Australia -- Description and travel; New Zealand -- Description and travel; Windsor, Edward, Duke of, 1894-1972
"One heritage we share though seas divide" surmounted one of the
decorated arches on the route traversed by the Prince on the day of the
military review at the Centennial Park, Sydney--a phrase no doubt, but
one that expressed the sentiment which pervaded this striking occasion.
Major-General Sir Charles Rosenthal commanded the parade, which included
a naval detachment under Lt.-Commander Patrick, a body of Light Horse
under Major-General Ryrie, and portions of five Divisions respectively
under Brigadiers Bennett, Martin, Jobson, Herring, and Christian. The
command was made up entirely of demobilized men, who, despite cold grey
weather on a full working day, had donned service uniform and
assembled--many of them from long distances--to do honour to the heir to
the Throne. The numbers present were not precisely ascertainable, as the
men were not under discipline, but had turned up of their own accord.
Estimates of how many attended therefore varied considerably, but any
number up to twenty thousand may have been there.
When the Prince reached the ground he found the units drawn up in
formation about half a mile in length in front of him. Long lines of
bath-chairs and motors were on his left, filled with disabled men who
had been brought from sanatoria and hospitals in the districts around.
Behind him some thirty thousand spectators joined in the cheering. The
Prince went down the lines, shook hands with all the officers and spoke
to a number of the men. He also shook hands with every disabled soldier
present. The proceedings terminated with a general march past in column,
so arranged that the disabled men could see their old regiments go by.
A sequel to the military review was a visit a few days later to Duntroon
College, the Sandhurst of Australia. Daylight on the shortest day in the
Australian mid-winter found the Royal train, now on the standard
four-feet-eight-inch gauge of New South Wales, speeding through dry,
rolling country, dotted with occasional blue gums beneath whose tattered
foliage sheep were picking a wholesome meal. Bright sunshine reminded
one that it was Australia, though the cold wind, which drove clouds of
dust and grit into our faces, might have been from a March east in
England. At the township of Queanbeyan, where the Prince changed into a
motor-car, the entire population had assembled and the usual ceremonies
of welcome were gone through. The country beyond Queanbeyan was open,
and barbed wire fences bounded the road on either side most of the way
to Duntroon, which proved to be a pleasant garden township of
white-walled houses, set upon a low hill amongst many trees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account