COLONIAL BLUE JACKETS

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 38

COLONIAL BLUE JACKETS

♦ INSPECTION BY THE KING. (From Ova Own Cobrespondbht.) LONDON, July 30. An interesting ceremony took place on Monday afternoon at Buckingham Palace, when the King inspected 32 petty-officers and men who came to England in 1907 from Australia and New Zealand for a period of special training in the Royal navy. The men, who had been granted 10 days' leave, from July 16-26, before returning to Australia m the Terrible today, were recalled on Saturday last to Portsmouth as the King had expressed a wish to ste them before they sailed. They left Portsmouth on Monday mornijig, after> being inspected by the Commodore of the Royal Barracks, and, on arriving in London, they marched by Buckingham Palace road "and Birdcage walk to the Admiralty, whert, they were entertained at luncheon. Shortly after 2 p.m. they marched along the Mall to Buckingham Palace, and entered the grounds by tlu. garden gates. The King, who wore civilian dress, was accompanied by the Queen, the Prince of Wales, Princess Victoria, Princess Mary of Wales, and Prince Henry of Walts, and among others present were Lord Crewe and Lord Northcote (late Gover-nor-General of Australia), and Admiral Sir W. Fawkts (late Commander-in-Chief on the Australian station), both of whom were present when the contingent sailed from Australia in May, 1907, and the Hon. W. Hall- Jones (High Commissioner for New Zealand). His Majesty, afttr inspecting the men, addressed them in a short speech. He expressed his pleasure at seeing them, and said thai ht hoped that their instruction had been of real u°.e to them, and that in taking back from the* Mother Country to the colony the results of the experience and knowltdge which they had gained in England they would be able to impress on the minds of the people in Australia and New Zealand tht value of th« training they had received. After bis Majesty had wished them a safe voyage home, the contingtnt, which was under the command of Flag Captain Hyde Parker. Lieuttnant St. John, and Sub-lieutenant W. W. Skynner, marched to Victoria Station, but they had scarcely arrived on the platform when they were recalled by the King's orders, and entertained at 'tea in tht Palace, when Chi*. Petty-officer Chtistie, principal engineloom artificer, proposed the health of the King and Queen, and afterwards that ol

Lord Charles Beresford, under whose flag most of the men have served during their spells of practical training at sea. Their theoretical work has been done at the naval dspots at Portsmouth and Devonport When they reach Au&tralia they will be drafted from the Terrible to various ships on the Australian station, having qualified during their stay in, England for the higher petty-officer ranks. Two of the men were wearing the China medal, gained in 1900, when they went to China in the Australian gunboat Protector. They all looked splendidly fit and well set-up and alert, and, though they were few in numbers, their short and unostentatious march through London, was in feality of considerable historical importance; for C.P.O.'s Christie,. Bowry, Kearns, and Forster, and the leading Gtokers, engineers, seamen, and torpedo ratings composing this compact little body of bluejackets form the nucleus for the personntl of the Australasian. Forces, which in time to come will be a. formidable addition to the strength of the Empire. They were very well spoken: of by their officers, and with their recpl- ■ lections of their stay in the Home Country setmed unfeignedly glad to carry" away with them the remembrance thatthey had been personally rtceiveAand iirspected by th& King. For, as one, oE them said before he ran down the-plat-form at Victoria to catch the Portsmouth train, " We are loyal to a man."