MILITARY EVENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19894, 25 May 1936, Page 6

MILITARY EVENT.

.\EW COLOIJRS PRESEATLD. WAIKATO REGIMENT 0N PARADE. GOVERNOR-GENERAL'S ADDRESS. MAGNIFICENT \\'AR RECORD. An anolent 'tradltlon became embodied In a new symbol when. wlth colourful ceremony and touches of mllltary pageantry that have been known to a dozen generations, new colours were presented to the Welkato Reglment by the Governor-General, Vlscount Galwey, In the ngh School grounds yesterday afternoon. For the last. tlma the standards which have seen servlce slnce 1914, were trooped and played to the rear before the new colours were unused And placed at the head of the hatullon. Widespread interest was evinced in the ceremony and every side of the grounds was filled by spectators.

Accommodation on the special stand was taxed and the enclosure for returned soldiers was tilled. The attendance was estiinatml at 8000. Associated with Viscount Galway on the salutingv lmsc were his aide-do. camp. Captain ;\. (j. \\'. Ilebvr-Percy,| and his honorary aide, Squadron—l Leader L. .\li Isitt. together with: Colonel Sir Stephen Allen. Sir \\'illiami Sinclair—Burgess. officer in commandl of the New Zenlantl Forces, Commo-I dore the Hon. E. B. Drummond. omcer. in command of the Naval Di\'ision.! Colonel J. E. Duigau, officer in charge‘ of the Northern Command. Colonel R. .\ltles. general staff omcer Northernt Command, and the Adjutant General,’ Colonel 0. H. Mead. I With the old colours tn the centre.l

[the regiment's three guards formed lin line facing the saluting base. The standards were hantlmt over to the colour sergeants——omhlematic of the trust placed in the non-commissioned nt‘flrers—and the ofllcors took up posi—tion to the right of the battalion. There was the roll ot‘ the assembly and ottlcers took post in front of the guards. Then came the gleam 0t drawn swords as the officers marched across the parade ground prior to re—cehing the reviewing ofllcer. Inspectlon of Guards. The, guards were inspected by the Vice—Regal party together with the re—turned soldiers with whom he chatted for several minutes before the troop—lng ceremony commenced. The hand and drummers. playing a slow march. paraded acruss the ground, returning in quick time to their former place while the escort took up their position in front of the colourst The Crowd stood imrrhrmimt as Regimental Ser—-geant-.\lujm' l\. Brunt received the btflllllfll‘tl and handed them to the 0014 our ntllt‘rrs \\hu. airmnumnimt by an escort. slow nmrvhett through the tile ut’ guards who for tht' last. time presrntml nrms to the historin sttintlardsi There. was a tltllt‘ll 0f ptttlins in the playing at :\ul<t Lang Syne us ttm rol—nul‘s were umrrhud In the rcur aunt cum-it. ' 'l‘ln- lmttaltnn was formed into :\ holv low squart- \\'llll thr drums pilot! in tt)'l‘.||llitll|‘.ll t‘nrtn in tho t‘t‘lltl‘t‘ for the runwc'ixition ut‘ the now t'olours. \\’hilt) thr)‘ in} umhuw‘xt nu thr' tiih‘tt drums Ithu t'nns'tu-iutlinn .\'(‘l'\it'l"\\.’ts rout]. tho luau] til" llamilhtn. thv Hm. '1" p. \\rrithm'hug Jtt't't!|l||l.il|it‘ll by tho How, it. .1. llmt. l', (I, S_ St'l'gp) ”ml I.‘_ 0' llß\\.\'Hl|. (tothtin: III.» I'nlnurs "ttmt, the} tillEllL be A aign at our LlUl) IQ» wards our, king and country in the

