FINE PROGRESS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21210, 5 September 1940, Page 9

FINE PROGRESS

NATIONAL RESERVE

LARGE HAMILTON COMPANY FIRST YEAR CELEBRATED Progress made by the Hamilton Company of the National Military Reserve during its 14 months of existence was reviewed by the Officer | Commanding the company, Major L. j E. Haines, at tne anniversary cele- : bration in Hamilton last night, when ; about 250 members attended a smoke : concert. Overcoming many diffi- 1 culties, the company gradually built up its strength and efficiency as a rc- , suit of a keenness which has been j apparent throughout its existence. ] Major Haines said he was proud to | have been in command of the com- , pany during the past 14 months or so. In that time 55 weekly night , parades had been held and five days | had been spent on the rifle range, j In addition there had been several j special parades, including Anzac j Day, church parades, and recruiting rallies. The strength of the Class II division was now 283, and the average attendance at night parades during the past 14 months had been 127. Five men in the company had not missed one Wednesday night parade. Serving the Country There were 139 men in Class 11., J Major Haines added, whose training j was considered to be as near complete as it could be under the existing circumstances. Eighty members had fired 50 rounds with the rifle and the Lewis machine-gun. Since the outbreak of war many members had gone on canteen work and guard j duty. Thirty-eight members were engaged on this work and 10 men had joined the permanent and temporary staffs as instructors. Five others had left for overseas services and three reservists were serving i with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Tributes to the efficiency of Major Haines were paid during the evening, particularly during the toast in his honour, which was proposed by Ser-geant-Major S. W. Tallis and Serl geant R. G. Howell. I The toast of the Second New Zea- ! land Expeditionary Force was pro- ! posed by Lieutenant E. H. Tyler. He ! said the men of the old N.Z.E.F. had i their history and their deeds were inI scribed on monuments on the battle | fronts. They could rest assured that j the Second New Zealand Expedition--1 ary Force would uphold those tral ditions and amplify the history of the I “ old brigade.” Lieutenant C. A. Voss responded, stating that the National Military Reservists were doing valuable war work just as were the men of the expeditionary force. Main Factor In War Proposing the toast of His Majesty’s Forces, Captain S. N. Ziman, second-in-command of the Hamilton Company of the National Military Reserve, stated that the British Empire did not associate with the name of His Majesty’s Forces the battleships, aeroplanes and tanks, but the | men who manned those ships, flew the planes, and operated the tanks. It was realised that machines were important but the most important factor in war was the strength and morale of the men. In the last war it was proved that our men were superior at sea, in the air and on the land. Already this war had proved our superiority of men at sea and in the air, and Captain Ziman expressed the hope that superiority would be achieved on the land before long. Engineer-Lieutenant N. R. Rawlings responded on behalf of the Navy and Sergeant R. Parsons on behalf of the land forces. Area Staff Assists Corporal A. E. McCracken proposed the toast of the area officer and staff, No. 4 (Hamilton) military area. He expressed the gratitude j of the reserve for the assistance given to them by the area officers in providing instructors, securing equipment for training, and by giving every encouragement to the men. In reply, Major W. H. Allen, area ■ officer, No. 4 area, congratulated the j company on its enthusiasm and | splendid progress. [ The master of toasts was Company Sergeant-Major S. W. Tallis. During the evening a movie film showing the reservist guards at Hopu Hopu and the Anzac Day service and parade in Hamilton was shown by Mr N. W. Blackie. The following I artists provided the programme: | Hamilton Orphans’ Club orchestra, Hamilton Citizens’ Band, Messrs K. P. Eade. D. Reid, E. H. Quill, R. Harris, J. T. Battersby, I. Medwin, and the Harmony Four (Messrs K. P. Eade, E. H. Quill, J. T. Battersby and G. Wheeler). y