THE SOUL OF ANZAC

Southland Times, Issue 18849, 15 June 1920, Page 5

THE SOUL OF ANZAC

Sir William Birdwood In Invercargill AN ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION Re-Union With D ggers General Sir William Birdwood, accompanied by Lady Birdwood and his daughter, a;rived in Invercargill yesterday afternoon, and was given a warm welcome by a great crowd of citizens and returned soldiers. In the evening the General attended a dinner arranged in his honour, and later was the guest of the Returned Soldiers’ Association at a smoke concert. He will leave Invercargill to-day for Queenstown.

INVERCARGILL’S WELCOME. CROWDS AND ENTHUSIASM. DINNER AND SMOKE CONCERT. General Sir William Birdwood, the owner of many decorations, the bearer of many affectionate pseudonyms, and the object of the respect and admiration of many thousands of New Zealand and Australian soldiers and of their friends, arrived in Invercargill yesterday accompanied by Lady Birdwood and his little daughter. A good deal of bunting was displayed about the town in honour of the visitor, while the size of the crowd that turned out to greet him cotdd leave no doubt in the mind as to the warmth of his welcome. The party was met at the railway station by the Mayor (Mr John Stead t, a number of councillors, the Town Clerk (Mr F. Burwell I, the Mayor of South Invercargill (Mr W. Holloway), the Hon. J. A. Han an and Mrs Hamm and the president of the R.S.A. (Mr Duncan Rad. After the Mayor had outlined the proposed programme of entertainment, with which the General was ready to fell in, the party was motored through a lane lined by thousands of cheering people to the hand rotunda where a brief ceremony was held. The Sth Regiment Band heeded the procession. The distinguished visitor seemed to be much interested in all about him, and appeared keenly on the alert to delect a man wearing a badge. THE WELCOME. GENERAL’S HAPPY SPEECH. After calling for cheers for General Birdwood, the Mayor said that it was the desire of everyone present to do honour to the visitor. The mother, sister, daughter and sweetheart of every soldier had looked on General Birdwood as practically the godfather of the boys at the front. Mr Stead went nn to refer to the history of the British race, showing that in its great crises the people had become possessed of the indomitable will to conquer. This was the case in the recent Great War. The Gallipoli campaign, although in a sense a defeat, had been one of the many great inci dents that had developed the characteristics of domination in the race. Anywhere in the Empire, continued the Mayor. Gen oral Birdwood would have been welcome. Addressing the crowd as ‘‘Ladies and gentlemen and old digger comrades of Invercargill,” Genera! Birdwood said that, after noting the Mayor’s accent, he would have to do as he had in Dunedin---apologise for not being Scottish. When in Canterbury he felt that he was in England, but in Dunedin he might have been in Scotland. So he had had to apologise for not being Scots and that His wife also belonged to that unhappy race known ns the oppressed English.- •• ( Laughter '. He hod never received a more hearty welcome than in New Zealand. he continued, and in the Scotland of Otago and Southland the welcomes were as enthusiastic as anywhere. On his way through New Zealand people had remarked in regard to the weather. ’But wait until you get to Invercargill.” That glorious day did not support their fears. The weather was fine, but even if it had been cold, lie and his family would have realised that g was only an episode of the day and that the warmth of the people's hearts remained for ever. - (Applause l .

The .‘■pecker declared tint he looked on il as n great hoi our to receive such a welcome. Purin': ike years he hail boon in command of the New Zealanders he had always (lone his best, as had til? other office -s," for them, - - (Applause 1 . lie went on to speak of the work of the men who fought. stating that he wished lie could express to his hearers all that thase men had gone through. Now that they were "hark he would ask those unable to fight esperially the employers, to show them consideration. After every war- -this was his experience after going tlvoneh a good many ■ -there were men who were not normal in consequence of shell shock and shattered nerves. In the case of the Mrngale just rimed this state was intensified because of the extremely heavy pun tire. “these beys.’’ he declared, “are anxious to wo:k. 1 ,1 after they have been at it for some time they break down. Give them another rheme and another and another a.ter that. In chort. be patient with them.'' The General went on to speak of tho influence of the hiah morale of the Rritish peoples on the war. It was this, he declared, and not (he Army or the Navy, that had won the war. He eulogised the work of sneh or'inisations as the Red Cross, the Trench Comforts Fund, the hj .M.C.A. and ill-' Salvation A my, stating that he was sure he spoke with the agreement of every New Zealand soldier. The people at home had inspired the fighters all through the Gallipoli campaign and through the war. After again expressing appreciation of his welcome General Uirdwood had a word to

