NEWPORT POSTMEN

Memorial Service at St Paul’s

REALLY a three-fold object was observed in the combined church parade on Sunday of the Newport Postmen and members of the Cadet Corps to St Paul’s Church.

The primary object was the memory of those post office officials who have fallen during the war, but it also partook of the character of an informal farewell to Major Southern, the popular Postmaster, and major in command of the Post Office Cadets, while an opportunity was afforded for the first appearance of the Post Office Band since their return from the Army (for which they volunteered en bloc).

The parade was in charge of Captain Grant who, with Major Battersby and Lieutenant Richards, were the officers of the Intermediate School Cadets, while Major Southern and Captain Christopher were in charge of the Post Office Cadets, who numbered some 80, with their trumpet band.

There were about 100 postmen on the parade, under ex-Sergeant Major JF Dewhurst (late SM of the of the Newport Battery, 4th Welsh Brigade, RFA), recently returned from Palestine. The postmen made a fine show as they marched to the church to the stirring strains of the band of 32 instrumentalists, under Mr AE Nursey, who also accompanied the hymns.

The Vicar (the Reverend AA Mathews), in the course of an eloquent discourse, referred to the fact that over 400 men had volunteered from the Newport postal district, which was really over 100 per cent, as many were much over the military age. Of these, who had survived in all parts of the world, 33 had made the supreme sacrifice.

Mr Mathews also made allusion to the loss the town would sustain by the departure of Major Southern. The townspeople were grateful to him for the extreme courtesy he had always shown them. It was hoped that he might retain his connection with the Cadets in some way.

Thousands of people lined the streets to see the return of the postmen, and many comments were heard as to the excellent playing of the Band, certainly a well-balanced organisation that should be able to hold their own with any in the district.

MIRAGE AT NEWPORT

Transporter Bridge in the sky

IT is an unusual thing to see a mirage anywhere - it is very unusual to see a mirage in this country, yet this happened at Newport on Tuesday morning.

Lieutenant Colonel HA Moore was looking out of the tramcar at the Risca Road terminus, towards the hills, when he saw in the sky an exact reproduction of the Transporter Bridge, with the houses around it. He called the attention of the tramway officials to the phenomenon, and they stood in the road together watching it until it was time for the car to leave. The reflection of the scene was full size, and the Transporter Bridge was perfect in every detail.

The exact time of the phenomenon was 10.28am, the car was No. 40, and the officials in charge were No. 40, 183, and 130.