George Blair Grant-Ussher

Send-offs to Soldiers. Friends from far and near assembled at Mr W. N. Grant Ussher's home on Wednesday, 4th inst., the occasion being to give Private Geo. Grant Ussher a hearty send-off before leaving New Zealand with the 25th Reinforcements. Mr Ussher, snr's commodious barn was prepared and ready, so that everyone was able to sit and enjoy the splendid social rendered by a number of talented artists... At a suitable interval during the social, the Chairman arose and made a few appropriate remarks about the chief object of the gathering, with which he had much pleasure in presenting Private Ussher, on behalf of the district residents, with a handsome wristlet watch. The audience rising and singing 'For He's a Jolly Good Fellow.'... Private Ussher then replied, thanking everyone present for the way in which they had attended his send-off and also for the present he was the recipient of. In a jovial way the speaker mentioned that he had been off Trentham stew for a week and consequently was not in good form for speechifying, the audience belying this statement with a round of applause. The younger ladies present then attended to the serving of a fine supper, after which Private Ussher was handed a pipe in case, which his father had accepted from the Otautau Committee for him. Source: Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle (10 April 1917, p. 3).

Sources

1. Cenotaph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/...
2. Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle (10 April 1917, p. 3).