HISTORIC OFFICERS' MESS

Shannon News, 6 October 1925, Page 4

HISTORIC OFFICERS' MESS

MANY FAMOUS VISITORS In the grey old building that is the officers' quarters at Victoria Barracks in Sydney is housed one of the most historic officers' messes in the Britih Empire says the Daily Telegaph. It has seen great days—welcomed world-famous sailors and sol diers, statesmen and Ambassadors. Now it is a mere husk of its old robust self. In the old pioneering days, Im-

perial regiments were quartered in ' Sydney. At first they had their mess in the old fort at Dawes point, but in the "forties," when .Victoria Barracks came into being, the social headquarters of the officers' block, headquarters of the officers was transferred to the officers' block. Membership was limited to imperial officers stationed in Sydney, naval officers on station and Imperial officers "passing through." An old military chronicler sets out the social amenities of the mess. His tongue must have been in his check when he mentions that besides billiards and reading material the mess "alsosupplied light refreshments." In any case, the mess won a fine reputation for its "viands, cookery and wines." Every Governor attended dinner on at least one occasion; Consuls paid official visits to the mess; the late,Lord Kitchener was a guest there ;and to-day it is an unwritten law that every naval or military man visiting Sydney shall pay his respects to the senior military mess in Australia. The quarters are- spacious and dignified. In the dining room Is a fine mahogany table—said to be the finest table of its kind in Australia — A relic of the rollicking days, when the cloth was removed . before the advnt of dessert. Many visitors to the local mess have shown their appreciation of the hospitality extend-, ed to thm by gifts. These include splendid pieces of silver-plate, finepictures and unique port and champagne Carriers. The former is an exact model of a general service waggon; the latter the model of a gun carriage. Both- are of solid silver. In the billiard room are two very valuable Chinese seats. Once they adorned the Imperial Palace in Peking. But when the Australian contingent which went to China on the occasion of the Boxer rising returned, the chairs came with them.... The subject of loot is taboo when the chairs are mentioned . A most interesting place is the officers' mess. But it is something more than a place where officers dine Here are organised the military guest nights, the "At Homes," the mounted paper chases and the sporting fixtures of the military headquarters of New South Wales. But the political pruning knife has played havoc with its membership. Nowadays, permanent and citizen force officers included, the figure is just over 50. But a scant four officers dine together there on the majority of nights.