DAWN SERVICE IN SQUARE

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28261, 26 April 1957, Page 12

DAWN SERVICE IN SQUARE

800 Men March To Ceremony Before the stars in the west had faded some 800 war veterans, a few women at the head of their column, marched across Cathedral square to the first ceremony of Anzac Day. In the grounds of the Cathedral and on the pavements, already thronged with a record crowd for the dawn service at 6.30 a.m., they assembled before the war memorial. Others who heard the service arranged by the Australian Imperial Forces’ Association, Christchurch, were mostly women and young persons, many of them children who would not remember a time of war. The morning was clear and cold, for it was almost an hour before the sun touched the tops of the buildings around the Square. The lesson, read by the Rev. G. D. Falloon from the Revelation of St. John, foretold "a new heaven and a new earth” for men: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” The music for the hymn “Lead Kindly Light” and “The Recessional” was played by the band of the Christchurch Salvation Army, and nine buglers of the , Christchurch West High School • Cadets sounded “Last Post” and

"Reveille.” The Anzac dedication was said ; by Mr W. S. Burmaster, president of the association. Mr A. S. Farrar, president of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association, dedicated the wreaths laid at the’memorial to the memory of fallen comrades and the Christchurch Liedertafel sang “There is no Death.” A prayer and benediction were said by the Dean of Christchurch (the Very Rev. Martin Sullivan) and the Bishop of Christchurch (the Right Rev. A. K. Warren). After that service, the ceremony of the Field of Remembrance was performed by the Bishop and representatives of the armed services and the Returned Services’ Associations who fixed red poppies in the Godley statue lawn. Among those at the service were the Attorney-General (Mr J. R. Marshall), the Minister of Railways (Mr J. K. McAlpine), the Australian High Commissioner (Vice-Admiral Sir John Collins), the Commanding Officer, H.M.N.Z.S. Pegasus (Captain J. N. Allan), the Commanding Officer, Southern Military District (Brigadier J. T. Burrows), the Commanding Officer R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Wigram (Group Captain J. M. De Lange), the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.), Mr M. A. Connelly, M.P., and Mr H. R. Lake, M.P. These and many other guests were afterwards entertained at a breakfast reunion by the Australian Imperial Forces’ Association.