ANZAC DAY.

Shannon News, 27 April 1926, Page 3

ANZAC DAY.

SHANNON'S CELEBRATIONS. The commemoration, of Anzac Day was fittingly celebrated in Shannon on Sunday. At 9 a.m. the school children, assembled at the school ground. After the singing of 'O God Our Help in Ages Past," the Rev. Mr Farnell led in prayer, following which the ehaisman (Mr R. h A Tippler) took the opportunity to explain that they had 1 gathered to pay a tribute to the mem- ) ory of those soldiers who had fallen | while doing their duty on that memorable day, also to all, those who had given their lives during the Great Wor He then introduced Mr G. D. Hamilton, of the Levin Returned Soldiers' Association, who, after addressing the children, handed to the headmaster, Mr White, a very fine framed picture of -the "Landing of the Anzacs." Mr Hamilton said that oh behalf ot the Levin Returned Soldiers Association, it gave him very great pleasure to present a reproduction of the actual painting of the "Landing of the Anzacs" to the .Shannon School, as a. token of the esteem in which the past and present pupils were held by, his Association. He said ithey had materially assisted some thirty returned soldiers by their efforts, and that up to the (beginning of the present financial year the money had. been spent entirely in the Shannon district, this being largely brought, about toy the large number of returned men employed on public works who had met with trouble. Rafer % ring to (the picture, he said the Iboys and girls would now toe able to see the fine example set toy those gallant men. It was the first day in the war that New Zealand blood actually, flowed, and the picture would al--1 ways be a reminder of the men who fell on that day and of those who fell during the war. These men gave their blood for, the freedom, we ,now enjoyed. Addressing the adults :he said the time had now arrived when the Returned Soldiers should not have to open up the old wounds. The people could only .remember the | men as they left the. shores of the j Dominion, but the returned men remembered the fallen in the last hour of. their life, therefore the occasion was rather harassing.to returned men. Anzac Day, he said, marked the day of trying out the Anzac. UP till then, we only know of their wonderful physique and alertness, but when they were tried out, as an know they were found not wanting. The teaching of the doings and glorious tradition of the Anzacs were now no longer'in the hands of the returned soldiers, but were now .delegated to the parent? and school teach■S and he felt sure toe Sacrifices that were made would not toe in vain. The chairman and Mr White both returned.thanks. The latter also thanked those young ladies who rendered help on Poppy Bay. Proceedings were brought to a close with the' singing of the hymn, "God 'Of our Fathers."

SERVICE AT THE CENOTAPH.

"SACRIFICE, LIBERTY, GRATITUDE." Prior to the service at the Cenotaph in Plimmer Terrace, the school children in charge of their teachers, together with South African war veterans and a number of returned soldiers, headed by the Levin Band marched from, the school through'tin. township to the Cenotaph. The service opened with the hymn, 'O God ■Our)Help in Ages Past," followed b> a prayer and Lord's Prayer offered by Rev. A. F. Stewart. Those present then joined in singing the hymn, , "The Nameless Graves." Captain White followed with a short Scripture reading/taking his text from Psalu .46 after which the hymn, bod oi Our Fathers," was rendered. ' Rev Mr Farnell then delivered an impressive address on "Sacrifice Reverence and Gratitude." "Anzac Day," he stated, "again claims <toi attention and we. would do well to draw to mind that epoch in the history of the British Empire when, together with the English troops, the I sons of the far distant Dpimmow «f Australia and New Zealand, took part in the Gallipoli campaign and made the whole world ring with then gallant deeds. Many a New Zealand, son fought and fell in that campaign -fougM with an effort to overcome a tvranny which knew no law or honour-and fell in the effort to establish the honour of the British Empire and maintain the law of justice and right. We, who were privileged to return after the conflict was over,. -and you who, so willingly gave your support from the homes of us all i feel sure are not going to toe content to simply assemble here, year bv year, at the silent, monument, erect., t to commemorate- their brave deed and allow 'their bones to mouldu away in those now silent graves mi no purpose at all. Are we all going to toe content with such an attitude on such an occasion as this? Shame on us, if we are! This monument and many another, throughout the length and breadth of our land and every land where the British Flag is flown, should have a message for each one of us. True, the stone oi which these monuments is touilt, has no lips with which to attract our attention. But the very fact that they have been 'lifted up' should toft a call to every true-hearted Britisher to-day. This monument calls us from the ordinary common round of our dally life—to halt—to come, apart on this one clav in the year and to think of the cause which made it necessary for hundreds of such cenotaphs to he net up. Now that we ar* here—-

