AIR ANZACS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 November 1940, Page 8

AIR ANZACS

EMPIRE TRAINING SCHEME WARM WELCOME IN CANADA. FINE BODY OF MEN. Representatives of four Royal Air forces—those of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Great Britain—stood in the darkness outside Pier B-C last night, says the “Daily Province,” Vancouver, British Columbia of October 26, listening to words of welcome from four of British Columbia's leading citizens. Lieutenant-Governor E. W. Hamber, standing stiffly in front of the trimlyuniformed ranks of Australian and New Zealand airmen, was the first to greet the Anzacs. He greeted them as "a fine body of men from the sister Dominions who have come to augment further the Empire’s air force in defending our freedom and our liberty. You will be received in Canada with open arms,” he told them. “You will soon feel you are not strangers in a strange land, but brothers in blood, brothers in arms. The road will be hard, but there could be no doubt of ultimate victory. Germany would be defeated, disintegrated for all time. To you who have come from Australia and New Zealand, Canada welcomes you and wishes you good luck and Godspeed.” There was no applause. Only a murmur of approval from the ranks of civilians grouped opposite the silent ranks of uniformed men.

FEDERAL WELCOME. Mr G. G. McGreer, M.P., spoke with the voice of federal authority. He felt proud to be associated in a second welcome to fighting men from Australia and New Zealand. “We want to make your training period in Canada a time of happy, pleasant and profitable experience,” he said. “You are embarked on one of civilisation’s greatest adventures. By the time you have finished there will be flames all. over Germany from wing to wing, from nose to tail. For every bomb that has been dropped on British soil there will be thousands of British Empire bombs blasting Hitler’s pagan land. The Bosche is squealing already.” Air Commodore Earl A. Godfrey, chief of the western air command, struck a practical note. He assured the visiting airmen of the utmost co-oper-ation from Canada during their period of training in Canada. ‘“I hope the spirit of goodwill and fellowship that, prevailed between your personnel and ours during the last war will persist in this war,” he said. Mayor Telford voiced a civic welcome. He believed the airmen would come to loye Canada, that Canadians would have the privilege of “cheering you on your victorious homeward way.” CHEERS FOR ANZACS. Mr W. A. Rundle, manager of the transportation bureau, Vancouver Board of Trade, rounded off the ceremony of welcome by leading three hearty cheers for Australians and New Zealanders.

From the ranks came polite words of acknowledgment. Leading Aircraftsman J. Goulding, of the New Zealand Air Force, stepped briskly to the front, saluted and in simple language conveyed thanks for the welcome given to the Anzacs. “We hope to be worthy of the confidence you have shown in us,” he said. With Air Commodore Godfrey were Wing Commander Hal Wilson, officer commanding tfericho Beach airdrome; Group Captain L. M. Isitt, liaison officer for the Royal New Zealand Air Force; Wing Commander S. C. Seaville, a native of New Zealand, now a member of the British Royal Air Force, and Flight Lieutenant James Lawson, assistant to the Australian liaison officer. Escorting officers were Flight Lieutenant H. Hooper, Australian Air Force, Flying Officers A. J. Grey and F. Calder, New Zealand Air Force. There were gay scenes on the station platform when the airmen boarded two special trains at 7.15 p.m. A Royal Air Force band was playing “There'll Always be an England." I Groups of airmen joined hands as they sang the chorus, and women admirers clustered about them. Canadians exchanged coins with Australians and New Zealanders and civilians were entrusted with hastily-writ-ten postcards addressed to relatives “down under.” There were cheers as the train-loads pulled out. Civilians sang “Wish Me Luck as You Wave Me Good-bye" and “Roll Out the Barrel." The airmen waved back until they were lost in the darkness. FIVE ATHLETES. Among the New Zealanders, Eric C. Inder, Christchurch cycler, who is 100mile road racing champion of the country; Hugh McDonald, Auckland, four years skulling champion of the North Island; Richard Wanden, of Blenheim, who can do the 100 yards in 10 seconds flat, and Ken Morris (the Tasmanian Terror), lightweight boxing champion of New Zealand. There are also a couple of wrestlers: Richard Minnis, Wellington, the lightweight champion of New Zealand, and Bill Gordon, of Christchurch, the light heavyweight champion of the South Island, who boasts a 431 inch normal chest with an expansion of 7 inches. Owen “One Shot” McMahon is also a New Zealander. He is the terror of the ducks round his home in Auckland and can put out a candle at 50 paces with a .22 rifle. Needless to say "One Shot” is going to be an air gunner. Geoff “The Kid” Gino is the youngest among the Anzacs. He hails from Blenheim. New Zealand. Terry Clark, of Wellington, hoped he would have time to see his friend Jack Lane, 185 West Eighteenth Avenue, when the airmen landed.