THE QUEEN’S INTEREST

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21205, 30 August 1940, Page 5

THE QUEEN’S INTEREST

OVERSEAS SOLDIERS HOSPITALITY IN ENGLAND Many New Zealand soldiers now in England are among those men from all parts of the Empire who are finding a welcome and a home away from home when on leave at the King George and Queen Elizabeth Victoria League Clubs in London and Edinburgh. The Victoria League in Wellington has just received an interesting letter from the headquarters’ secretary, Miss Gertrude Drayton, telling of the arrival of New Zealanders and Australians at the London club and of the visit paid by Her Majesty the Queen to see the organisation. “It has been with the greatest joy that we have found ourselves able at last to offer the hospitality and comfort of this club to the men of your contingents,” Miss Drayton wrote.

“They all seem so happy and at home and so appreciative of what we are able to do for them, both in the club and through the league’s hospitality organisation outside.”

“London has been full of them, and it is extraordinary how quickly the wide hats and the general appearance of the men from the two southern Dominions have fitted into the London picture and become a part of it. One finds it hard to realise that it is 21 years since such numbers of them were to be seen walking about the streets with the same matter of fact air of being part of London, feeding the pigeons in Trafalgar Square, doing an incredible amount of sightseeing in record time, and making friends at lightning speed with Londoners and with the men of the British Forces, and those from the other parts of the Empire. This latter point has been very noticeable in this club and elsewhere. I begin to wonder if perhaps we already see one of the good results of a war which till now has seemed entirely evil. The Queen’s Visit “The Queen’s visit was perfectly timed,” Miss Drayton went on. “It was made at the suggesiion of Her Majesty herself. Wo h id intended to ask if she would graciously consent to come as soon as we knew we should have Australians and New Zealanders to add tc the men of other Dominions and to your own Air Force people who have been coming here in the last six months. But before our official letter could be sent I had a message from the Queen’s lady-in-waiting to say that Her Majesty had been looking at the advance copy of the annual report which I had, as usual, sent to Buckingham Palace for her information as patron, and that she greatly wanted to see the club. She graciously suggested that we should choose the day we considered most suitable, so we were able to arrange the visit for a day when the club was quite full with such a representative body of men as could seldom have been found gathered together before, under an unofficial roof. “The Queen’s guard of honour, commanded by a naval petty officer from South Africa, represented all the Dominions and the Colony of Cyprus, and included men belonging to each of the forces of the Crown. After inspecting her guard of honour, the Queen agreed to pose for a photograph with them, but asked that the parade might be dismissed so that the grouping could be informal. She afterwards told Petty Officer Bosworth that it was the most thrilling guard of honour she had ever had. He had reported it to her in these words —‘Guard of honour present Your Majesty, representing your Empire.’ “The men were assembled in all the different living rooms and the canteen so that all of them (nearly 250) should really have a chance of seeing the Queen close by. Her Majesty spoke to nearly all of them. The Queen Delighted “Before she left,” the letter continued, “the Queen told Lady Harlech and myself that she had been thrilled and delighted by her visit. She added ‘the whole atmosphere is wonderful. You have done a great thing in giving the men such a homelike place of their own.’ Since Her Majesty’s visit, she has graciously allowed the club to send to each of the two Princesses one of the handkerchiefs, stamped all over with badges of the different overseas units, which are on sale in the club shop, and a set of badges mounted as brooches of the maple leaf, the rising sun of Australia, and the fern leaf of New Zealand.”

Miss Drayton said a number of men had already presented their Victoria League introductions. She said it was gratifying to see them walking into the club and holding out their letter cr card of introduction with an air of complete assurance that it made them at once one of the family. A new plan was outlined in the letter whereby men on leave could be guests of their own families while in the clubs, even if they happened to be short of funds. The military authorities in the Dominions, it was stated, when approached, saw no objections and considered it would give great pleasure to relatives and be a good thing for the men. Arrangements had therefore been made as follows: Payment of “Home Comforts” Relations of overseas service men could buy £2 (sterling) worth (or more if desired) of accommodation in the King George and Queen Elizabeth Victoria League Clubs, Malet Street, London, and 121 A Princes Street, Edinburgh. A sum of £2 would give a man bed, bath and breakfast for 16 days, or bed, bath, breakfast and his other meals for eight days. Vouchers would be sent direct to the men indicated by their relations. They would be known as “Family Hospitality Vouchers,” and would all show the name and relationship of the giver as well as the name of the recipient of the “home comforts” covered by each payment. When each credit was exhausted word would be sent to the families, so that it could be renewed if desired. It was realised that distance might make this plan difficult for relations of New Zealand men, but it was hoped that the fact that such arrangements were allowed would give pleasure and that some families might care to make use of them.