NEW ZEALAND STATIONARY HOSPITAL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 208, 28 May 1919, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND STATIONARY HOSPITAL

GENERAL GODLEY'S TRIBUTE, The following letter concerning thn splendid work carried but at tlie jS'ew Zealand Sl.ationary. .liospifal ill FhuitC) published In tlie New Zealand iuirsing jo.iii'iial, "h'al Tiaki," was ivfilteil . by General Godley to Lieutenant-Colonel 0, ■T. Ilantl-Ncwtoili D.SiO., OHicer Commanding tho hospital in question; 'i'lm letter is dated January 11, : l!)ll):''On . the 'demobilisation of the New Zealnlul stationary Hospital, I wish to .place on record my .high appreciation of tht> ebntinued 'gowl work done by you and .all ranks.under your command since the arrival of the hospital in Egypt in the summer of lillii. .."The..excellent organisation and unliring care of l.ic'sick. itu.t.l wounded was very highly commended by the adthoHtics in Egypt, and later in Salonika,'in the autumn of. 11)13, jliul ill the early pnft of: 10111. .The'fine record of the hospital iu the latter theatre of war was particularly creditable,' coming lis it did directly .'after the disorganisation- of the hospital, consequent, on the. .unfortunate .disaster to the. hospital ship'.'M'ai'quclti'. during.which officers,, nurses* and. other .ranks 'behaved with a dauntless .courage and' steadiness worthy of the 'highest traditions of the service. The nurses, and all-others who'made the supreme ftkvnhou -on that, occasion, continue to hold a high'place in our'hearts among ■those'Wliodiavo given their lives for the causei-nf. freedohi,.... • . ;1

'.'On the feluru 6f :tlie' Stationarv Hospital'to feypt : iil Inifl. .thb soldiers, of tht, New Zealand' Expeditionary Force ■liH<t the. great benelit ot';beliig cared for by th&.Bttiff,..find I.can'personally testify to thb .valuable services rendered under wmewhat dillicnlt cireunistaiices,' On its iiia'iynl in Vrnnce in the iulddle of. 1916. 'the hospitwl.- was .re-established at Amiens. Here excellent ivork was done throughout.-tlio ileree slruggle which took. placs in the Iwllles on-Ihe Somme from. July onward.- In■ October, : lillfi. f.ieut.jyionel U.-ii. M'Clavin having been apjiointcd A.D.M.S.; New .Zealand Division, relinquished'command of.lli(? hos-. pital, - his place being; taken, bv Lient.Colonel ',). L'. O'Neill, D.5.0., who continued to hold, the appointment .until relieved .by you in December,'l9l7. Early in. the-spring of 1017 the hospital was moved/from the Somme to;. Flanders, and was re-established at. Hazebrouek, where it remained', until forced by .shell firo to move to Wisques.',- llerc the' work was continued iuilil the time of di>bniul : ment. During its services in France it earned the unstinted praise of Ihe Briv tisli medical authorities, ollicer's, : nu'-ses, and all other 'ranks,, showing, an ability .and- devotion to duty which no amount of overwork could;, .'diminish. The record of tho hospital is one of which you and all those, who served under you may well bo proud, and wisli to. express to you my cohgratnlations and thu'nks for all you nnd those who served under you have done, l.wish you all' a snfe re turn, and tlie.best of luck in New Zenland. : . "(Signed) ALEX. .T. RDTirjOV, "Lieutenant-General."