REUNION OF "DIGGERS" WELLINGTON REGIMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 123, 21 November 1932, Page 4

REUNION OF "DIGGERS" WELLINGTON REGIMENT

SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION

Stoiies of tho war daj-s, many o£ them old, but some new, brought back many happy memories to a large number of

"Piggors" who attended the seventh animal reunion of the Wellington Regiment, N.Z.E.Ii1., on Saturday night. - Mr. W. Terry presided, and among the honoured guests were Colonel W. H. Cunningham, Colonel G. T. Hall, Lieutenant-Colonel A. Cowles, vice-president of the Keturued Soldiers' Association, Captain Sam Frickleton, V.C., Captain L. Andrews, V.C., Ser-geant-Major E. Bezav, and Territorial officers of the Wellington Eegiment. The chairman said that apologies for absence had been received from Major-General W. L. H. Sinclair-Burgess, Major-General Sir Alfred Robin, Colonel Harry Avery, and others. .

One of the most impressive features of the reunion was the manner in which the toast ".Fallen Comrades" was honoured. Those present stood in silence for two minutes, and "Requiem" was sun°by Mr. G. K. Whaler. °

The Loyal toast having been honoured Colonel Hall proposed "The Regiment" Referring to its war history, Colonel Hall said that the regiment had indeed been lucky in having at the start a soldier and a gentleman who had founded such great traditions—he referred to Colonel Malone It was because of the traditions established by Colonel llalone and his brother officers that the prestige of the regiment stood as high as it did to-day. Everyone should feel proud at having belonged to ;i regiment, tlio battle honours of which were second to none.

Responding to the toast, Colonel Cunningham said that it was wonderful to look back over the years and find that the wonderful spirit of the regiment still existed. He hoped they would be able to keep up the spirit of the old regiment for quite a. few years yet, and that the members of the fighting force would hand on the great traditions that had been established to the younger men coming on in the Territorial forces.

"In times like these," said Colonel Cunningham, "our sympathies go out to men of the regiment who are facing hard times. I wish that we could organise things as we did in the old days and all pull together. It is a good idea, but it is difix« cult to see how we could carry it out." Proposing the toast "The Returned Soldiers' Association," Mr. H. McCormick said that they all knew that some of the "Diggers" were very much up against it and the institution that specialised in helping those fellows was the R.S.A. The association, he thought, nad not received the support from the general body of ex-soldiers that it' should have done, but in spite of many handicaps it was carrying out a very fine - work indeed. Mr. McCormick then referred to the R.S.A. Christmas appeal, and at his suggestion a collection was taken up in aid of the fund. The funds raised' by the appeal, he said, made it possible for the R.S.A. to make itself responsible for many families that would otherwise have no Christinas at all, particularly the families of "Diggers" who were hard up against it. WORK OF .THE R.S.A. Lieutenant-Colonel Cowles, who responded on behalf of the R.S.A., said that the membership of the association was not as high as they would like. A considerable sum bad accrued from an art union, and each year the association benefited by two street day appeals, Rose Day and Poppy Day. The sole aim and object of the association was to administer those funds ou behalf of those for whom the money was collected., Referring to the work at present being undertaken, "Lieu-tenant-Colonel Cowlea said that the association had been able to relieve some rather shocking cases o£ distress and put a number of ex-soldiers back in the positions they should have occupied. A large number of single ex-soldiers who ■were out of work had been hanging about the town without doing any good' to themselves or anyone else, and the association had arranged for a special camp for them at Pa.raparaumu.. They were now facing their difficulties like good old "Diggers," and there was no grousing—at least there was no serious grousing. Lieutenant-Colonel Cowles gave an outline of the work the association was doing in visiting ex-soldiers in hospital and taking responsibility for a number of ther children at the Health Camp. Regular visits were made to ex-soldiers who were unfortunately, mentally unfit, and he could say that he was thoroughly satisfied that ex-soldiers at Porirua -were very well looked after.

The association, said Colonel Cowles. had had very sympathetic treatment from the Government. He thought the reason for that was that the association never made unreasonable Tequests to those in power. ■

This year the association would have to provide one hundred Christmas hampers, and it was proposed, to send one to each family to cheer them up for at least one day in the year. Arrangements had been made this1 year to see that there was no overlapping amongst the various relief organisations in this particular work. The association was doing its very best to look after the exsoldiers in this way.

During the evening entertaining items were given by Messrs. Harison Cook, R. Butler, R. G. Blow, A. J. Mazengarb, and K. Rigby. Mr. E. E. Dean was at the piano. '