Overview
Tues Aug 11
At 9 am Mr Tomlinson came up + put in my Pinus Muricata hedge in front 42. Anstice + I cut slabs + put a new flooring on the Bridge over Lancaster Creek in near 42. In evening rode to Levin with Uncle Bert to go to mass meeting in Drill Hall – Mr D S McKenzie joined us. There was a great crowd present, mostly men such as the Wgton [Wellington] “Specials”. The Mayor, Mr B R Jardiner, addressed us + said we were there to be formed into a National Reserve, would the mounted men go to one side of hall + the proposed infantry to the other. I, of course, joined the mounteds – we elected our own officers, Uncle Bert, Leiutenant + Mr Guy Kingdon, Sgnt-Major. We numbered about 40. The infantry numbering about 30, elected Mr T Brown + Mr Merton as their officers. Our first parade is to be on Saturday next at 3.30 pm. Major Burlinson then delivered a stirring address. Both corps then
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formed into a column + led by bugle, Kettle-drums + flags + banners, marched thro’ Levin to Public Library + back to the Square where we gave cheers for King etc + disbanded. Then the “crackers” began and a perfect battle raged for some time. Rain came on + Jas [James] Saxon + I after riding thro’ Oxford St to test our horses with the crackers, rode home. To-day the chief item of war news is the invasion + re-taking of Alsace-Lorraine by the French – they occupied the town of Mulhausen + the Germans retired in disorder, losing 30,000. Liege still holds out against the German onslaught. A German submarine was sunk in the North Sea.