Overview
Sun Nov 2
Rode to Levin + got “Fanny” shod all round by Gibson ready for the W[ellin]gton campaign. At 1.30 pm got kit together + rode to station where we got the horses trucked. “Fanny” was the first horse to go in the truck. There were 25 of us altogether + about the same number of horses. Soon after 2 pm a great crowd of spectators + well-wishers turned up including friends of the men going to the front – Mrs Herd + family were there + I was able to spend a few last minutes with Maud. We left at 3.50 pm midst cheers + good wishes. Easther assumed charge of the Levin batch + in train allotted the sections (“fours”) for the future Otaki-Levin troop. Uncle
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Bert was appointed a section-leader + he picked Tom Vincent, Freyberg + self for his section. On Otaki 9 more men got on our train (a “special”) + joined us. We noticed 3 strike pickets on the platform + on our way down line we were greeted by hoots + cheers alternately from the inhabitants – several misguided individuals put fingers to their noses + one man on horse-back shook a club at us and shouted imprecations. We arrived in Wgton at 6.30 pm – the harbour was a great sight – dozens of vessels at anchor in the roadstead – steamers, tramps, small coasters and coal hulks – and the wharves quite bare of ships. We detrained the horses + saddled – found an armed escort waiting for us – 6 mounted police + about 50 mounted special constables. By this time it was dark + the city, lit up. We rode to Lambton Quay, up Owen St + along W’gton Terrace + on to the Buckle St Barracks. Tramway motor-men hooted at us on Lambton Quay + at the corner of
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Taranaki + Buckle Streets a big hostile crowd howled + threw a few stones. Beyond the guard (who were holding back the mob with fixed bayonets) at the entrance to Buckle St was a great gathering of the “specials” already in camp + these gave us ringing cheers as we rode in. There were, we found, about 800 “specials”, from the country districts in camp. We picketed the horses in the Barracks’ yard + had tea in the Artillery Drill Hall. The night being very cold + wet, I got a cover for “Fanny” from the Defence Department. We had two blankets each served out and then took up our quarters in the large Garrison Hall where straw had been laid down. The hall provided sleeping room for about 400 men and being a brick building was very warm dry and comfortable. The howling mob at the Taranaki end of Buckle St kept going strong until about midnight, bad language being very freely used. Jokes were the order of the day (or rather the night) among our men, Hector
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McDonald + Marriott were the funny men + kept us in roars of laughter late into the night. Stormy night – much rain.