements for billeting tho Thames Volunteers in town, Tho following arc tho names of thoso Volunteers who left by the Rotomahana: — "THAMES SCOTTISH BATTALION,' , , . No. 1 Company, Capfc P Johnstone • Liout. A W Burns Sorgt-Mjr. T M Scott Col-Sorgt, B Jaokson Sfirgt J. W Anderson ScrgbThoa Koudall Corpl Henry Hyran.ii Corpl W H H Hassett „ Alfred Mayo Bugler T Hawkins Vol John Campboll Vol Fred McLennan „ Petor Woir „ Patrick Hennessy „ Th'os Johnstono „ John J Allen „ It Baker „ Win Hordman „ Henry Kemp „ EMcMinniman „ Abraham Meats „ Alfred Burdatt „ George Downie „Wm 3reon „Wm MeConncll „ Alan Vipond „Wm MoGrogor . „ Georgo Raynor „ AFForde „ WmDuggan „ John Huff „ Valentino Kenyon „ H F Palmer No. 2 Company. Sorgt. Wm. Cole 6 Vol ft Collins Corpl R. Preeco „ Houry Moaso Vol James Cochrane „' John Smith „ B B. Fennio „ JohnAitkea „ Andrew Burns „ Chas Lawlor „ Wm; McDonald „ Samuel Ferguson „ Iteubon Proscott . „ A, Stirco „ Edward Lambert , No. 3 Company. Vol Henry Pcarce Vol Chas, Monsell Hauiuki Engineers : LtpE O'Sullivan Sorgt G W Clarke Sargt Henry Vino Corpl T C Graham Corpl John Green Corpl Goorge h'oiid Corpl WmH.BuokleyPrvt Samuel Craun Prvt James Barber ~" Patrick Ilennessy " Henry Ccnroy , " Ernest Holroydl " John Graham. Samuel Bell " HobiHßateman " Honry Godwin " Ilonry Ibbertson ' " Timothy Donovan " Bioh'ard Ward' • "'Joseph Ibbetaon " William Gibbons " Thomas Roiddy ' " N Fergusbn " James Gerrish ' " Arthur Webster . ' Naval. Brigade,. Captain Wildmau ' Soaman Ingles Lieut Garin „ J Kelly „ Gordon „ TKelly 1 P.O. D Henderson „ M Kiley „ W Armstrong „ DLe Tissier „ A Jamieson „ S Loughlin i, W Mitchell „ B, Lewis „ J Thomas „ F Ma3on „ W H Potts „ W Murphy „ A Thomas „ W Mnlr „ J Carter „ JMilno „ A Wilson „ J McKay „ T J Wilson „ W James Seamon R Johnston „ H Blake „ ANewdiok „ WOttor „ G Ardern „ W Bailoy „ ,JBridges: ' „ WCobb „ JTFiHher „ TGoldsworthr „ T Gentles „ C Gordon „ J Gordon „ II Gordon „ A Gordon „ FHoran „ J I'aralow „ OPetors „ W J Patterson „ Aitedfern „ JRowo „ FRowo „ J Redwood „ J Smith „ J Sullivan „ G B T—' „ GTrusoott ii M Tii-- ' ...jior „ JTrewhella , „ G Waito „ J Webster „ OB Wilson » ..G White ~ J Wooleock n W Bachalder , W Martin ii R Fconey