PARADE OF TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 December 1940, Page 6

PARADE OF TROOPS

LARGEST IN WELLINGTON SINCE WAR BEGAN BIG ASSEMBLAGE ALONG LINE OF MARCH. SPEECHES BY LOPD GALWAY AND PREMIER. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON This Day. A parade of troops from the Trentham mobilisation camp brought all Wellington into the streets this morning. It was hot and sultry after heavy overnight rain. The march suffered from a paucity of band music, but the men were a soldierly lot and the spectators were greatly impressed by their bearing. People assembled mostly along the route of march and at the scene of the parade itself, at Parliament House, the numbers were somewhat thin. Representatives of the State, Army, Navy and Air Force were present with Allied Consuls and representatives of Empire countries. In an address, the Governor-General (Viscount Galway) said there was no doubt we had turned the corner and were making progress towards the victory of right over wrong. We were thrilled to read of the deeds being accomplished in the Western Desert of Egypt, were the First Echelon and others of the New Zealand forces no doubt were taking their full share. Lord Galway also referred to the success being achieved by the Greek arms. The only way victory could be achieved, he said, was by striking hard blows wherever we could. “We are all linked together in tiffs great war effort of crushing our opponents,” the Prime Minister (Mr Fraser), said. “It is that effort which has to be concentrated and co-ordinated to bring the full weight of England’s might against those unscrupulous people who have plunged the world into so much suffering and misery. We thank you on behalf of the Government, Parliament and people of Nev/ Zealand for the readiness with which you came forward to serve your country and for your application to your various military duties.” He congratulated the troops on the standard of efficiency they had attained. New Zealanders were playing their part overseas, and in New Zealand young men. were training in the Territorial Force, while others were offering their service in the Home Guard and Military Reserve. Everything would be done to see that the shores of our country were defended and plans had already been made to ensure that those serving overseas would be able to come home and find their privileges and 'benefits safeguarded, so that they could take up civilian life again with a reasonable opportunity of enjoying the victory io which they had contributed. On behaif of. the country, he thanked all for what they were contributing towards the cause of freedom and liberty.

Speeches were made also by the Mayor (Mr T. C. A. Hislop) and by Lieutenant-Colonel Cowl«*f representing the U.S.A. Before' the troops moved off on the march, the VicarGeneral of the Archdiocese, the Rt. Rev. Monsignor T. F. Connolly, offered prayers and pronounced the benediction. Associated with the parade were the Territorial units of the Wellington area and the procession of troops was the longest, seen in Wellington during this war. The bands were the Trentham Camp Band, the band of the First Battalion of the Wellington Regiment and the pipes and drums of that regiment, the band of the Second Field Regiment of New Zealand Artillery and the Trentham Heavy Regiment Band.