The Dominion. FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1915. NEW ZEALAND'S TROOPS IN ACTION

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2449, 30 April 1915, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1915. NEW ZEALAND'S TROOPS IN ACTION

The large and eager crowd which a-ssembled on Parliament grounds yesterday to show appreciation of "the splendid gallantry and magnificent achievement" of the New Zealand troops on the field of battle was an impressive indication of the keenness with which the people of this Dominion are following the tremendous happenings in conncctton with this epoch-making war. From the outset of the struggle tjw Overseas Dominions realised just as clearly as the Motherland the vastness of the issues, at stauc, but .they are only 119W beginning to understand all that direct participation in the conflict means. The whole Empire has now come to actual erips with the enemy. The Indian troops have be-n fightingside by r idj with British soldiers in Europe for some time past. The South Africans are in the midst of their task of conquering the neighbouring German possessions. During the present week the Empire has beqn_ thrilled with pride by the indomitable courage of the Canadians, and now', the men of Australia and New Zealand are proving that they have inherited their full share of the fighl'ng spirit of the British race. The people of New Zealand are be-' ginning to know by, direct experience something of the glory and the terror of war. Our own soldiers have at length emerged from their period of probation and training, and have borne ..themselves as they were expected to do in what would seem -to have been a great battle at the_ Dardanelles. Comparatively little ■is known as yet about the assault upon, the Ottoman defences -in which the ' New Zealand and contingents cooperated with other Allied forces, but a dispatch", from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor tells us that the splendid gallantry of our men has contributed very materially to the successful progress of the operations. It is plain'from the language used that- the achievement was one of some magnitude. ' The New Ze-alanders arc. fighting on historic ground, and they are taking part in an enterprise which is bound to make one of the most stiri'in?'_chapters in 'the. annals of the Empire.! The attention of the whole world, is focused on ' the .operations in which they are engaged. The forcing of the Dardanelles' and the fall of Constantinople would be one of'the great turning points of the war. The thought of what our men are doing in this great histoi'y-mak-ing. enterprise is enough to stir 'the most .sluggish' 'imagination, 'and though.we all know that they would give , a good , .'.account of themselves when the supreme test came, it is '.none the less gratifying to .find that our JiigheSt anticipations have been fully realised. _ The /recognition accorded the' achievements of our soldiers at'the' Dardanelles';could not have been more eulogistic. Higher tribute, could not be paid than is contained in the words of the mcssasc . from the Secretary of. State for the Colonies to His Excellency the Governor :

- H)9 Majesty's Government desire me to offer their warmest congratulations' on the splendid" gallantry and,- magnificent achievements of your contingent in the successful progress of operations .in the Dardanelles. This is no formal acknowledgment of duty done, but a glowing testimony to splendid gallanti;y resulting in a magnificent achievement in . the cause of Britain and her Allies. The Dominion nas reason to be. proud of the fact that :it, has already sent out 17,000 of its young men to fight for Kino and Empire, but it-should be prouder still of the men who are representing it in'the fighting lines of the armies of the Allies'in /Turkey]