GENERAL'S FAREWELL ORDER

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2282, 16 October 1914, Page 6

GENERAL'S FAREWELL ORDER

TO THE ARMY AND THE PUBLIC

Major-General Sir Alexander Godley, C.8., K.C.M.G., has issued the following farewell order on the occasion of his departure from New Zealand in command of the Expeditionary Force :— ' "On leaving tho Dominion in command of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, I wish, on its -behalf, to thank all ranks of the Citizen' Army, both Permanent and Territorial, ijor the loyal support and assistance they have given in its formation. It must bo a great satisfaction to the Regiment of Royal New Zealand Artillery, the officers of tho New Zealand Staff Corps, tho warrant and non-commissioned officers of tho New Zealand Permanent Staff, tho clerical and stores staffs, and the ranks of the Territorial Force, to realiso that their hard -work and devotion to duty during tho past years has succeeded in producing so line and well-organised a body of men as the Expeditionary Force which I have tho Honour to command.

' "I" feel also that wo owe a deep debt of gratitude to the old Volunteers and their organisation on. which the Territorial scheme was based. Not only they, but also tho other branches of the Citizen Amiy, the rifle clubs, and tho Cadets, moy feel that they have au important sharo in tTie result that lias boon obtained. To all Royal Now Zealand Artillery, New Zealand Stuff Corps, Now Zealand Permanent Staff, tlie clerical and stores staffs, Territorial Force, Volunteers, ritto clubs, and Cadets, I wish to express on behalf of the Expeditionary Force our deep sense of gratitude and thanks for tho services and the spirit which has mado possible tho preparation and diepateh of a Force so worthy to represent Now Zealand, and so well fitted to do valuable service for tho Empire. I would impress upon all ranks, and upon all branches of the service, the vital Mcessity of continuing to maintain, in the absence of the Expeditionary Force, tho same high standard of effort, not only in order that drafts of equal value shall bo dispatched to reinforce it, but also that the scheme of universal training for the defence of tho Dominion shall in no way suffer by our absence.

"To all citizens and all classes of tho community, I wish also to express the gratitude of the Expeditionary Force for the support and assistance they have, given us. To the ladies'who have worked so hard to provid'o comforts and necessaries for; the troops; to the business community who have helped materially and financially; to the farmers, who have given us of their best in tho way of horses and forage; to tho professional classes, who have ungrudgingly, and as a rule gratuitously, given ue their skilled assistance; to all classes of labour, who have worked with a will and at - high pressure, to meet our requirements at short notice; to all branches of the Government Service ; to municipal and other publio bodies; and to all who have subscribed so liberally to the various patriotio funds, we owe our most grateful thanks. I wish specially to acknowledge the way in which the Press of the Dominion, as a whole, has loyally obsorved the restrictions rendered necessary by the stato of war. It is only another instanco of the help and support which practically all newspapers of the country have given to the military authorities during the past four years of work in connection with the inception of the scheme of universal train-

ing. "Thanks to tho efforts the community with respect' to the Expeditionary Force, and the support of t|to people in the cause of universal training, we leave the shores of New Zealand well armed and well equipped, and it will be the aim and- endeavour of every man of the Force to prove worthy to represent the Dominion when fin"ds himself ranged in Europe along' side the other Forces of tho Empire. "For myself, I feel I cannot adequately express to tho people of the country/my gratitude for all tho kindness and sympathetic support I have received from thorn throughout my tenure of command of the New Zealand Citizen Army. I can only say that in return for it all, I will do my best for the Expeditionary Force whioh they have entrusted to my care, and that it is my earnest hope that I may return with it to the Dominion, and so revisit the.many good friends I have made in the coiintry with which I am proud to be so thoroughly identified, and of which I hope I may be allowed to feel myself almost a citizen. "I wish also to express to the people my heartfelt thanks for the valuablogift of a sword of honour which they have presented to mo on my departure in command of the Expeditionary Force. I shall value it particularly because it comes from the people, and, if such a thing were needed, it will always ho a delightful reminder to me of tho happy days I have spent in the formation of tho Citizen Army of the country. Lady Godley wishes mo to add how sorry sho is to bo leaving tho Dominion, and that sho hopes very much to return with me to see it and all her friends again. "(Signed) ALEX. GODLEY, "Major-General, "General Officer commanding New Zealand Expeditionary Forco."