The Thames Star SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1919. VICTORY AND PEACE

Thames Star, Volume LII, Issue 13940, 19 July 1919, Page 2

The Thames Star

SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1919. VICTORY AND PEACE

mUm DMwli mmi with rigkfr M~*tutcaMr.

Ticrday every caity and every hamlet ■in-jtio: King's wide damauiomig ia filled with joy and heartfelt,: thjaakfuineaa, for that guided by Ctaunipotenoe, ihx iunpdaa which we lorn, has oome Tiiofaodioufiiy, with unHtmaed honour, <*# of the greatest war riw history ,Awa,y -^ ktneiy poHtis, i« Canada* frozen North, touched now by a brief ewmmer, on the. hqfa pjainfe of thfaft India wo have gweatoed not for our oww gadM, ioi miamhy villaig^ ar^ad itiw snm-.of A&iidan lakes, --a-; those smiaftl .qpeciks of Baartfe' se* between the «torany Mlantiita, afad the foggy Nwth' : Sea,, frtan wheneo-<*une our mc«, in tiie lanids of ,th» .South -tfuub ■red tihe mien of Amac, on waive™n) iefafa an every >a, wherever the Uiuan Jaiok floaty to the ba-eeze, men and women of Britah, stock to-dW celebraite fjhe triumph of 'our arms aiid the vaICTM-.of our h«rodo sailoa-s airtd soldieiia,' the gallant lads at'iE with ua, the ' immoirty- ones whose Jives w;oro saorifioed on itihie "aUtajf of a gree* idaal-41ha Prtedom of Humanity. Mfi^-itJhara be, brave women and gaJkinti ram, who sH«efp th© l^ast llojng< sleep ih foreign fields or in the ocean's depths, . but their names will live for ever, their memory enshrined! ia *&*> heart of Sh people mlade frea by (their sacrifice. The war was mot of our choosing; "to the lasti moment our .statesmen labouredf tunceaaingly to a.verti it. Bulb when) iti came to a questdoni'of anaitSonial honour,' when Belgium's independetnlcie, gtiaramteed by"" our plighted! word, was violated', then. thene wag no hesitation in. British heairts. Unrea<fy as we were, alto^ pether unprepared for a. <rrea,t land ■war, the . Ennpire rallied) to the Btandard that defied the full-trained! host*?-of Tyranny.. /From North and South, from East and West, from the old lands and the lainds new-won from the wilderness., men, of the same old British fltodk that had defied ttie might of the "Invincible Airmada,'' came •%o build

the Victory Army that would seal the doom of Kaiserism, and mate the world safe for Democracy. And while " they . came the silent gray • Navy, tirelessly watchful, held the , seas open) for them and' the great L | hearts of France and Belgium, ■ shoulder to shoulder with the grim- , ©d and weary warrior* of the Contemptible Little Army,*' held I the thlim. line from Nieuport to the Alps, held it and flung back- the Kaiser'^ endless grey hordes, ajded ■by every deviltry 'that Hun,ni<h ficienoß ooiuld' devise. Buf the Victory Airmy grew stronger day by day and ifo-day wie in New Zt?n.lamdi -cam feel keen pride' 1' 1 that! in the host that fought for Freedom there wer# no finer troops than our Few 1 Zealand Wsy Tiaw levfefei from. office and' farm, bushnoamps and factories. There is ''nothing, more splendid (in the story ,of the war than the deeds of our mem on Gallfpoli, in Palestine,. andl on: the storieKl fields of France aiad Flanders. They won the unstinted admiration of every commander; when desperate valour was needed, they were chosen for the task, tillj by isheer merit, they were 'placed, ' j companions in honour, first in. th» : great Imperial .Army, with the j glorious Gutards Division, of long andi noble tradition. Under Provi- . dence, because our cause was justice itself, oiuir arms have 'been crowned .with success,^ and-.* Peace of Honour and justice ireiigjns againsti upon tlhe earth. ,To those wihb oaine tihixiai^h jthe Great Ordeal, to those r~who jdiedl that we '■'■'■ might live in Pea.cc, jto Him who rules' the destines of . nation® and sways' the fortunes -of i battlletei ; for the ■ yimdioation of ( Eternal Justice, our heair'te :go lip in . thankfulness this day. Eeti ius them ( proudHjy icwmaneanioraftiei fthe miglhty , deeds of heroes, Hying and dead, , bub alsio remember with 1 deepest ginattttude itftiia Unseen) Guidance that , led us through many tdal® to ViWtory and! Peace. Let. the spirit of rejoicimgr be tinged with tftpat spirit of humility which inspired Kipling 1 to''fifing: "Loiidl God of Hosts, be with us ' yet. i I Lejst we forget! Lest we forI getl"