MEMORIAL UNVEILED

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 543, 25 June 1920, Page 2

MEMORIAL UNVEILED

alfriston-brookby. P.-I.W V nv ?i lin C # the monument the residents of Alfriston in memory of the solj"T. " l lh ® Rreat light for freedom, justice, ami liberty against might, ♦k *k P 00 3»»terday. In spite of * ne threatening weather there was n /f# j attendance of residents from "v., ton, Brook by, and Ardmore, While representatives of the Manujtau yOunty Council, Messrs A. I). Bel! (chairman), F. H. Brownhill, a A. « Waters, and the engineer (Mr. W. J. Lopdell), the Parakura Board, Mr E. D. McLennan TsHfie-chairman), Rev. W. C. Wood, ox lajpakurn, minister in charge of the parish, «tyd of Clevedon, Manurpwo &hd Papikiira were there in large number,avto dftVhonour to those who had died on the field of battle for a noble cause, Quite a number, no doubt, were obliged to remain at Rhine due to the threaten'"iffeather conditions. Mi monumental v sit£ is situated *bout four miles froj^Sanurew a, or i'Oout one mile fK®ffirf_Alfri3ton store on the AlfristfflßHffray Road. f he ground,• triangular insiiiape, is tin a quiet little spot at the foot of JbJmnge Oralis. The land was donated for thgpurpose bv Messrs C V. 8 When the land vas °|HWwEr J* .nuMting of residents was convened, annjjhereat a committee consisting of Wessrs I). A. Reid (cnairnißn), J. Muir (secretary), J. Embling, G. Mclnnea, G, Gothorp, and Misses Muir and Plaut was set up to Jhwke the necessary arrangements. Subscriptions were solicited, and in short time the necessary money was assured. Steps were then taken to have the obelisk erected, and the committee, after having Vhe foundations laid, obtained the Services of an Auckland firm jfl>,g(>mplpte the undertaking. The Wfts satisfactorily completed, anas! today there stands a monument In tip centre of a <large- district which played its part nobly and faithfully in the great war, and which is not only a credit to Alfriston and Brookby, but to the whole of the Manukau County, and the Dominion. \ The obelisk, which cost Kill to weqtfstands 10ft out of the ground, Jft m concrete blocks, and Lift of 'oromandel granite. There are four m s > ne of which contains the Jhdge of the regiment to which most Df tne soldiers belonged, and the »ther . the following inscription and the iHmes of the men who fell on the lield of battle upholding the traditions of the British Empire: "To the everlasting memory of the men of Alfriston f and Brookby, whe gave their ■Mdiyes in The great war, 1914HMpi9, that we might be free " (Main Body), A. H. FitzHRmms (Main Body), A. R. Tebbutt Hn-R^nfor,cements), A. Mi^ 1 ' ('sth RKraforoements), A. M. ■N^fO^RfcweiUa), W. G. Emblinp.'imh L. Birch (Bth ReinEoriMivieots), G. L. Mitchell (13th Re■nfAreements), R, M. Kemp (l(>th ReInfurSements), H. Mitchell (15th Reinforcements), W. H. Winstone (18th Reinforcements), K. S. Moore (19th ■Miiforeements), T. J. Briddock (21st jßnforcements). KM|e memorial committee, under the MfMtion of Mr. 1). A. Reid (chairMan) and Mr. J. Muh' (secretary) had Ell arrangement# complete for the Jeremony, children of the ihoofcby School; wnder the charge of W. > Broinlay, theS Alfriston charge of Miss . Hill, and School, underthesuper,-. H|jon'6f Mf. Wrignt, were marchedi Erfhe monument, and there litrsd up. representative from each school ■lftn&jja large British flag. The reot the district were unof Lieutenant-Col-G. D.5.0., and sjßrw>n paraflß were: Sergeant E ftvies, Corporal A. Davies, L. Postelvaite, P. A. Thorne, D. Mclnnes, J. Sutton, F: Fitzwilllams, D. Keys, A. C. Fitzpatrick, D. Muir, and i, iL Haire, and these gallant mer verCJined up on the left of tht section on which the obclisV s erected is still In a somewhat •ough state, but it is the intentioi >f" committee to take steps tc lave the place beautified, and W has-te-en' suggested that the chndrei Eom»the schools should keep it ii hOtough order, once It has been lau! iff. The little spot where so manj seople trod yesterday will remair 'resh in the minds of many for sonu ;ime, and will be held in reverence jy - the people of the district in mem >ry of the men who gallantly madt ihe supreme sacrifice against a bru U Mr° e b. A. Reid, the district's re prescatative on the Manukau Count) CounifcL presided, and stated tha. thevhad gathered for the purpose oi witnessing the unveiling of the me morial in honour of the men whr had Wen in the 1914-1919 war. H< referred to the fact that the sitr bad been donated by Messrs. Fitz Patrick and the monument had beer Erected by voluntary H< called on the Mayor of Auckland (Mr J. H. Gunson) to perform tha cere "K Worship, who had motore' fmm *he city, accompanied by th< was greeted W applause a ho stepped forward. Auckland s ohie citizen said he felt a great lonoa had been bestowed on him in bein; SJked to perform the unveiling cere mony-the unveiling of a great obel L memory of the men from th< Strict X iad Wten In the,1914 1919 war. "When the war broke ou< !r 1914 " said Vtr. Gunson, "little du L reJiiso that there were five te. vpors of war in store for u; We never for a moment thought th* 100 000 of the cream of New Ze. lan£ manhood would go forward t ; uDhold the traditions of the might British Empire, and we never for. fasted that 16,000 oi them woul ! the supreme sacrince. M Gunson referred tc Germany s inte. ' j her endeavour to dominat he world and to the fact that t German menace threatened m'q lihertv If Germany had > j°' n !twl New Zealand's I.be. have been a thing oi the pa ; * o ° s he decided to stand shoulder t rhouldcr With the liberty-loving n> tSS of the world. New Zoa andn

