SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2615, 4 August 1923, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICAN VETERANS.

A link with the military history of N.Z. was strengthened at Wellington on July 26th, when Colonel Melville, C.8.,' C.M.G., D. 5.0., officer commanding Central Command, presented to A. Squadron, 6th Mounted Rifles, the Colvin Cup, a trophy won by the squadron in musketry competition. The Squadron was well represented and there was also present a number of veterans from the original 6th South African Contingent. The history of the Colvin Cup is interesting. At the beginning of 1914 Colonel Colvin, who commanded Colvin’s Corps in General Plumer’s column in the Boer War, 1901-2 and in which Corps the Sixth N.Z. Contingent operated, presented the 6th Contingent with a handsome cnp. In doing so he wrote: “I do like to try to show our old friends that one remembers with gratitude all the good work they did. and the cheerful and loyal spirit in which it was done.”

General Godley brought the cup out from England and handed it over to the 6th N.Z. Contingent at the tenth annual re-union on June 2nd, 1914. Colonel Colvin made the suggestion that as the “Old Sixth’ would eventually die out the cup should in some way become the property of the present Sixth. The suggestion was heartily approved of by the seventy members of the “Old Sixth” present. The cup was presented to the present Sixth at the annual re-union of the Sixth Contingent last June with the idea that -'it should become a shooting trophy for the regiment. Under the rules governing the award of the Colvin Cup, A. Squadron, Wellington, take possession of the cup for the year 1922-23 with the cup average of 70.9 points and the excellent average for the Squadron of 87.3 points for the Squadron. This average it may be pointed out, is 2.3 points above that laid down as the qualifying score for marksmen. It is 4.3 points above last year’s average and 4.2 points above the highest regimental average of 192122. The cup average and actual average of the three remaining squadrons of the regiment are respectively (B) Palmerston North, 60.9 and 74.8; (C), Hunterville, 53.7 and 73.5; (B), Rongotea 64.9 and 84.6.

In asking Col. Melvill to present the cup, Major E. .1. Hulbert, D.C.M. officer commanding the 6th N.Z. Mounted Rifles, said it was pleasing to know that the South African veterans still took an active interest in the present defence forces and stressed the point that many officers with war experience were again joining up with the various units. In the regiment he commanded no less than three officers who had served .throughout the Great War, had rejoined. Colonel Melvill had some advice to offer to the new members of the squadron, who he said, had to uphold a very big reputation belonging to the Sixth who. were strongly represented during the late war. They should regard that honour and hold it in the same way as the honour of one of the members of their own family, they should be as jealous of it as of their sister’s honour. One of the first principles of a soldier was to be a good shot. He regarded every military trophy given to encourage shooting to be given in a good cause. He urged them to remember what the deeds of the South African’s were and to bear in mind the deeds of their fathers in the Great War and to keep up these records. They should be proud to know that His Excellency the Governor General, Viscount Jellieoe, had been pleased to accept the position of honorary Colonel of the 6th Manawatu Mounted Rifles. He complimented them on their shooting average and wished them good luck, and said he hoped that the old hands and the new hands would combine and again win the trophy. Mr J, Linklater, M.P., was received with applause and said it seemed spf’" i ally fitting that he should have the pleasure of being present that evening because he represented the Manawatu electorate and the Colvin Cup had been presented to the A. Squadron of the Sixth Mana - watu Mountodu Rifles. He. wished to congratulate A. Squadron on winning a cup that the Old Sixth South African Regiment cherished more than anything they possessed. Over 22 years had gone by since the Old Regiment left N.Z. to make military history in other lands and many of the men of that regiment had “gone West.” They had with great regret realised that their

ranks were thinning and for this reason they had come to the conclusion that the time had come to hand over the cup to the younger generation of “Sixers.” Although many men of to-day spoke lightly of the South African War, it was a serious matter to N.Z. while it lasted. Although the men who fought in that war did not go through the great fighting of the late war, they had many hardships to encounter which they endured cheerfully, doing their duty for King and Empire. The fact that they received the admiration of their officers commanding them was in evidence that night because they had in the Colvin Cup a Colonel’s approval of their conduct during the campaign. He thanked the officers, non-com. officers and men on behalf of the Sixth South Africans present and also on behalf of the regiment as a whole for their cordial reception that evening. Three cheers were lustily given by A. Squadron for the Veterans, after which a bountiful supper was provided.