SALVATION ARMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1919, Page 8

SALVATION ARMY.

WELCOME TO BANDSMAN J. SMITH. There was a good gathering at the Salvation Army Hall last night, when a welcome was extended to Bandsman J. Smith, who returned from active service on Wednesday. Commandant Rowlands was in charge of the proceedings, and addresses of welcome were given by him and Envoy Buick, and Mr. Sawyer and Mrs. Smith (the mother of the guest of the evening) also spoke. Bandsman Smith suitably replied. The band then played a number of selections, which were much appreciated. Bandsman Smith hus had nearly four years' war service, having left New Zealand with the 10th Reinforcements. Ho took part in much of the fighting in France and Flanders, .being wounded twice at Armentieres and once on the Somme. He also suffered somewhat from shell-shock. He spent nine months in hospital, on the first occasion being in the Steenwercke Hospital and later in the 16th British General Hospital at Le Treport. While at the front he was a of the 2nd Wellington Battalion Band. After the signing of the. armistice he went with the Division into Cologne, where lie remained till February, when' he was sent to England, and, after, being in camp at Sutton Coal Fields (near Birmingham), Codford, and Sling, subsequently leftffnr home by the tiiessen on June 24 and reached Wellington on August 2">, During the trip out, when nearing Capetown, the vessel's machinery broke down and she drifted for some days; and when a few days out after leaving the South African port repairs had to lie effected to the steering gear. The local Salvation Army Band has a very good record in the matter of war service of its members, practically every eligible man having been mobilised. Bandsmen S. Hart, J. Smith, W. Smith, A. Smith, and Arnold Lee all saw service abroad, the last-named being the first Salvation Army bandsman from New Zealand to be killed in action. Bandsmen W. Trim and A. Sifi'leet were in cam]) in New Zealand, while Bandmaster Roch and Bandsman King were under orders to proceed to camp. With such n depletion of their ranks, it is no wonder that juniors had to be pressed into servic», and it says a groat deal for the spirit of those who remained that the Wind was kept together at all during the period 'so many were absent from its ranks.