forth and played a nob.c par nnd their glorious exploits will fo ever remain fresh in the memory . the world. Mr. (lu.ison i-oiipratulaU {he Papakur.v Valley ooys who wer forward and who nad returned salel their native land, lie coii'Tauti.'. Id Lieutenant Colonel rfcKensu tqo for the well-esrned distinctly the King had though', S',„ M bsl H- ; M »uin+<wl the people of 1a) aKur< « rat,ln - U .,.v fine obelisk they ha. T. ' ' I in memory of the *>ldie» v'l'io h" 1 fallen. He stated that tlv. „ ~>• ivid its grim features, but thi J:.r hid also brought its reward., p.l rn!' should appreciate thos. u , ■ ; He referred to the arroftW- \ Germany m defeat. 11 she VP 1 'jL . wit in defeat, what would she like if victory had been hers. Hat. "be UK*- 11 J , he d av they would be'meeting in such peaceful s.iriricHntrs Papakura Valley :»s they roundings dl , zens they were th < . hc nH>n alio , V ent should not I k and should per from memory of those men ««t forth. Touching upon the uSltty of local memories, Mr. aft Id personally he believed y K i contended that iocM ef-

'orts were fully justified. In this ,vay they should perpetuate the falln boys' memories. He conveyed eartfelt expressions of sympathy to ■e relatives of those who went forard, but who would never tome ack. As head of the Auckland Pariotic Association he extended exiressions of j?r»titude for the assist nee the association nad eceived .om Alfriston, and this was mainly ne of the reasons he had acceded o the request to perform the uniting ceremony. He pointed out at it was not a city matter, but in w of his above remarks he added 3't he was duly bound to join v;it< ~m in performing an histoiic and red event. Mr. Gunson spoke to he boys and girls, and impressed up n them their duty to their country ime first in time of need. If ever e time came, he told them never to :t their mothers and Bisters receivt e same violent treatment as that aceived by tho Belgians and other vomen by the Germans. Through the fTorts of the men on nis left (the elurned soldiers) they had continued to them the liberty which their fathers and brothers prize, and wlii< h .hey foiU'ht for to uphold the trulitions of the Empire. These nun were just typical of the type of iwn ti the New Zealand Ex-jK-ditionai y Force. Mr. Gunson appealed to- the;. 1 to never forget to respect ah)l ho.i our the New Zealand returned ! liers.

Kev. W. C. Wood, of Papakura, ai.< : Lieutenant-Colonel McKenzie su : »pl ■ mentexl the remarks made by Mr. Gunson, after which the Mayor of the Queen City performed 'the unveiling, while the crowd stood in si' eiice, and bareheaded. A number of wreaths were laid on the monument, one" especially fire made by two little Brookby schoolgirls, Ina Coppins nnd Thelma iCemit°n. V Afternoon tea was dispensed, sinil after the Mayor had been thanked for his visit the gathering dispersed, and heavy rain commenced to fall.