THE MARCH OF THE V.G.'S

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 283, 24 August 1920, Page 6

THE MARCH OF THE V.G.'S

Both outside the Palace and within the grounds, the proceseion and reception of the 300 V.C.'s whom their Majesties entertained at the garden party had a magnificent setting.(states a recent issue of the "Manchester Guardian"). London and the. King had seen to that. All the way from Wellington Barracks, where the heroes assembled, along the Horse Guards' Parade, and up the Mall, tho crowds were dense,: and for once the people, shaken out of their accustomed reserve by an almost incredible sight, fairly roared their." cheers;

There was a great deal of personal and regimental pride among the crowd. Friends and relatives of the V.C.'s were there and.. their comrades from battleholds and oceans. '•'

The Jung and Queen and their children were standing at a side window of the Palace as that amazing procession turned into, the forecourt, the invalid heroes in wheeled chairs and the others, officers and men together, walking steadily in step, played in by the band of the Welsh Guards. It was a queer procession too, the men wearing any sort of civilian suit they fancied. One of the most famous was in a light grey Norfolk suit; others looked ns if they had come straight from offices or shops or West End clubs. The Scots, still in uniform, made a gallant appearance, and therowero enough brass hats and scarlet tabs to fleck the march with colour.

Meantime the relatives and frionds of the V.C.'s, to the number of about GOO, had assembled in the gardens behind tho Palace, into whose stillness those resounding plaudits echoed. They were ranged on the lawn in nn open square, and in front of them were lettered signposts mnrking tho sections into which the V.C.'s were drafted in order of seniority. Some of the men were wheeled on to the lawn, but nearly all got out of the chairs and waited standing for the King's inspection. 'The marble steps leading from tho terrace to the lawn were filled with distinguished officers and Ministers and members of the Royal household. • .

As each man advanced to the King, ail officer of the Household read in a loud, clear voice his name, the name of his regiment, and the place and dabs of tho action that wen the medal. Nothing could have been more cordial than tho manner of the King and Queen as they greeted each man. If the names of the men were not always familiar, the names of■ the' places where they distinguished themselves were, and the thing became more than ever like a dream ns those names'conjured up visions of daily and nightly horror and of desperate adventirro till it seemed impossible that tho adventurers could really be 'tho men now passing before the royalties in this secluded garden. They looked so much like the ordinary men we see every day. They were tpyical soldiers and -professional men, the chaplains from France and the East were just' such clergymen as everyone knows, the men and the quiet-faced lads—who looked as though they were still wondering how they had done it—were of all types that went to make tho citizen army, and one felt that their achievements had been a decoration of the whole nation.

The'cumulative effect of all the presentations became overwhelming. ■ One gradually lost sight- of the individual, the .well-known names, such as O'Leary, and- Holbrook. and Carpenter, and saw the whole ns one unexampled dazzling exhibition of the heroic, and realised that never again, could such a wonderful scene occur. " ,