! what are we going to think. TQiere are three great thoughts associated wiith this monument.- 1 suggest that the first thought that crosses the mind, or what should be the first—is that the monument was built toilet forth, not only to grown-ups, but also to the' ehildren of our day—you boys and girls assembled [with! us ,|tbis morning, and if we would but look still further into the future and include those, too, who will follow after us—the thought of Self Sacrifice. It is a difficulty perhaps to make you understand just what those men went through in an effort to gain the object set out far them—for real hardships they were, I can assure you, as can many another who also experienced them. But the hardships did not daunt these. countrymen of ours. It was not of the hardships they were thinking, but of those who were behind them. -They felt, as we felt, that the honour of our country was at stake, that by our actions in the time of battle against atrocities, injustice, and tyranny, our country would be judged. It was this thought which urged them on to victory. Now all this meant sacrifice. These men put all thought of "self" aside in order that they should maintain the honour of our country. They did not hesitate in making- the necessary sac- , rifice should it be (required of them, but they did strive to uphold the flag of our country against the dishonour of defeat. They strove against the odds of numerical strength, the disadvantages of position, and [inefficient i lines of communication in an unknown land. But they won through —they made what appeared to be an impregnable position of the, enemy, give way before them and victory was theirs, although numbers of them paid the supreme sacrifice. <<The Cause of Liberty—they fought and fell for the cause of liberty, which should be our second thought when looking at the monument, Has ; it occurred to any of you to think what might have been our position as a country to-day had they not won. I am afraid our position would not have been a very happy one. However, they did win .back far us the freedom and liberty which has been the birthright of every British subject. To you, especially the younger ones, is it handed on. The Powers which imperilled that liberty, ware overthrown and conquered. Our duity then is to hand on to those foillowing after us, that Liberty as a.sacred gift which is to he reverenced in the highest sense of the'word. We would not toe' doing our duty fairly were we to allow others to cast aside the liberty for which our countrymen fought and in. fighting for which, many of them gave their lives. The. very fact that our fellow-countrymen shed their blood, for. it-should be sufficient to make us, one and all, striveto preserve it for their sakes alone. Will you not, then, strive with us, their comrades-in-arms, to hold very dear the Liberty which has been made ours, and further, shall we no hand on the liberty unspotted and .uwdeflled, as we are in honour-bound to do'. "• . "Gratitude.—l have said they maut the whole world ring with their gallant deeds of heroism. They fought and fell for the honour of our country Because of what they did the whole world thinks very, highly of the New Zealander, therefore gratitude to them should be our third thought today. He said lie could quote numerous opinions ol oui soldiers from high military leaders, but let it be sufficient to give here the .opinion expressed by General. W. R. Birdwood (who was responsible for coming the word Anzac, and who was closely associated with the New Zealand troops). He says: I will nnlv sav here what complete conn°&n always tod-without one moment of the campaign in the fastness and the efficiency of theNe* Zealand troops. ™eir divine wo, admirable, while never have,l. i eeii troops more willing or determined. W & sincerely mourn for those who so willingly gave their liv*» tfor the great, cause in which we were n&htW lheyhadi^.died! in vain, for they "have ensuredfiee- , doui'and right far our children and , our children's children. New I .ea-, land mav well -be justly proud of hei magniflcem sons, who upheld the flag and fought for her honour The standard of courage then, ■has been set very high but suM> we are not going to aUow it to 1 said of us, who follow after, that i is too high. To doWwou flinging ingratitude upon the deed:, <• Spreme sacrifice. Rather let us now acknowledge" their courage arid 1 croiism, and keep the standard wlm they, our fallen comrades, Macled it remembering with deep tude that they 'played the and played it well. . -Never shall we allow their deed* to be forgotten among New Zealand- , «Never shall we falter to roamiam our country's good name won bv those who returned not agani. _ -Never shall Anzac Day come loimd and find anyone of us lacteing m out gratitude. "For—

Again I see a flag unfurled, To be saluted .by the world: ■ Bearing the plain inscription 'Right!' Its faithful champion's name is . 'Might.' "In conclusion the following three thoughts should be ours when at any time we look upon this or any other such monument:— ~-,+■, "That of 'Self Sacrifice' which those gallant countrymen of ours displayed; ~ , . "That of 'Liberty' which for us

they fought so hard and bought so dearly; "That of 'Gratitude' to the honoured dead, who so iiolbly fought for their country's honour"and laid down their lives fighting." Following the address, a large number of wreaths and flowers were laid upon the Cenotaph, among which |wjas a .beautiful wreath from the local branch of the Returned Soldiers Association. The National Anthem was sung by those' present, after which the Benediction was pronounced by Rev. A. F. Stewart. The nrin«r party then fired three volleys, Bandmaster Lester, of Levin, sounding the ''Last Post." At the conclusion, Mr i. T. Bovis, on behalf of the Mayor, thanked all those who had taken part in the service special thanks being accorded the Levin Band- for its assistance. The singing of the children, who had beer; trained by the Headmaster, Mr White, was .of. great assistance in the ceremony.

AT MANGAHAO TOP CAM P.

A verv impressive service was held in the Y.M.C.A. at the Top Camp at Mangahao on Sunday afternoon when there'was a good gathering ol residents who had requested that a service should be held there. The Anzac hymns were sung and were entered into with a good spirit. Mr J. H. Roberts, of .Shannon, presided over the service and gave an inspiring l address on the nil important occasion. He was .listened to with rapt attention and the residents are very much indebted to him for coining out especially at so short a notice.