say to llio children. The ptocee lings then terminated with hearty chc'.r= for the Gen t ;:I and the [.-laying of tho National Anthem by the baud. EVENING FUNCTION. DINNER AT THE FEDERAL. There were about 50 guests prefen' at the ! dinner held in the Federal room? in honour ! of Sir William and Lady Birdwood. ; Proposing the health of General Birdwood, I the Mayor fair! that he was fortunate in | being Mayor in that he was privileged to preside at the gathering. If he had not been Mayor ho felt quite sure tha* he would have been present whether he had been invited or not. This was because the people looked on ‘‘the Soul of Anzac” as one of themselves. The man they came to call ‘•Birdie” heal almost literally as well as figuratively entered into the souls of the Gallipoli fighters. They had felt, that the task set them by their General was almost impossible of accomplishment, but they had also felt that under him they could do great things for the Empire. (Applause). They honoured and revered him, and the people who belonged whence they came honoured and revered him ton. His Worship, in closing, stated that General Birdwood did not intend to make a speech. “No speeches” had been one of the conditions on which he had agreed to attend the function. Nevertheless, he might he prevailed on to give a talk although he declared himself unable to see the difference between a speech and a talk. (Laughter and applause). After the toast had been drunk with great heartiness. General Birdwood rose smilingly to his feet and playfully announced that he was very glad the Mayor had anticipated him in making excuses for himself. Before he had attended he stipulated that there were to be no speeches dijf-

ing the night. Now the Mayor blamed the Town Clerk for the inclusion of such in the programme. That reminded him of another camouflage story, but it was a story that he was almost afraid lo tel! in a community that had had such a great reputation for —how many years? And the General launched into a short story in which the “dryness” of the American Navy and “camouflage” were related. He was very glad, continued the General after a few more witticisms had been voiced, lo see some of those people he preferred to call “diggercsses” present. He was always glad to see those sisters of mercy anti congratulate ihem on behalf of his men comrades for what they had done to alleviate the sufferings of the soldiers. In Lemnos, Egypt, France and Palestine the nurses had done splendid work. He referred to the sufferings on such occasions as the torpedoing of the Marquette, and asked that the soldiers present should always let them see that they were looked on as comrades still and that they were welcomed as members of the R.R.A. Of the Home nurses the same could be said as was said of their New Zealand sisters. The dear ones of the British soldier were comparatively close at hand when he was in action, but the waiting mo hers 10,000 miles away hail a harder time. To such it must have been some consolation to know that their boys were in good hands. (Applause). The people of Britain had laid themselves out to entertain these men, and there was not a home, scarcely, from the King’s palace lo the humblest cottage, that did not have one of them.

Sir William wont on to deal with the spirit of the men who fought the Empire'.' battle?. lie spoke of the exploit? in the Dardanelles of Lieutenant Boyle, V.C., and remarked that a French Admiral had once said to him (Sir William), “I do not know what there is about the British officers, but our? cannot do the same. Neither did they seem to possess the same enterprise. declared Sir William, but their submarines were not as pood a? the British article. One French submarine, however, had got up the Dardanelles ,but it was subsequently 10,-t. The speaker went on to say that the deeds of these men should be handed down to their children and their children's children. He did not believe in boasting, but this should be done for the sake of preserving a noble example. There were those in the Home land who found mean objects in everything that Britain did. A true record of history would show whether or not tiieir charge? were well founded, Ihe French seemed to have a greater appreciation of Britain's (iced? than had the British themselves. The remembered an occasion when Marshal Foch, by his expressions, had shown that he had no doubts regarding wha.t Britain had done, while the attitude of the Parisians after the armistice showed how deep were their feelings. Sir William recalled the great fight put up by the lir.-t of the British Army to cross to assist in stemming the German advance. At that time, although the Army had only two machine guns to a battalion, the Germans had reported to headquarters that they must have fifty or sixty, This was because .oi the British having been trained in individual -rifle firing. Then there was the British Navy, w.thout which he did not think the Allies could have struggled through. The war had shown tha: the inhab.tants of Britain were not decadent and that the little islands in the North hen still produced men and women of the same calibre as thry had for the past 500 years. Regarding the Ualnpoli campaign, he stated that it had not been a pure dc-c.tt. IBs Intelligence Officer on Galdpo.i now happened to be Intelligence Officer at Constantinople, and from bun lie had heard that every day revealed that, by the campaign, a possible Turkish victory in Palestine had been avoided. The llnwer of Lie Turks’ troops hau been destroyed in the campaign, al.hough by that statement he uid nor wish to net ran from the glorious achievement? of the troops that operated in Talc.-tine. The foundation of the Palest in;; victories hud been laid on Gallipoli. The General concluded by declaring that he and Ins wde looked on the hran.mrs 01 toe icrop .on a \cry great honour.

