THE RETURN JOURNEY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1931, Page 2

THE RETURN JOURNEY

MR FORBES EXPERIENCES

VISIT TO WAR ZONE

1 (Per Favour of Government.)

WELLINGTON, January 20

. Chatting over his return journey to the Dominion; the Prime Minister said that the sea voyage had been most pleasant and that uniformly fine weather had been experienced. The party accompanied by Sir Herbert Daw' and Colonel Murray of the British Empire League, left London on the 6th December, travelling from Victoria Station by the famous Golden Arrow train to Dover and. thence across the Channel to Calais, where they were met by General Sir Fabian Ware, head of the Imperial War Graves Commission and members of his staff. Motor cars were provided to take the party to Ypres which was reached . late in the afternoon. After dinner all members of the party attended at the Menin Gate to witness the sounding of the “Last Post”, which takes place every night throughout the year. This impressive memorial was erected to the memory of the 65,000 missing British dead hi the Flanders war zone.

The following morning a civic reception at tho Town Hall was accorded to the Prime Minister and party, where a cordial welcome was extended by tlfe Mayor of Ypres, who spoke feelingly of the part played by New Zealand soldiers in the war. Mr Forbes laid a wreath! from the Government and people of New; Zealand at the Ypres town memorial. Visits were then made to Poelcapelle British Cemetery, Passchendale Cemetery, and Tyneseot Cemetery' where the Prime Minister laid a' wreath on 'the New Zealand memorial. The imposing memorial at Gravenstafel was also inspected, alter which visits were paid to Buttes Cemetery at Polygon Wood, to Hooge crater and to the railway dugouts, burial ground and ramparts cemetery at Lille Gate. In the afternoon the New Zealand memorial at Messines was visited, as well as t'he Messines Ridge British Cemetery. Here was seen a portion of a front line German trench.

The* remainder of 'the day Was ‘Spent in visiting the Berks Cemetery memorial to the missing at Hyde Park corner, Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery and Nine Elms Cemetery at Poperinghe.

The party returned to Ypres for the evening and making an early start the following morning, after visiting Ypres Cathedra], proceeded to Bailleul, Trois Arbres Cemetery, Cite Bon Jean Cemetery ,and memorial at 1 Armentiers, aiid Indian memorial at Nellve Chapelle, La BaSSee, Lens and Arras, where stay was made for lunch. Subsequently the New Zealand mem* orial at Grevillers was visited and also the Longncvnl memorial. While at Caterpillar Valley the Prime Minister.laid n wreath on the New Zealand memoir* ial there. - • t

: j AiP interesting portion of the route was "across the famous Vimy Ridge whom the large Canadian memorial ig in course of erection. - At Delville Wood the South African memorial was visited and after a short stay at 4lbert ; where the Mayor and other French citizens received the party at the French National Cemetery, and where/Mr Forbes, placed;-a ; wreath in honour : of the French dead, the motor journey terminated at Amiens. Here a visit was paid to the Cathedral where a wreath was also placed on the New Zealand memorial tribute. The party entrained at Amiens and reached Paris later in the evening. The outstanding feature of this very interesting visit to the battlefields of France and Belgium was in Mr Forbes’ 'opinion, the very excellent manner in' •which the war cemeteries are laid out, and cared for by the officers and staff of the Imperial War Graves Commis<sion. • There could be nothing but the highest admiration for their work. The Prime Minister added that to all the relatives of our brave boys whose last resting place is in these cemeteries, he could give his personal assurance that their graves are ,tended with ioving reverence and that. the cemeteries and memorials are all' invested with a dignity, and, beauty strikingly in accord with the sacred nature of the ground. ” ' ' ’

After a couple of days Bight-seeing in the French capital, where Mr Forbes and Sir Thos. and Lady Sidey had the pleasure of lunching with the British Ambassador (Lord Tyrrell) the party left by train for Toulon where they joined the Orient liner “Ormonde” sailing on the 22nd December. Fellow passengers were the Prime Minister of Australia and Members of the Australian Delegation to the Empire Conference. At Naples an interesting visit was made to the ruins of Pompeii, but unfortunately inclement weather obscured the beauty of the Bay and also a clear view of Mt. Vesuvius. Interesting calls were made at Port Said and Colombo and Christmas and New Year festivities at sea lent added eijoyment to the trip. Mr Forbes was elected Chairman of the Sports Committee, and the usual programme of games was indulged in at which members of the New Zealand delegation more than held their own. An interesting feature was a challenge match at deck quoits between teams representing the New Zealand and Australian delegations skipped by the respective Prime Ministers. Victory rested with the New Zealand team, which thereafter was unchallenged. Fremantle was reached on the 6th of January. Here, as in the other Australian centres, official courtesies yere extended by t'he Commonwealth

and State Governments. The New Zealand representatives were entertained at Perth to a luncheon by the Premier (Sir James Mitchell) and at Adelaide the Party were the guests of the Racing Club at Victoria Park.

At Melbourne a civic reception at the Town Hall was tendered jointly to Mr Scullin and Mr Forbes and afterwards the two Prime Ministers were entertained at lunch at Parliament House by the Federal and State Ministers.

At Sydney Mr Forbes was accorded a civic reception by the Lord Mayor and was the guest of honour at a large luncheon tendered by the Million Club and representatives of New Zealanders in Sydney. The Prime Minister also had the opportunity of inspecting the new Sydney Bridge, being conducted over the works .by the assistant director of construction (Mr Martin).

“I should like to t’ke t*e earliest opportunity.” said Mr Forbes, “o publicly acknowledging the ■ courtesy and "generous hospitality extended to myself and party in all quarters. Nothing could have exceeded tile kindness which we have received throughout the whole of our time abroad.”