STAR FOR GALLIPOLI

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 60, 4 December 1917, Page 8

STAR FOR GALLIPOLI

REQUEST BY MR. MASSEY

AN INTERESTING LETTER

As announced by a Press telegram from London last week, the War Office has agreed to sanction the issue of a special Gallipoli • Star and Riband to certain of the soldiers who took part in the Gallipoli campaign. Two conditions are necessary to qualify for the medal. The claimant must have sailed for the scene of the war before the end of 1914, and must have actually taken part in the Gallipoli campaign. As applying to Neiv Zealand, this will mean that the men of the Main Body and of the First and Second Reinforcements will be entitled to the star, but that the Third Reinforcements, who left this country after the end of the year 1914, hut some of whom took part in the- famous landing on April 25, 1915, will not receive the star. A brief statement 011 the issue of the star to New Zeaand soldiers was made by Mr. Masse.y* to a reporter yesterday. Mr. Masscy said that it was a coincidence that one of the very last letters that he wrote in England before his departure to return to this country was on this subject, and it was addressed to the Minister for War, Lord Derby. The letter was as follows:— Savoy Hotel, London, May 14, 1917. Dear Lord Derby—l am just 011 the eve- of leaving on my homeward journey, and I regret exceedingly that owing to your being out of town I was unable to have the pleasure of seeing you to-day. I am anxious again to impress upon you the very strong desire 011 the part of those who took part in the Gallipoli campaign, and also their relatives and friends, to have some special recognition provided in connection therewith. You will recollect that I urged that a similar recognition should also bo provided for men of the first six divisions of the Expeditionary Force, who will go down to history as having turned the tide of war against the Germans, and probably saved Paris. I know there are difficulties in the way of doing what I have suggested, but 1" feel certain that if it can be done it will moet with universal approval. I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you again at some future date, when we shall be able to look back 011 the very stirring times which we have experienced during the past few years. With all good wishes and kind regards, Relieve me, yours sincerely, (Sgd.) W. F. MASSEY.

Mr. Massey said that the matter had been discussed before tliis on several occasions. He had no doubt that the discussion upon it at the Imperial Conference would one day be made public, but up till the present this had not been done, and lie could not therefore tell publicly what had been said at the conference on the question. He hoped that in the case of the men who have fallen the star and riband would he given to their relatives.