SOLDIERS’ RE-UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1921, Page 5

SOLDIERS’ RE-UNION.

WELCOME TG GENERAL MELDRUM. MOUNTED MEN’S TRIBUTE. Ex-members of the New Zealand Mounted Riffe Brigade assembled in large numbers at a social gathering held at the Soldiers’ Club, New Plymouth, last night to welcome Brigadier-Generaj W. Meldrum, C. 8., C.M.G., D. 5.0., who lias taken up his residence in New Plymouth. Major J. B. Hine presided. A pleasant evening was spent, song and story interspersing an appropriate toast list, while anecdotes of army experiences were freely exchanged with the re-union of old comrades.

“Comrades of 'the well and trulys’ ”, said General Meldrum in replying to the chairman’s welcome. “I wdsh to say how much I appreciate that the old members of the Mounted Rifle Brigade should have joined together in order to give me a welcome to New Plymouth.’ Continuing, he said it seemed only the other day that they were leaving New Zealand with the Main Body. He had often recalled that when they cast their eyes backwards to little New Zealand disappearing in the distance the last scene they got was the. moon glinting on. the top of Mt. Egmont. Regarding the evening’s function he thought it was a line thing that they should meet together, and he would like to see annual re-unions held right throughout New Zealand by the various units who served together during the war. They had ex. pcrienced adventures which would probably never come again to the present generation, and all must feel that there was no comradeship existing between men such as the fellowship formed by what was called the blood tic, namely among men who had risked their lives together for some great and common purpose. They could not assemble again, he said, without going over some of their experiences, but it was generally recognised that they should not talk too much about the difficulties and dangers they had met except in referring to those that had passed away. Subsequent remarks by’ General Meldrum were a tribute to the memory of the late Colonel Malone, of the Wellington Battalion. There was always a sort of friendly rivalry between the Wellington Mounteds and the Wellington foot. They first fought together on Gallipoli. Chunuk Bair was taken by the Wellington infantry, under Colonel Malone, on August 8, 1915, and he did not think sufficient credit had been given to- the battalion for the work they accomplished. “When they went into action they were 775 strong,” said General Meldrum, “and when we went to relieve them there was only 63 left.” Proceeding, he said that the Sunday on Chunuk Bair when the battalion held their position was one of the finest things done by the New Zealanders or any other soldiers during the war. Referring to the work of the mounteds in Palestine, General Meldrum said they woyld always look back on that experience in the land of history as one of the finest episodes they had gone through. A factor which made it more pleasant was the association with the Australians, and they and the New Zealanders pulled together as few units did. Australia was our nearest neighbor, and he thought the feeling of mutual respect and comradeship should be encouraged. Lieut.-Colonel Weston expressed pleasure at having the opportunity of consratulating the members of the Mounted Brigade on having their distinguished commander in the district, and in fact congratulating all returned soldiers on General Meldrum’s arrival in the district. His influence and personality would be a very great help. <'<>lonel Weston proposed the toast of the Mounted Brigade, and coupled with thia were the names of Major W. 11. holey and Captain 0. E. dago. Other toasta were: ’Absent < omrades” (proposed by l.ieut.-Colonel Evans); “The N.Z. Nursing Serv.ee coupled with the name of the Aotea Home (proposed by Lieut. Tate and responded to by Major Brewster)); Iho Army Medical Service” (proposed by Major Foley and responded to by Lieut.Colonel Home); “The R.S.A.” by Trooper McNeil and responded to by Captain MacDbu*miA>.