DEEDS OF VALOUR IN GREAT WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18465, 17 May 1928, Page 12

DEEDS OF VALOUR IN GREAT WAR.

MEMORIES RECALLED AT “ DINKS ” REUNION. Ten rears were rolled back last evening when former members of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade gathered for the first time since their demobilisation in »uch numbers that the Jellicoe Hall was crowded, not a vacant chair being left. The occasion was the first reunion among the “ Dinks,” and all present united to make the evening a thorough success. Colonel A. E. Stewart, 0.M.G.. D. 5.0., presided. After the loyal toast had been honoured. the chairman proposed the toast " Fallen Comrades,” of whom, he said, there were 3000 of the Brigade, including their leader, Brigadier-General H. T. Fulton. The toast of “ The Brigade ” was proposed by Lieutenant-Colonel N. W. B. B. Thoms, Chief Staff Officer, Southern Command, who said that war consisted of long months of monotony, punctuated by moments of intense fear. All the same, they were not afraid of another one. War gave men a feeling of belonging to a really big show. He thought that the Government did better than it knew when it was decided to send a new’ organisation, the Rifle Brigade. The New Zealand Rifle Brigade was founded in much the same way as the first rifle brigade, and de-

termined to be “ second to qone,” as did the first rifle brigade one hundred years ago. He did not think that the “ Dinks ” during the war ever failed to get an objective. One could not think of the Rifle Brigade without thinking of General Harry Fultor. lie was the father of it, and he n.ade ;t. Responding to the toast, the chairman said that they had no territorial regiments to carry on their traditions—they were memories. Anything they did must forever be coupled with the name of General Fulton, who made the Brigade. The general was there with, them in spirit, he felt sure of that. The New Zealand Rifle Brigade’s name was honoured wherever the historians recorded anything of the Great War. The Brigade lost 3100 men, it had two V.C.’s, Lieutenant S. Frickleton and Sergeant Laurent, and over fiOO other decorations. That was the past. What of the present? It was their duty to back, up the territorial regiments. Mr G. W. Lloyd, president of the R.S_A.. spoke on the work of the association. The toast of "Kindred Units” was proposed by Lieutenant-Colonel J. Murphy, and was responded to by Lieutenant-Colonel Thoms (N.Z. Staff T’orps), Lieutenant-Colonel R. C. Wiekens, D.S.O. (New Zealand Field Artillery), Lieutenant-Colonel H. C. Hurst, D.S.O. (New’ Zealand Mounted Rifles), and Captain J. W. Crampton (Ist Battalion, Canterbury Regiment).