THE RIFLE BRIGADE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 51, 24 November 1919, Page 5

THE RIFLE BRIGADE

REUNION OF OFFICERS v

A TERRITORIAL BODY URGED

Strong sentiments in favour' of the formation of a Rifle Brigade in connection with the New Zealand Territorial I'oreo were repressed at u reunion dinner of ollicers of the New Ztnland Rillo Brigade, held in Diistin's Rooms, Cuba Street, on Saturday night. Colonel C. W. Kelvill, officer 'commanding the Wellington Military District, presided, and anion;,' those present wore Lieu-tenant-Colonel N. \Y. B. B. Thorns, J. G. Hoache, W. S. Austin, i>. U. Bell, and B. Puttick. Apologies for absence, were received from Major-General Sir Andrew H. Eu-sell, Brigadier-Generals G. S. Kichardson, and A. ]3. Stowart. The toast of "The Brigade,' coupled with that of "The Division," was proposed by Colonel Melvill, who said that although he was away from the brigade for two years and a Half, it was practically his first charge. Jle waa the first brigade-major of the brigade, and afterwards he commanded ono of the batialions—a battalion of which lie was extraordinarily proud. They were a "very happy family, , and he was sure that all the other battalions of the brigade were tho same. "The esprit do corps of the Eifle Brigade is, perhaps, higher than any other,' added Colonel Melvill. "1 am perhaps saying that against myself, considering that 1 commanded another brigade, but somewhow, in France, and after my return, I have gathered that you are sticking together perhaps better than all the others. At tho present moment you have- no parent battalion in New Zealand. I am sure I am voicing the opinion of everyone 'here to-night when I say we all hopu that, in the aiear future, there will be such a battnlion. (Applause.) I can assure you that, for my part 1 shall fight for it for all I am worth. (Applause.) There aro difficulties, which wero explained to us at the conference of senior N.Z.E.F. officers— difficulties with regard to difference of drill, difference of kit, nnd, , 60 on—but I think they should be overcome, and that in the New Zealand Territorial Force in the future there should he, if possible, a complete New Zealand Rifle Brigade. The .Duke of Connauglit has expressed his wish to remain on as Colonel-in-Chief and His Excellency tho Governor-General is also anxious to carry on as tho honorary colonel. I think it would bo a groat thing for New Zealand if we had a man of Royal blood so closely connected with His Majesty the King taking an interest in our forces.' (Applause.) Speaking of tho New Zealand Division, Colonel Melvill said they might all bo proud nf the 'New Zealanders. During tha last six months he was in England, prior to his return to the Dominion, he had mot a large number of high officers at tho "War Office, and they nil had nothing but praise for tho New Zealand Division. "But," remarked Colonel Melvill modestly, "in view of the fact that we were a portion of that division, I don't think it is my duty to 'skito' about it. But, anyhow, we were all proud to belong to the division." (Applause.) Colonel Melvill concluded by urgiug all officers of the brigade to maintain their connection wilh the New Zealand Tentorial Force in the interests of tho defence of the country, and appealing to all employers to do the right thing by their returned soidier employees, especially Hie disabled men.

