ECHO OF 1918

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 108, 20 February 1950, Page 4

ECHO OF 1918

GERMAN MESSAGE THROUGH RED CROSS

The following letter, which tells its own story, has been received by the secretary-general of the New Zealand Red Cross from the International Red Cross headquarters in Geneva: “I heard yqur broadcast re-transmit-ted on January 1, 1950 by the NorthEast Germany broadcasting station. I write to tell you how impressed and happy I was. The message coming from New Zealand particularly reminded me of an event which happened 32 years ago but which is worth describing. “After the breakdown of Germany in November, 1918, I -was in CologneDcllbruck/Thielenbruch. The New Zealand troops went into quarters with the Scotch troops; they wore, as far as I remember, wonderful cowboy hats. I was then 17 years old and I quickly made friends with the soldiers; to-day I have of course forgotten, their names. At Christmas time something happened that I will remember all my life and of which I think every Christmas morning. On the morning of December 24, 1918, at 5 a.m., the band of the New Zealand troops, composed of 20 to i 30 soldiers, played three Christmas carols on the four principal public squares of the town. Every sensitive person was deeply touched. I was greatly impressed by the way officers and men of a foreign power shared a common feeling with the German people. “These men who were separated from their fatherland by thousands of miles, and who were probably homesick tried to mitigate with their songs the suffering of the German families—woman and children, who had suffered during four years of war. I may say with all my fellow-citizens who heard these songs that they fully succeeded and that it was wonderful to he awakened by those carols. “I have lost everything; it is only four weeks since I again v have a radio; I could not bear such loneliness any longer and I was anxious to hear the Christmas and New Year broadcasts. And now may I ask for a favour. Would you be good enough to transmit my letter to the New Zealand broadcasting headquarters, and beg them to thank in an appropriate broadcast all the men who took part in what was to me a great event. It may happen that one of these men will hear it and will be so good as to write to me and tell me if he too remembers that Christmas Day in Cologne in 1915.” Yours sincerely, Richard Beer.