MONTGOMERY’S TOUR

Wanganui Chronicle, 24 July 1947, Page 7

MONTGOMERY’S TOUR

GREAT RECEPTION EVERYWHERE CROWDS CONGREGATE AND CHEER HEARTILY. (P.A.) Dunedin, July 21. If Sunday's unofficial welcome to Lord Montgomery was to be regarded as surprising, to-day’s official welcome was little short of sta'ggering. Crowds lined the streets, in bright winter sunshine, from the time of his first appearance. and by mid-day. when the

outdoor civic reception was held in the Octagon, a huge throng of about 10,000 people filled th e centre of the city. As th e open car, with police escort, came along Prince's Street crescendos of cheering and applause followed -until he arrived at the main entrance of the Town Hall. From the time lie

left his hotel this morning, until he finally drove away from the city, Lord Montgomery was kept acknowledging the cheers of groups of people along the sides of the streets. His first call in the morning was at the disabled servicemen's vocational

training centre in Anzac Avenue and there was a large group waiting to see him at the entrance as he was re-

ceived by the chairman of the committee (Mr. S. V. Smith) and the District Officer, Mr. F. H. McCluskey.

Th e crowd broke into “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.’’ After meeting the remainder of the committee, the Field-Marshall set out on a speedy tour of th P building. Catching sight ot photographs of Mr. Winston Churchill, the Field-Marshal stopped suddenly, and pointed it out. “There's old Churchill," he exclaimed. He kept up a running lire of questions as to the Centre s dilliculties in obtaining materials, and outlets for disposal for finished products. The umbrella-making section provided a moment of humour as the FieldMarshal opened a tar-tan covered um-

brella and held it above his head. “You know, this would be a most useful article for a soldier to carry," he said, “much better than swords."

"Do you think the army should be equipped with them?" he was asked. “Well, the Japanese army might be,” was his reply. Alter morning tea in the canteen, Mr. Smith presented

him with a leather suitcase—“in the hope that you will take it with you on your travels, and that it will remino you of the men here in Dunedin. “This is very kind of you." said Lord Montgomery. "One can collect all sorts of little things on one’s travels, and I can hardly get all my stuff into my baggcigc now. This ’suitcase will be most useful. I think that in New Zealand you look after ex-servicemen very well,” h c said. "I think you do these things much better than we do in England. As I go round various countries, 1 learn lessons in how well the ex-serviceman can b P looked after if it is well organised. I will take these lessons back with me, and see ♦hat they ar e put into practice. I think we have a very definite duty towards the welfare of the returned man. I was very pleased when you made me a member of your Returned Sei vices Association. I was told that I really should not wear it, because I am not

an ex-serviceman. No doubt I soon will be, but I feel now that we are comrades in peace, as we were comrades in war.” From the training centre, the FieldMarshall drove to the Montecillo Soldiers’ Home, where he was greeted by Dr. R. Fulton, the matron, Mr. A. C. Douglass, and the chairman of the committee of the home (Mr. J. W. Smearon).

When told that there wore 24 patients in residence at the Home, Lord Montgomery replied with a laugh: "Looked after by all these nice nurses. They mu*st have a good time." A neat box in polished Southland beech was handed to the FieldMarshall by Sgt. A. Anderson, of Cromwell, and the visitor opened it up and produced a woollen scarf in the Montgomery tartan. "Did you make it?” he asked. "It Is a lovely thing. I shall wear it now." Lord Montgomery then visited the only patient who was unable to be present at the welcome, Mr. I. Hastie, a double amputee, who served with the Merchant Navy in convoys to Russia and during th e evacuation of Dunkirk. The Field-Marshall was delighted to discover that the ship in which Hastie had served was possibly the one engaged in the evacuation of troops ol the division which he was commanding at the time of Dunkirk. He took a keen interest in a tapestry on which Hastie was working. "I could not do anything like this," ho said. "As a matter or fact, I should like to stay in bed myself for a month and do a bit of this. It would bo good rest." He laughed when Hastie offered to teach him tapestry work if he did decide on any such action.

The Field-Marshall returned to his hotel for a brief period prior to going to the civic reception, and he attended a luncheon at the R.S.A. Clubrooms going on to Oamaru and the North.