MEN OF ANZAC

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2698, 18 February 1916, Page 5

MEN OF ANZAC

SERVICE AT ST. MARGARET'S, WESTMINSTER •By Telegraph-Press • Apwjclotlon-ConjTtdit London, February 16. A service for soldiens' from the overseas Dominions was held at St. Marcaret's, Westminster, at midday. Twelve hundred Australian and Now ■ Zealand convalescents' filled the body of the church. The entire congregation consisted of khaki-attired troops, who marched W Westminster headed by the Anzac Band; _ There is a contrast between the earlier appearance of the An. zacs and their, present appearance; then they were suffering from grave wounds, and were unable to walk without assist- ( ance; now'.tliey arc ready to proceed to the front at u moment's notice. Canon Carnegie, the Kector, said he hoped that the oversea troops and their friends and relations would regard r -St. Margaret s as their own parish church. That would be specially appropriate, because it was the House ot Commons parish church, and members of the House of Commons and the whole Knglieh people wished to show t'heir dee]) appreciation of what the Dominions had done in this "momentous crisis m tlio ' Jimpire's fortunes. No episode in history had found'a more inspiring or mo.'o pregnant and far-reaching result than the magnificent rally of the Dominions to tlie support oi the Empire. The rising up of Bntons close to the storm centre was not unexpected, notwithstanding superficial signs of degeneracy, but tno response of the men of the Dominions had exceeded expectations. They were d unfaltering, and,determined not to spare o their blood and treasure. Their deeds ol of courage and self-sacrifice had been unsurpassed in the annals' of war. It e was impossible to overrate the world- tl importance of these events. .The ina- a terial help of the Dominions had been of o great service when. Britain's resources u were strained to the utmost. fc,

"AYe now know." lie added, "what formerly wo could only Lope, that the Empire is a living organism, 'bound bv unbreakable ties, traditions, ideals, and ambitions. The, ordeal has aroused raco consciousness and the Imperial consciousness, and tho least imaginative now realise that Anglo-Saxons are destined to stand together, a potent instrument in God's hands for the propagation of the great_ principles of civilised progress. \\ e must not lose the unique opportunity, when so many Dominionites_ are in Britain to deal with tho intricate, difficult problems of reorganisation and consolidation, whicli will tax nil our foresight and intelligence to solve aright."

HOMEWARD BOUND. . RETURNING- new zealanderb FAR SWELLED. London, February 16. A crowd of Anglo-New Zealanders at rsdeungton Station farewelled eighty men who are unfit for further service and who are returning to New Zealand aboard the 'lurakina. Tho men are under Captain Conway. Those on the ptatipn platform included Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commisioner. On behalf of a committee of Englishwomen, Lady Smith-Dorrien (wife oI General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien) prefiented the men with a silk Union Jacl; and a metal shield with the inscription "To New Zealand Heroes from the Women of England." Miss' Chamberlain (a daughter of th*o Into Mr. Joseph Chamberlain) said that Enalushwomen ,now realised that tlio British were one race. The Homeland and the Dominions would in future / think, feel, and act together in dcfenco of the things for which they cared— namely, justice, freedom, and human kindness. \ The Anzac Band played "The Homo Fires are Burning." The departing soldiers were heartily cheered.