Soldiers & Comrades

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 25 August 1914, Page 4

Soldiers & Comrades

NEW ZEALAND FORCE REVIEWED, j MAJOR-GENERAL SIR A. GODLEY ADDRESSES THE TROOPS. FINEST BODY Of MEN HE HAS EVER SEEK. ; By Telegraph.—Press Association. I'almeiston North, Last Night. The expeditionary force was inspected at the camp to-day by General Sir A. Godley, in the presence of a large number of people, General Godley, addressing the troops, said:— "I wish to tell you how very satisfied lam with the inspection. I do not, think anybody eonld want to see a finer body i of men, or men more likely to do credit \to their country Remember, you represent the regiments of the Wellington military district, many of which were formed in older times as volunteer regiments—many in the Maori wars, especially from the Taranaki district and the King Country, Hawke's Bay, and Wellington—and of their districts. I hope that you will all remember that in your hands is the honor of those New Zealand regiments. The artillery has been selected from all over the Dominion, and I have no hesitation in saying it is the finest body of men I have seen in iiiy life, in any part of the world. The engineers came from all over the Dominion, and the same with the medical corps and the army service corps; and all of them worthily represent their sections. The infantry are drawn from each of the regiments of the Wellington Infantry Brigade. I wish to say to all of yon men that you are going to represent your country and your particular regiments in a way that it should be every soldier's ambition to do. Remember that whatever your act or will may be, however anxious you may be to see active service, and however hard you are working, or however hard you may, it is ! of no use unless you realise that it must j be done with discipline; and by discipline I mean the very best kind of discipline—not discipline which makes a man act through fear of punishment, or the discipline ,of the martinet of the German army, but something very much higher than thaV—a discipline which actuates the conscientious soldier. Remember, every one of you, that you arc not only soldiers but comrades. You know perfectly well tliat unless you work together, and realise the value of leadership, you will be of no good. Exactly the same thing applies to a Boldier. By your performances on board the troopship, by the way in. which you will arrive in England, will New Zealand not only be judging you, but also your regiment. You will find yourselves alongside regiments of the British regular army with great traditions, regiments which have reached a pitch of excellence that is impossible to be reached in any other army in the world. There is no reason why the men of New Zealand should not be able and competent to take places alongside the men of the British army. When they do, they will find a high standard of personal appearance and esprit de corps, cleanliness, so- ' briety and temperance in every way, and - on these points I trust and believe yon i will not be found wanting. You will find the army discipline irksome. Well, you don't go on active service expecting ; anything but hardship. I am perfcetly certain that the men of AVellington, Hawke's Bay, Taranaki and Manawatu will bear their fair share of the hard- : ships that come along. We are all grateful—the military authorities and the Government, too—for the patriotic spirit shown not only by volunteers but by i citizens also. I wish you bon voyage, 1 and God-speed, and remember that the ' whole of New Zealand will be watching you, and this district in particular, and ihey will expect to see something moic than ordinary from the men who ai'» here. If lam any judge, and I ought to ' be after 30 years' soldiering, I think the men whom I now see before me, if they have the will, as I know they have, will ! be well able, to take their place in tio ranks of the British army when they . reach Home." : Subsequently Major-General Godley addressed the officers in a room trailer I the grandstand. I THE MEN IN CAMP. Palmerston North, Last Night, 1 The men in camp to-day are:—Wellington Mounted Rifles' Regiment, 24 ofi ficers and GM men; Wellington Infan- - try Regiment, 31 officers and 11(55 men; . Divisional Signal Company, 4 officers and • 116 men; Mounted Signal Troop, 1 officer i and 30 men; Field Troop Engineers, 3 - officers and SO men; Field Artillery Bat- ' tery, 4 officers and 203 men; Divisional ' Ammunition Column, 2 officers and 150 men; Brigade Ammunition, 2 officers and sft men; Horse Artillery Section, ammunition column, 1 officer and 22 men; Mounted Field Ambulance, 2 officers and 45 men; Army Signal Corps, 1 officer and 88 men; attached. 4 officers and Sfi men; total, 81 officers and 2071 men: horses, 89!>. THE MEN'S T/^Y. Wellington, Last Night. It is stated officially that while .r camp the men of ithe Expeditionai Force will receive ordinary New Zealand rates of pay, bhe Expeditionary ) Force rate commencing on the dat? of - their embarkation. I i