ANZAC DAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 110, 3 February 1920, Page 7

ANZAC DAY

PROPOSED DOMINION CELEBRATIONS ~ RETURNED SOLDIERS' ASSOCIATION'S PROGRAMME At the quarterly meeting of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Heturned Soldiers' 'Association, held last week, the proposal to hold a general Anzac Day memorial service was discussed. The president (Dri E. Boxer) submitted a comprehensive scheme for the solemn celebration of the day.

In introducing the scheme, the president remarked that it had 'been based j upon the experience of three successive Anzac Day services held at Hastings. ! He emphasised the fact that the funda- j mental feature of the service was that it was sacred—as sncred as a service held j by the open grave of the men who had | sacrificed their all. While the service ; was held on Anzac Day, it was not wholly or distinctly in commemoration ; of the landing on Gallipoli, but was our : tribute in 1920 to the memory of every soldier of ours who fell, from the fight- : ing on tho Canal in 1915 to the morning of Le Quesnoy in 1918. The-programme, which is given below, will apply throughout New Zealand on April 25 next. "The day's proceedings will be in two ' parts—(l) a parade and march ,to the place whero the function is to be held, and (2) the service itself. "The parade is to be made its fully military as possible, and the order of march will be—(a) firing party, rnarchinir with reversed arms; at the trail, and. wide in tlio flanks; (1)) tho bands; (c) the gun carriage with wreaths and at-* tendant bearers: (d) the troops in order of precedence of imits. "As to the service, it may possibly be Ijeld in the Town Hall, and in any case an area of the building .will be reserved for j the troops, wfiile the front seats will be kept for the firing party. Tho stage or platform will be suitably draped in purple and black, with cypress trees in front. On the front of the reading desk is to 'be hung n white floral cross, wliile hanging from fhe desk will be the TJnion Jack and the New Zealand. Ensign.oand on each of which 'will be laid a simple white wreath. The band will be ouartered behind the stage, which will be concealed by a curtain. The proceedings will open ivith Chopin's Funeral March, and while this is beinsr plnyed the curtain will slowly rise. Following this the firjnjj'pnrty will enter from the vestibule and- will slowly and solemnly take up their positions in front of tho orchestral well. The wrpath-bearers are to follow tho firing party, and . will hand thc : r wreaths to n sergeant-major; who will place them on a symbolic bier, arranged in the -form of a- cfoss. On top of this will be placed a single soldier's hat. The programme will include short addresses bv padres nnd members of the association, and the singing of the hymn 'Nameless Graves.' At the completion of the hymn' the band is tt> play the Dead March, during which tho firing party will enter in two founds Hnd meet nt the apex of an inverted. V on the' platform. Tho squads will then turn 'in- v wards and rest on'arms-reversed. -At the. conclusion of the Dead March a sentence or 1 sentences from the burial service will be read, and immediately ■ afterwards the firing narty will fire three volleys, while the buglers will sound the 'Last Post.'" After discussion, Messrs,- W. E. Lead; ley and N. B. M'Callum (Cliristchiireh) moved: "That Dr.'Boxcr/foe-thanked for bringing forward the scheme regarding Anzac Day/■which has the approval of this .executive: that nil local associations bo recommended 'to take the scheme up, and that, a,copy of the memorandum outlining it lie published in the next issuo 'Quick March.'" Tho motion was carried. Mr. .T. D. Harper (Wellington) asked if any nd'-ice had been received regarding the makinsr of Anzac Day a statutory holiday. The reply was that no definite assurance had been obtained from Cob- • inet, and instructions were given that this matter should at once he brought to, the notice of the authorities again.