THE VETERANS' REVIEW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7133, 25 June 1901, Page 4

THE VETERANS' REVIEW.

After: the presentation, of the medals his Royal Highness, reviewed the veteran soldiers,. ■ Tkess, to the number of about a hundred, were under : the command o-f- Major Wolfe, V.D., and were drawn lip in two' lines •on ■ either side of the Royal dais. -Grizzled apd worn most of them looked, as was to be expected from the weight of years ! lihev carry, bat although bent with age, each endeavoured to' stand erect. The. majority of them wore medajs, spine having many clasp ■decorations. The Duke addressed, a Irindlv word fo each, aisking as to what regisnentt they • had served in, and, recognising some nf.the roe'dak, inqudi«d of the owners how they had been won. In several cases the Duke kindly listened to, the excuses for the absence of the dtcoratiolis, wihich,' he was to.d in two' instanced, had been lost through fires, while in one case the old soldier regretted that his treasures had been stolen, aavd his Royal Highness expressed his sorrow that the coveted .medals should have been lost. In ' the case of one very old soldier, who appeared in the uniform of the Chrislduirch Oity

Guards, and who, in reply to the Duke, eaid he had served in the Bth Hussars, tne 13th Light Dragoons and the 97th Foot, his Royal Highness expressed his pleasure at finding him still wearing the King's uniform at his advamoed age. In the case of another veteran, a Royal Artilleryman, from Ashburton, who was decorated with the Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol clasps over the Crimean "medal, and the Turkish medal, the Duke, on learning his name, informed him that he knew his brother well, he having been in the service of the present King for years at SandTingham, a veteran who wore the clasps for Alma, Balaclava and Sebastopol, ■had served in the 23rd Wefch Fusiliers. The, Duke payed high compliments to the old soldier on his distingu!ish«d war honours. Another, who wore the uniform of a CbristdVurch corps, and had • served in the 4bh King's Own, and the 43rd Light Infantry, with the Crimean, and New Zealand war medals, was asked by the Dufte if he was present at the fight at the Gate Pah at Tauranga, and, on being amswered in the affirmative, his Royal Highness asked for particulars oi the death of Colonel Booth, who fell in that engagement, which* the old soldier was only too ready to give. An*, old Royal Artillery man wore the Crimean medal with four clasps, as well as the . Turkish medal, the Sardinian medal and the Chinese war medal of 1860. Th* Duke made kindly reference to the decorations, and made sevei-al inquiries as to their history. A veteran who claims to be the oldest soldier in New Zealand, having served under Sir de Lacy Evans in Spain in 1835, with whom he went thWugh seventeen engagements, and was twice wounded, claims to. •have instructed Lord Roberts in bridge . construction when he was t a,-; youngs office.^ at Addiscombe College. pMjd ■special medal for distinguished service, was warmly congratulated by his Royal Highness. Ano.ther Royal Artilleryman wore the uniform of a lieutenant of the Canterbury Reserve Corps, and carried the Crimean, Turkish and French medals,, aa well as a decoration for distinguished conduct in the field. An ex-lieutenant of a Christchurch corps wore the New Zealand war medal of 1863, and was all through tie Maori war, being badly wounded at Otau. A retired Major, who hwS seen forty years of volunteer service, both in England and here, wore the V.D. Imperial decoration and the New Zealand long service medal. A sergeant of the Royal military train, bore the Turkish and Crimean medals, with the Sebastopol clasp, and also the i Royal Humane Society's medal for having ' saved a lady's life in a fire at Waterford. ;He also wore the badge of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and bis Royal Highness warmly congratulated him upon the honours he had won. A sergeant of the 90th Light Infantry Regiment served under Lord Wotseley through the Indian Mutiny, and wore the Lucknow clasp on his Indian medal. A veteran who had served as a farrier through the Maori war, amd who has the New Zealand medal, still carries with him his official pass from ; Otahuhu to Auckland, wjOiUier he was sent i with despatches, signed by Major Wolmsley, and counter-eign'ed by Captain Brown. Another Royal Artilleryman with whom the Duke conversed wore the Crimean medal with Inkerman amd Sebastopol clasps alongside the Turkish and New Zealand medals, and the next veteran was decorated with the Crimean, Turkish and Indian medals, having last seen service in the Indian Mutiny. One, who had served in the Royal Navy in Chinese waters, was present a* the taking of tihe Taku forts in 1859, under General Howe, 'and received a decoration for gallant conduct, and has now a son fighting im South Africa- Another Navy man was at Sebastopol and through the Chinese campaign up to 1859, during which b» was twice badly wounded. He wore the Crimean «nd China medals < with clasps; To each of tEese the Duke hod a, Idindly word to fay. At the coo-' elusion of ttoe review th© men were march-, ed off tjw parade ground to the Art Gallery, where they were ent«»Tt«ined cheon.