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THE DEFENCE FORCE
REVIEW IN SYDNEY.
TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND
TROOPS.
SPECTATOR KILLED BY'
LIGHTNING,
SYDNEY, March 29.
Centennial-park was on Saturday afternoon
the scene of the biggest and most
impressive military review that has yet
taken place in connection with this present
visit to Australia of General Sir Ian
Hamilton, Inspector-General of Oversea
Forces.
It took place in weather conditions that
tested the steadiness and general spirit of
the troops, most of whom were cadets.
It was a review of the militia, in conjunction
with the cadets. The parade state
showed: Citizen forces, 182 officers and
3,312 men; Senior Cadets, 438 officers' and
19,113-, others total 670 officers and 22,&15¡
or grand total of' 21-15 of all ranks.
Soon after this lit t lo army of over '.»3,000
had assembled in the park, with a surrounding
gathering of many thousands
of spectators, a fierce tropical, thunderstorm
came along. The troops were
drenched by the tropical deluge, which
was accompanied by remarkably heavy
thunder and lightning. One of the spectators
was killed by lightning and an
other injured. The storm was over in
about half an hour, but afforded-a, pretty
severe test of the steadiness and discip-
line, especially among the cadets. There
was not a sign of restlessness, and the
ranks of the dripping trainees were pre-
served in a t in a table' fixity' and without
complaint. The
inspection took place directly the
storm had passed. With characteristic
considerateness Sir Ian Hamilton made it
with his horse kept at a brisk pace. The
march past which followed was marked
by a fine briskness and keenness which
the storm had, not damped.
Finally Sir Ian Hamilton made a presentation
of long service medals to a
large number of commissioned and non-commissioned
officers. .
In a memorandum issued subsequently.
Sir Ian Hamilton expressed his keen pleasure
and interest at reviewing so large a
body of iiiilil¡union und iCudels. He regarded
it as a happy omen that the two
forces were united on the same parade.
The bearing of the militia had been
soldierly and t heir marching steady, giving
prom isa of-splendid results later on
when the training scheme more fully matured.
The cadets displayed the same
characteristics as elsewhere, and the best
of tlii'iii-tvi'i-e admirable. He realised the
difficulties some corps had to contend
with, but he was convinced that the
keenness and goodwill . which animated
them would enable them to attain to the
highest standard.- .
the figures given ; above are approximate,
and if is expected that the final
figures will show a total of about 25,000.
$