TROOPS ON THE MARCH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 84, Issue 295, 16 December 1940, Page 4

TROOPS ON THE MARCH

SCENE IN WELLINGTON

ADDRESSES BY GOVERNOR AND OTHERS [Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Dec. 14. I A parade of troops from Trentham 'mobilisation camp brought all Wellington into the streets this morning. {lt was hot and sultry after heavy {overnight rain and the march suffcried from the paucity of band music, I but the men were a soldierly lot and ■ spectators were greatly impressed thereby.

I People assembled mostly along the route of the march and at the scene of the parade itselr at. Parliament House, the numbers were somewhat thin. Representatives of the State and Army. Navy, and Air Force were present, together with Allied Consuls and representatives of Empire countries.

In his address, the Governor-Gen-eral. Lord Galway, said there was no doubt we had turned the corner and were making progress towards a victory of right over wrong. “We are thrilled,’’ he said, “to read of the deeds being accomplisned in the Western Desert in Egypt, where the First Echelon and others of the New Zealand Forces are no doubt taking their full share.” Longest Procession of War. Speeches also were given by the Mayor of Wellington, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, and Mr. Cowles, representing the Returned Soldiers’ Association. Before the troops moved off in the march the vicar-general of the archdiocese, the Rt. Rev. Monsignor T. F. Connolly, offered prayers and pronounced the Benediction.

Associated., with the parade were the Territorial units of the Wellington area and the procession of troops was the longest that has been seen in i Wellington during this war. The I bands were the Trentham Camp Band jof the First Battalion Wellington I Regiment and the pipes and drums of that regiment, the band of the Second 'Field Regiment of the New Zealand Ambulance and the Trentham Heavy Regimental Band.