K.h.A. (CM ART. GREAT RECMt UuN BT IKK On the shoulder? oi four returned men General li:ru\\o( .j mane tus eiiu..n,c to me | iv.s.A. .-moke conceit hem .n in.-- honour j lust night in the Hail. As lie was j ci.iriu i.o m» seal it.v.ut a great j os at ion, ant! it was ,-ome tone be.ore me ; rneeimg sub.- it.cn. ine crow a that at- ! leiu.e.i was to large taut me seating accuimnuuattcn proviuco was not near.y sutI ticient to serve those woo hail gathered i from all over ioulmana to meet me onl ■ coimutmler of tne Australian anu New j /ealiunt n.rmy Corps. Mr I). M. Mae, pic.-adeut of the Returned hoidiers' A.-t ocuiiion, occupied me chair, end m proposing me health ol the guest of tile fvtmng said that Ocncral Ikrdwoon was one ol the most distinguished generals the war had prouuco.l. lie had enaeured iurnsell to the diggers by many hi tie acts of court esy, and it. was always by those that their guest was remembered. Me was one ol tne two great officers who had upheld the good name 01 the Australian and New Zealand troops in the councils of the nation, the other being General Sir lan Hamilton. The experience the General had received in South Alrica accounted for some 01 the insight he possessed enabling him to recognise the latent possibilities ol the troops he commanded, and which coula be developed by proper training and discipline under good leadership. The off-hand manner of the Australian and New Zeidander appealed little to the regular army officer, and the troops were fortunate in having been commanded by a man who was able to properly size up their mannerisms. General Birdwood had been able to gain discipline and make great soldiers out of the troops he commanded. He had been able to establish that bond of sympathy so necessary between a leader and his men. — (Applause.) He hoped that they would be able to welcome the General on some future occasion. On rising to respond, General Birdwood was not allowed to speak for several minutes, the hall resounding with cheers. The General said that his reception made it hard for him to suitably respond, and he fully appreciated the compliment that had been paid him that evening. He had fought hard in France to retain the identity of the Australian and New Zealand forces as a single corps, but his efforts had been in vain, and he was forced to bow to a higher authority and sever his connection with the New Zealanders, The New Zealand forces had fought under him in

Gallipoli, and he was grieved when the time lor parting came. Alter the creation of the New Zealand Division he had always todowed its doing witn keen interest, and was delighted to see it going from success to success with haraly a failure. It was one of the most complete, self-contained lighting divisions in ranee, and its record proved its lighting abilities, 'the Australians and New Zealanders had lougnt shoulder to shoulder on Gallipoli, and tuey should maintain mat comradeship in peace, the delence of the Southern racilic was a problem that would make them realise how essential it was that Australia and New Zealand should see eye to eye when it came to defence. What was a menace to one was also a menace to the other, and they should know how-, much support one could give the other in the time of necessity. Gn Gallipoli, fighting side by side, they had realised that the failure of one would have mean! the destruction of both, and the same held good to-day. The chairman had said that it was an honour lor the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps to have had him as its commander, but he considered the boot was on the other foot, ana he regarded it as an honour to have been accepted by the Diggers as one of themselves. They ail thought their neighbours were a little mad, and no doubt when he first took over command, the Diggers hart accepted him with the remark; “'He’s all right but a bit mad.” Ha would like them to remember that tha Gallipoli fight was not a failure, although they did not attain their object. The information gleaned after the armistice proved that the Gallipoli fights had made possible the sweeping victories gained in Pale-line. The lurks; sent their best troops to Gallipoli, and the dread in which the Turkish army held the Gallipoli front was sufficient evidence of the lighting qualities of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. He did not wish in any way to detract from the great lights put up by the New Zealand Mounted Division in Palestine, because he knew well the conditions under which they tougiit. He would ask them also to icmember the part played by Ihe lintish in tiie war. which showed that the spirit which was alive in England at the time of the Armada still existed today. It was that .spirit that pervaded the New Zealand lorces, inherited no doubt irom those dating ones who had come to I lit* ends of the earth to make homes for thcm.-elvcs. He would ask them to extend the hand of comradeship to any of their lirilii-.ii comrades who m.ght settle in New Zealand, j-opulat-icn was one oi New Zealand’s greate.-t ntcus. It was a real pleasure to him to find that they were settling down and making as pood citizens as they had made soldiers. He realised that they were getting a I ‘septate ceal’’ bath from the Government and the private employer. The war had carried New Zealand in ona stride into a place in the world's nations and it was thru duty to sc? that she maintained that place. He would give them two words as their motto for .the future: ‘‘Comradeship and Battlelitne-ss”; comradeship to all who wore the IES.A. badge, and never to pass a man without greeting who carrier! that badge in his coat, “The whole world has gone mad since the war,” he concluded, “so let us get hack our sanity first and carry on in civil life as we did in war. Keep yourscT. cs as fit as you did in war.” Mu ird items were given by the Orphans’ Chib orchestra, the II hernirui Band (the official band of the R.h'.A.;, and Messrs J. E. Taylor and J. R. Heigh. At the conclusion of the concert, General Birdvvood took his stand at the entrance end shook hands, with ad the men ns they filed out. wishing them he dth and prosperity. As the General's car drove away it was the signal for a farewell cheer which was lustily given.