OBITUARY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 43, 21 February 1939, Page 8

OBITUARY

MR. M. SYDNEY BIRCHLEY There passed away at the residence of his mother, 44 Lombard Street, Palmerston North. Mr. M. Sydney Birchley, an old and greatly esteemed resident of the district. He was wellknown in Wanganui. Born at Foxton 57 years ago, “Syd” Birchley, as he was well and popularly' known to a large circle of friends, took a keen interest in sport, was a good football player, and was always a great, admirer and a good judge of horse-flesh. Himself an accomplished horseman, he owned at different times several good and successful horses. As a lad he enlisted and served in the South" African War, and at the outbreak of the Great War he enlisted with the Main Body of the NeW Zealand Expeditionary Forces, and saw three and a-half years’ continuous service On Gallipoli and in the East. The late Mr. Birchley never married and he leaves an aged mother, eight sisters and two brothers. One brother, Mr. James Birchley, and one sister, Mrs. J. D. Oliphant, predeceased him some years ago. The funeral which took place at the Terrace End cemetery, was one of the largest representative corteges seen in Palmerston North for some years. An impressive service was conducted at the residence by Rev. J. S. Holland, of All Saints', who also officiated at the graveside. The pallbea;*:rs at the house were Messrs. W. L. Birchley (a brother), W. R. Gooding and Jack Brown (brothers-in-law), Harold Bennett, Robert’ Emmett and Robert McDowell. At the graveside the pall-bearers were ex-servicemen, Major A. Batchelar, Messrs. J. L. Nash, Noel Wood, George Shannon, Grahame Shannon and Robert Emmett. The numerous beautiful floral tributes received testified to the esteem in which the late gentleman was held. All the units with which he had served were represented byformer comrades. The casket, on which was worked the badge of the N.Z.R.S., was draped in a Union Jack.