The Leading Division, Beply to the toast was made by Lieu-tenant-Colonel Austin. The credit of tho gathering, he said, rested on the shoulders of ono or two oliicers. to whom a certain debt of gratitude was owed, because onto more it gave the Biflo Brigado an opportunity of leading and showing other regiments "how things should bo done." (Applause; However they might strive, they could not get away from tho fact that tho Jiow Zealand Division was something of which they could bo exceedingly proud. It was no vainglory when they said they considered tho New, Zealand Division possessed those qualities, which placed it in the forefront of all the divisions that took part in the fighting on the side of the Allies. It had had its drawbacks, tml, taking all its good qualities and balancing them against those that might not be 6o good, they must come to the conclusion that it was tho leading division in tho war. In that respect they would all have been honoured had only their beloved General Bussell been able to bo present. They had had opportunities of gauging General Bus'ell's qualities so fur as thoir Eussolls qualities so far' as their point of view he was an ideal general. (Applause.) "I suppose wo must 'cut out' polities on such an occasion as this/' continued Colonel Austin, "but we would all have been delighted, I am sure, had General Bussell been persuaded to take ■upon himself the additional labours of attending to tho destinies of the nation from a civil poind of view as he has dona from tho military side. We feel satisfied that if he Jiad done so he would havo scored as'great a victory in tho political world as ho 'has dono in the military arena." (Applause.) As they considered thai) the New Zealand Division had teen the foremost division in liho armies of the Allies, so they naturally considered that the New Zealand Bide Brigade had been the premier brigade of that leading division. (Hear, hear.) Id was a mighty poor officer who did not considor his own regiment tiho leading one, and it was because they had striven to rencli that standard that the New Zealand Rifle Brigade had been made whad it was. They owed a very great debt of gratitude to their late brigadier, who, he was sure, always had that ideal set before him Ihe point as to whether the New Zealand Biflo Brigade should continue to exist as .-uch as a. nart of tlw Territorial scheme was a burnins question, lie knew. He was sure that every officer, find Wio groat majority of ((lie n.c.o.'s and men were hoping that the brigade would continue to exist. From their point of view tney did not see that the difficulties thai had bwn alluded to were insurmountable. They considered'that tibe tradition that had been built up bv the New Zealand Bide Brigade wa? nn exceedingly valuable asset to tho" Domiii-ion-{hen.T, henr}- -and if tiho brigade could be maintained in any form— and they hoped that it would be kept in its fullest form-then that tradition N going to assist to a very great extent in mninrmning a proper spirit amongst the civilian soldiers of the country. "I can see quite plainly." observed Colonel Austin, that if the 1?i(lo Brimvde falls out t'jon this country is going to lose the services of a large number of officer-! and n.c o « and men. Tf there is «. .rifle brigado in any rnrm-I llynk pmferablv as a volunteer foroe-Wie,, T am' sure the lnrra majority of »11 ranks, tl.ev n.,,v feel fed up' ,-r present. w ill. ns lime "n« on, foci a .VMrc In serve. W-tlipv lmvo tV nnjurlumfv they win give oxm-es-Fion (o tl.i-- f P [.lin ? W wii* j n the Xeiv /"nhnd TJiflo Brmndo if it is maintained J , or niv isn.rl, allhoueh J nnl gpftinr n . H( . the liulitarv n"o -nv. T p'-niilrl lv> filvfoo hnnny In ,l n nil T nonhl in n«,i«H,,-, in furf''Prin.<r Hie Iraininc nf a Now Zealand Rifle Brigade." (Applause.) The Fallen, "Absen.t Friends" was oroposed by Lieutenant-Colonel Puttied In lookimj round the room, he remarked, one eiuv very many familiar faces, and it reminded one wry forcibly that there wo a great ninny very dear friends and many (iiii.iini umilliit driitr-rs whom they would sco no moie, notably their late brigadier, General Fulton, to wham tho brigade owed so much. Although lihoso officers, n.0.0.V, iind men had faileii in a way in which a tohlier should wish to die, they could not gut aw';i.v from fact thai: ii Si-wit nuiiiy foil through waul: of kmwlfilge. want: of p'opumliion, and want of I[«iiiiin.i?." hi sonic rasrs iiiliccis lost their lives tlirouu'h the iioco.i-ily of ru--1W! a "load (o tho .show."' Tlie same thing hiippcned with n.c.o.'s i-.nd men. One could recall instnni-M nf l.'iivc or four men saving an attack by individual faliantry. A case in point 'was that nf Sti-RCiint I'enro-e. of ihe llli Bnttalimi all aressines. As others had iniule I ho supreme sacrifice, it lwhoved those who we left nnt to jirrrni( such a slnle of affairs to "oxist in New Zviihuul again a.i existed prior to li'ie on I break of war in 1014. By their unpreparodnoss lihoy had siilferpd more ca.«unllips than tliey need havo done, and it behoved every uicuvi. dual in the country to breomo prepared for the next, war, which lie. in common with a great many others, did not ttiint

was far distant. They must see that tlif: sacrifices made in tihe last ivar had not ueyn made in vain, and that the example of the fallen was not lost. They could not afford to lose the services of nn.v officers, n.c.o.'e and men wJio luid served with the N.Z.E.F., and even- attention must be pnid to tht careful 'training of the New Zealand Defence Forces.

Several other toasts were honoured dur. ; iiiß tho evening, and a capital programme- : of songs and othw items was cntifributcil to by Captains Armstrong, Jl'Alist , .'! , , ! Liputcnaut Luke, nnd Messrs. Loadnian, ! Ilolloway, and Snthorwnilc. j