BIRD ROAD ROLL OF HONOR.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 April 1921, Page 2

BIRD ROAD ROLL OF HONOR.

(To die Editor.) •Sir, —As an old pupil of the school, and being the first boy born and brought up on Bird Road, I naturally read with interest the report appearing in your issue of Monday with reference to the above Roll of Honor. I was astonished at the large number 6f names attached to the roll, but perhaps after an absence of ten or twelve years, I should not have been; as, during that time many changes and removals have taken place; also whether all these men were formerly, or are at the present time nona fide residents of Bird—Skinner road, I cannot say; the promoters of the memorial scheme no doubt used their own discretion in the matter. The point I wish to come to is this: The memorial (h very fitting tribute to those who crossed the seas to do their "bit” in defence of the Empire and especially to the brave lads who made the supreme sacrifice, and who will never come back) is erected, I understand, in the school grounds, and this being so, one cannot help thinking that -those responsible for the erection of the memorial, might at least, for the credit of Bird Road School, if from no other motive, have perused the school records and roll-books of former days, when they would have discovered that in addition to the long list of names inscribed on the slab, there are also those of quite a number of ex-scholars Of the school, three or four of whom "went West,” and who are surely as much entitled to have their service to the Empire kept In remembrance as othefs whose identity with Bird Road would (in some cases, at least) be hard to determine. In justice to those ex-pupils of Bird Road School who crossed the water and were spared to return, and out of respect to those who will never come back; I would kindly ask you to give publicity to the following names t Ken. Corbett, W. Meyenberg, H. J. Furniss, (killed in action)—-tire two former in August and September 1918, and the latter at the Somme, September, 1916; also R. and J. Reid, and E. and' T. Furniss, who have returned to the Dominion. I believe one of the Gooding boys also went with the New Zealand Reinforcements, but cannot say for certain. If there are still others whom I cannot think of just now; perhaps someone in possession of the facts will be good enough to supplement my letter by publishing same. Thanking you in anticipation.—l am, etc., GILBERT ELLIS, New Plymouth, April 20.