OFF PARADE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3263, 14 May 1943, Page 5

OFF PARADE

HOME GUARDSMEN GATHER PAEROA SMOKE CONCERT HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL EVENING .Sixty-odd members of the “A” Company, Paeroa Battalion, Home Guard, assembled in the Civic Hall last evening under the command of Captain C. N. O’Neill, for a convivial function which proved highly successful. Sergeant P. Caisley was at the piano, the mess orderlies were continuously on duty, an,d all speakers on the official programme followed the lead of the chairman by being more humorous than formal when proposing toasts.

Apologies for absence were received from Lieut.-Col. T. W. Dawe, Capt. J. W. Silcock, Capt. G. Barnbrook, Capt. E. C. Morgan and Lieut. S. W. Wild.

Appreciative attention was given the songs by Mr A. Whisker, Pte. M. Irwin, Sergt. P. Caisley andx Sergt. Mitchell while all ranks let themselves go in the community singing. Glorious Victory “It is appropriate that we drink a) toast to the Fighting Services, just when our Army has achieved such a glorious victory,” said Major J. H. Bartlett when proposing the first toast after the loyal toast. Major ''Bartlett, who apologised for not being able to do justice to the toast on account of lack of warning, proceeded to review the progress of the present conflict and in pointing out that this was the first real land victory ventured the opinion that time would demonstrate that the victory in Africa would prove of more importance than was now apparent. Of the other services the Air Force had beaten the Hun day after day when fighting ten to one, smashing up their air attacks on England till they had given up the attempt to a great extent. Now the Air. Force had gone ahead and was giving the Huns what they formerly gave us. The Navy had never had a really big engagement but its work had gone on all the time and, though comparatively little was told, everyone knew that without the Navy and the. mercantile -marine we ■would not have got as fnr as we had done.

In. Greece and Crete

Mr R. Broadmore, a returned soldier -from the New Zealand Division of the Bth Army, commented, when responding, that it was a long time since he left the fighting forces. Since then the New Zealand Division had become well equipped, which was not, the position when he was in Greece and Crete. Despite this handicap there had been no sign of panic ■or low morale. In fact the New Zealand Division had- acquitted itself so well that it had been selected as the first unit in the Sth Army to be equipped as a panzer division. From the news since received it appeared that it was still the premier panzer unit. ■Concluding, ' Mr Broadmore' said that he could not speak from personal experience of the Navy and the Air Force, but he could not let the opportunity pass of mentioning* one of our allies—the Greeks—who demonstrated themselves to be really firstclass soldiers.

Appreciation of the great interest taken in the work and welfare of the Home Guard by Lieut.-Col. T. W. Dawe was expressed by Lieut. W. ,F. Faber when proposing a toast to No. 2 Area Headquarters.

Sergt.-Major H. Rice, W.0.1., responded and apologised for the absence of Lieut.-Col. Dawe who was one of the hardest worked men in the area. He was either visiting some distant part of the area on official business or busy working out something for the benefit of the Home >Guard, otherwise he would have been present. Prowess of Maoris

Taking his cue from the fact that the Tirohia Platoon had just entertained with a couple of hakas, Mr Neville Campbell, a returned man from the present war, responded to Lieut. L. Oldham’s toast to the ‘Returned Services” by commenting on the prowess of the Maori Battalion in Greece where on three occasions he ha 4 seen them in bayonet attacks. He had never seen so many Germans as when they got up to run away from the Maoris. The toast to “Associated Units” was proposed by Lieut. G. Henna and reponded to by Lieut. D. Williams who said “C” Company (NethertonKerepeehi) was proud to belong tb the Paeroa Battalion and to have such a fine commander as Major J. H. Bartlett. Work of Major Bartlett Later in the evening, the Mayor, Mr Edwin Edwards, arrived and when speaking also'paid a tribute to the work of the Battalion Commander, who had taken on the job because he believed that it whs necessary that

the job- be done. While it was hoped that the Home Guard would never ibe required it was good to know that in such an event they were now able to give a good account of themselves. The theme was carried on by Lieut. W. F. Faber, who expressed the appreciation of the officers, N.G.O.’s and men of the battalion to Major Bartlett to whom very great credit was due for such progress as had been made.

Responding to the toast, Major Bartlett said that it was because .he officers, N.C.O.’s and men had all cooperated and done their work well that any progress had been made. Unfortunately much yet remained to be done and progress could only be made by the whole battalion turning out together. Sunday’s stunt would be the first battalion parade for almost a year. It was hoped that such parades would be held more frequently in the fu T -ure.