sight of Gull.“ liamlocl the colours by Major A. 11, nihlmns anti Major J. LL Baleson. His Excellency passed them on {0 the colour lieutenants. .\rlt’iressing the regiment. Viscount tjalway said that it had been a great pleasure to present the new colours and he wished to eXtPhd to the com—manding omcer. Lieutenant—Colonel, R. V. Closer. and his officers and men his good wishes for prosperity in the future. The ceremony was a great event in the history of a regiment. It was particularly notable on this occasion as the colours bore battle honours \\'on by the Battalion in the Great \Var which were a perpetual reminder of gallant actions which would be historic and famous for all time. The Rock of clvlllsatlon. “These colours hear remembrance of the Gallipoli campaign, the historic landing at Anzac and the gallant deeds which were perpetrated on those in—hospitable shores.“ His Excellentt}~ continued. “They also display the fact that the batallion did its duty in no mean part in France and Flanders. .\lessincs and Sambre conjure up memories of gallant actions that, will never be forgotten, These colours are no longer carried in battle as a rally—ing point but they are set apart for an~ other purpose—as a symbol of the loyalty and devotion to the Crown and Throne, At their head is the Royal Crown, the symbol of that great link which binds us all together in the great commonwealth o! nations known as the British Empire. “It is particularly fitting that to-day should be Empire Day when our thoughts turn to that great; system

which has brought prosperity and happiness in all parts of the world where the British flag flies. Men lift their hats to the standard as a snnboli of loyalty. \\‘hr‘n We think of what the l .British Empire has done and is doing in ‘ la \\‘orlrl surely troubled by (lissensioni [we may humbly thank Heaven that the iliritish Empire is a great rock on \\hich (humanity rests. It is the pillar and lhulwark or ciVitisation." l The. Governor—General referred t 3 ithe lion which the standards bore as lthe emblem of courage and considered [this to be one of the reasons why the {standards were prized so highly. In :times such as the present when inter 4 lnationril jealousie-s made the situation Idimcult the British Empire maintained [a firm and solid front. Other nations

took note that the Emplre was :1 force to hp reckoned with 21an liar] to be careful that it “as not, ruuscd. Need for Preparedness. “.\lost fll‘llll," do \\o all desire peace but \\'t’. \vill llrnrnlc nu ltllt'l‘ftl't‘liul“ in nut‘ limpirc Ht’l'aurs,” \‘isrount Uttlway Hated. "1 mn glut] to hear or the may nitlt-cut spirit that prevails in this hattdlion and l um sure that it is one that will carry it through to prosperous times. I sincerely hope that those who realise their patriotir duty will not. be slow to join its ranks and bring it up to full strength It is well to renmmber that the more we are prfipured and the more expert in training the less likeli—hood there is of the Crown being ever required to take part in \\‘ar. 1 trust that recruiting \\'ill be stimulated and become more active in the future and that the battalion will he raised to its full strength." Ills Excellvnvy ronrludert by mn—gralulnting l'inlnnol (7105‘}' and the hattalion on its excellent turn~ont mm the fine manner in which the Illlllr'ult rm'rmnninl movements hart hPen carried out. He ltnmv only tm‘. wall that it was not ms)‘ to carry wit thi‘sv vom—plit‘nlt‘d mnnnvnvros \vith Ill‘r‘rinth A lurlot‘ rvplv \\'tlS Inadv liy Lit'utonant. thmmcl Illust‘y \\‘hu rt‘t‘nrrnd M 1119, spirit at lln‘ lllt‘lllht‘t‘i of ”in lmltnlnm .'intt nt‘rontml the rolnurs intn .sut‘c kt‘t‘llillg. 'l'ln‘ t‘]:l!~‘ll nl' prvar‘ntt‘d arms signallml lilt‘ immoral salute .'ltltl "min the Nullunil .\nthrnx \vns plawd (is tlm new t-nlnurs tnml: Im~t in ”I" i'l‘ntrv of the imitation. \\lHl lln‘ mlqi standards pust‘ll but with tho ur‘w (mlnurs lin—tirnpt‘tl tlu‘ lmll.tlinn illin‘lll'W'tl in re—lew nrt‘lr‘r Ilw ‘l’invnrinuntit‘nnrnl Ink—lng the mlute lmtnra the cotnuletiou ~at the ceremony.