SPIRIT OF ANZAC

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20908, 13 September 1939, Page 9

SPIRIT OF ANZAC

WILL IT BE RETAINED? “DIGGERS” FLOCK TO COLOURS MESSAGE FROM OLD CAMPAIGNERS “Well, seeing we are at war it’s up to New Zealand to do its bit for the Old Country. She’s been pretty good t-o us.” This is the attitude of the hundreds of returned soldiers joining up with the reservists and offering their services to Ihe Government in any capacity. Several interviewed in Hamilton provided a message for the younger generation—to preserve the spirit of Anzac which they had helped to build up and would carry on. “There is not a man in civil life who can’t provide some useful service to his co-untry in time of war, providing, of course, he has all his faculties,” said one man. “None of us like the thought of war,” declared another, “but we do like the traditional British freedom. After all, it seems we can't have it both ways. New Zealand is the freest country in the world. The fact that it is so far away from the battlefields of Europe should not prevent us doing our bit and surely the ideals which have taken so long to build up are worth preserving. They have made this country what it is.” Spirit of Adventure Adventurers are, of course, not lacking amongst the reservists. Many were influenced in their desire to join up in 1914 by the thought of adventure and the spirit is retained after a quarter of a century. “It is all very well to talk about adventure,” said one hardened “Digger,” “but somehow it gets you. It got some of us last time and its got us again. But the job was harder than we anticipated and in a good many cases the ‘adventure’ part of the game was forgotten when it came to heavy fighting. Some wished they hadn’t been so rash but it was the thought of what they were really lighting for that spurred the boys on and made them determined not to let up until the job was done. “But all of us looked forward to the day when we would set foot on •New Zealand soil again; see our friends and relations from whom we had been parted for what seemed too long; to kick off the old army boots and put on a pair of slippers and take -an easy chair in front of the fire. It was in anticipation of this and an informal welcome from our countrymen that we left for New Zealand after the Armistice. Every piece of driftwood which floated northward past the ship seemed to bring a message from home, and when there was nothing else to do the boys would line the decks and cheer these messengers. Home Again! “It was a day of rejoicing when Rangitoto hove in sight,” continued the informant. “Then we entered Waitemata Harbour which was like a millpond and the wharves came in sight. There must have been easily a dozen people to welcome us back and these were mostly military police. It was cheering news to hear from those few who met us that the ‘pubs’ would be closed that day; just the thing to make us feel at home. Anyway we managed to spend a convivial hour or so in a tin shed which had been fitted up for the purpose. “I’m telling this because it might prevent such things happening again,” he went on. “It is to be hoped that if any troops are sent away from New Zealand this time they will be given a better reception than we got when they come back. It is for the sake of the young chaps more than we old hands. A rousing welcome makes them feel their work has been recognised.” Comradeship, as it existed in the army, was the best that could be wished for, according to another returned man. The “Aussies” were great boys, some of them “hard cases,” of course, he explained. Both they and the New Zealanders had a lot of time for the “Sammies” as the Americans were called, but the Canadians did not “cut much ice” with the rest of the colonial troops. They were rather cold in their manner, but perhaps the Canadian climate accounted for that. The New Zealanders were known as the “Silent Division,” why, he did not know, but perhaps it was because they preferred deeds to words. Memories of Gallipoli “New Zealand made a great name for itself on Gallipoli and in France,” said another old campaigner. “That name is worth preserving. If we have to do our bit this time New Zealand boys should bear in mind the spirit of Anzac which their fathers and uncles helped to create. Even if it is only a matter of feeding the troops who are at present fighting it will be in a good cause. If the call comes for New Zealand and Australia to make sacrifices on behalf of the Empire I feel sure that their men will not fail to answer. The ‘Diggers’ will lead the way!”