BATTERY’S REUNION

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 701, 28 June 1929, Page 11

BATTERY’S REUNION

WAR DAYS RECALLED jVF EMORIES of Awaptmi camp life and gruelling months on Gallipoli and in France were recalled last evening when the First Battery of the New Zealand Field Artillery held its second annual reunion. Lieutenant-Colonel E. IT. Northcroft, D. 5.0., presided over an attendance of 65 ex-artillerymen. Visitors from Wellington were: Lieutenant-Colonel G. Lyon, M.C., who was at one time an officer in the battery; Colonel J. Neuman, M.C., who commanded the battery in Germany; and Sergeant-Major “Ching” Varrell, ID.C.M., Croix de Guerre, who had held his rank in the battery. . Proposing the toast to “The Battery,” Lieutenant-Colonel Lyon recalled the training days in New Zealand and Egypt, and mentioned that the battery was the only one that had the honour of being mentioned in despatches. VA* Fasschendaele,” he said, “the spirit of the men was tried under ghastly conditions.” Pie went on to say that friendships formed on the fields of France could never be forgotten, and that was or.e of the good things that came from the war. In reply, the chairman said that the battery’s tradition bad been made by Colonel Symon, the first commander. He set a high standard for himself and demanded that the men under him should work as he did. The toast to “The Horses” was proposed by Captain C. Gillespie, the response being made by Sergeant-Major Varrell. - Luring the evening a silver fruit dish was presented to the secretary, Mr. I. E. Hammond, as a wedding gift and in appreciation of his services in organising the reunions. r I he remainder of the evening was passed in story-telling and singing.