SPIRIT OF ANZAC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 96, 26 April 1933, Page 8

SPIRIT OF ANZAC

WANGANUI SERVICES GENERAL RUSSELLS SPEECH 10,000 AT COOKS GARDENS. Anzac Day commemoration services were conducted in Wanganui yesterday in fine, but cold weather. A large gathering attended at the Maori memorial in Moutoa Gardens in the morning, and in the afternoon approximately 10,000 were in attendance at the combined civic and military observance of the day on Cook’s Gardens, where the principal speaker was Major-General Sir Andrew H. Russell. K.C.8., K.C.M.G., who was the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Division in the Great War. Before handing over me service t< the chairmanship of the Rev. H. G Goring C-F.. th® Mayor. Mr. N G. Arm strong, extended a cordial welcome t< General Sir Andrew Russell. He was ; leader of whom the Dominion wa: justly proud and the citizens of Man ganui very much appreciated his pre senee, the Mayor sai<T. Anzac Day, said General Russel, re solved itself into two different phases One concerned the remembrance o those who fought and died and tin sympathy that went out from th< hearts of every one to those who hat! lost loved ones. That should be a re verant remembrance. The other side t< Anzac was that it should be looker upon from a joyful point of view Everybody knew that New Zealand hat taken her place in the line and hat done her duty. Now there was an up port unity for not only looking forward Anzac (Day helped to recollect ihi spirit of Anzac, a spirit which was be iieved was the need of the country am the world in their present difficulties He would try and define just what tha spirit was. He was reminded of at lending the unveiling of a memorial <» Ghunuk Bair recently, erected to th< memory of men who had fallen at Gali polli. One he remembered well, wh( had come from near Wanganui, and hat l>een a very line soldier—Colone Malone On the occasion of the unveil ing General Russell had tried to givi expression to what was in his mind ol those men who had struggled togelhei below Pine Ridge. One quality, hi would not rail it a virtue, which showec itself in the Main Body and earlier re inforeements, was a sense of antici pa tiva. He did not mean that as a reflee tion on the men who had come in late: reinforcements. In fact, quite as goo* men, some of them better, had tom< later. That quality was a tine one ir whatever race it was found. Anothe quality in the soldier on active scrvict was his readiness to help his fellow men. even without regard to danger t« the individual who was doing the help •ng. The speaker remembered one con crate instance of that on Gaiipolli There was occasional firing at. No. - Post, which, no doubt, some of thos< present would remember. M hen an in vestigation was made it was fount that a New Zealander was exjwsinj himself to the enemy and. a little waalong, his comrade wa- keeping watc. on the enemy line-. \ hen asked wh ? he was acting in 11 •*’■ way the nmi -aid his comrade had been by t sniper a little while before and he wm exposing himself to draw the tire of th* -niper while his friend beside hm picked the sniper off. That man wa prepared to sacrifice his own hie wjiH Jomebodv els- got the man who hm »hot his comrade To General Russell ■ Point, of view that was wrong, but h‘ could not blame the spirit which under lav it, part of the spirit of Anzac—J readiness to make sacrifice for com "Xanniug, General saM tha the qualities shown by the Anzacs wen qualities which were manifest. Ul th' \nglo-Bason race —qualities of antic, nation, of selt'-saenh-e. t.leranee angoodwill. When be had left the Zealand Division and handed it oie to the command of officers who re -.named. he had addressed a farewet message to the men. He had looke. back not- without pride on the achieve meats of the Division. “Me haworked, one lor all, and everyone to the other,-’ he said. AH had had tin ■ame “zero” hour. Men had gon••over the top” together anj bceaiisi of that each had eonqucied his owi tear. “It is so mm-h better Io *gover the top’ together than to go mil alone,” he said, ‘’because the P rc? rare of men beside you helps you t' surmount vour own feat. Taking‘the spirit “f Anzac. th people to day should .-land on thei >.wn feet and light their own battles Ju the war the men were all of “th. ■ame family.” -'•*> it should be to-dai He believed that by each and evert person doing the right thing the couit try would find the solution of it material difficulties. Just as had beer done in the war, people in thi>worb would have to submit 1 hemselves t< • * raptains, 7 ’to “majors. 77 to “lieut. colonels.” In life as it was now’,those offi. es were idled by the Govemmen and bodies. It was the duty oi the people to help the Government ant local bodies in their difficulties and H keep up the family. Lt was “up to New Zealand to be a “good family. Lt, was possible to have good inter nationalism when there were goot nations to band together. There ""ub never be good nations unless then were “good families*’ to cOn«pt’s< t hem. General Russell believed, however that it was not possible for man tt solve his difficulties unaided. It wa absolutely necessary for him to opcr his mind io the inpourings of the Ho!.' Spirit. He had to seek guidance frou a Higher Authority than any on earth Ln other words, he must seek th< Kingdom of God. \ll the progress am prosperity man desired would not com< tn him it be merely sat down, or be cause he tried to study them from : material point of view. It was neees sary to study from a spiritual point oi view as well. That was the spiri underlying the old Anzac spirit. Met did not look forward to war on : material plane, but rather on a spiri Uml plane. AUCKLAND CEREMONY f Per Press Association. } AUCKLAND. April 25. Impressive Anzac Day services wen held in the city and suburbs in iin< weather. The gathering at the Ceno taph was the largest since the cere mony was held. There was a largi procession of ex-soldiers of all branch* and many wreaths were deposited oi the Ccjjotapt.