EMPIRE'S MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 42, 13 November 1920, Page 9

EMPIRE'S MEMORIAL

TO HONOURED DEAD

BURIAL AT WESTMINSTER OF UNKNOWN WARRIOR

CENOTAPH UNVEILED BY

THE KING

ffijr Telegraph-Presi ABSOciation-Oopyrlehl

London, November 11. The Nation's Day with tho Dead was misty and grey at daybreak, but the sun shone out by 10 o'clock, when Westminster was thronged with representatives of tho Empire, assembled to honour tho men and women, known and unknown. who had made, the great sacrifice, and' are now awaiting the Great Reveille. Many waited throughout the night, in order to ensure passing the cenotaph today, and depositing their wreaths. Crowds will bo passing for throe days, all traffic has been diverted from »hitehall and Parliament Street until Saturday.

Gathering at the Cenotaph,

Iha crowd opposite'tho cenotaph was made up of all' bereaved people, mostly women of the poorer class, who showed signs of grief, and were carrying wreaths and small bunches of /lowers. Here, also, were a group of statesmen of tho jj'irpire, including Lord Milner, Lord Curzon, tho Speaker, and other Ministers and ox-Ministers, blackcoateri and wearing decorations, among whom' were Senator Millen, Mr.-Andrew Fisher, and Sir James Allen, .carrying great wreaths ot laurels, and behind them a whiteKuroliced .choir., On the other sido of the cenotaph were a group ■ of clergy, ■Ministers of all denominations, including officers of the Salvation Army, headed by the Primate and Bishop of London. The windows of the Government offices were filled by faces, including Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, nnd Queon Maud- of Norway, who witnessed the, unveiling before driving to Westminster Abbey. I.ord Beatty'a windows in the Admiralty were given' up to relatives of the dead of tho lower deck. J-'wentv Australian and eleven New Zealand widows and mothers • were in tho stands outside the Colonial Office, also, the? wives of tho Agents-General.

Arrival of the Gun-Carriage, The Kinsr, in field-marshal's uniform, the Prince of Wales in khaki, the Duke nf York in the Air Force uniform, arid Prince Henry- of Connaught arrived at 10.40 a.m. The King took up a position north of the cenotaph, awaiting the Unknown Warrior, whose body was being borne on a gun-carriage from Victoria Station, followed by a great procession of soldiers and mourners. Thero was a sudden silence as the "Dead March" from "Saul" was heard in tlie distance,, and tho troops reversed arms. The music suddenly stopped at 10.50, the onlv sound being tup low footfalls of the procession. On reaching tho cenotaph the procession hnlted. Tho Australians and New Zealandcite, and other Dominion troops, followed the, British Armv and Navy. (yeneral Jess headed thn Australian detachment, nnd Major Dancy, Captain Gardiner, and four men renresentedi New Zealand. Sister Bennett Brown represented tho Australian nurses, and a petty officer and a seaman the Australian Navy, but tlio feature of the procession was the far-reaching blackcoated line which had been in khnki two .years ago. Fifteen represented Hie Australian ;and New Zealand services and associations in the procession, including "a deputation of ten, who later placed a wreath on the cenotaph. Short Memorial Service,

When the procession halted, the firing party, marching before- tha gun-curriage, .passed l tho cenotaph, r.nd tho gun-car-riago halted before the King. The coffin was covered by a Union .lack, ; on which were n steel helmet, belt, and bayonet, Lord Haig, Lord. French, and Lord Bcatty and iivo other, Field-Mjj-ahals ond Admirals standing behind as bearers.

A choir of men's voices west of the cenotaph commenced "O God, Our Help in Ages Past," a roil of drums heralding the verse "Time, liko an over-rolling stream, bears all Its sons away." Tho Primate, leading the vast crowd, joined in the Jxird's Prayer, which ended the little service.-

The, Unveiling, Then there was a pause awaiting Big Ben Btrikinir the hour. At the last stroke the King turned from the coffin and pressed a button, and the huge Union .Taclc and draperies fell, revealing Lnytens's cenotaph. The two minutes' silence followed, the officers on duty saluting, all others standing bareheaded. Then the buglers sounded the "Last Post." ' '

As the notes of tho bugles died away the King placed a wreath at tho foot of Ihe cenotaph on behalf of tlio Royal Family, and Mr. Lloyd Georgo one on lehalf of tho Government. Senntor.Miilen and Mr. Fisher then advanced and deposited a grfot laurel ivreath and spray of while (lowers inscribed "From the Government and People of the Commonwealth of Australia,' and Sir James Allen another laurel wreath, inscribed "From tlio Government anil People of New Zealand." Representatives of other Dominions and colonies paid similar tributes. including a jKirty of the A.1.F., who placed a wreath in the shape of an Australian badge, the ■'■ rising sun with the "A.1.F." picked out in blue flowers. As tho,gun-carriage moved on the King ami the Princes saluted, and fell in behind the coffin, the field-marshals,, admirals. and air-marshals . marching an either side. Senator Millen, Mr. Fisher, and Sir James Allen followed with the members of Cabinet.' and so the Unknown came to the Abbey.

The Grave in the Abbey, i Everybody was aeated in the Abbey by in o'clock. The grave, which was surroundednby a large violet carpot, is within a dozen yards of the great west doom and under the shadow of Westma colt's National Memorial, to Pitt. Thus tho great founder of the Empire looked upon the Unknown Horo whose racrifices' helped to sustain the statesmen's handiwork. Peabody, the American. and Livingstone the traveller, lay near-bT.. , ... During- the arrival of tlio congregation tho Grenadiers' Band played an impressive selection of funeral music, and the choir sang well-known hymns. Tlio members of the ltoyal Family arrived at 10.30, and the party included the Queen of Spain, Princess Maud, andthe Duchess of Fife. They were seated a few feet from the open grave, and later were joined by Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, and the Queen of Norway. Tlio navo to-the choir screen was packed with privileged persons, A great company of soldiors' widows And mothers, including Mrs. Bassett Smith, widow of tho captain of the Otaki, and other Aus-_ tralians and Now Zealanders. Groups ot seamen, soldiers, flying men, and soldiors from Australia and the : outer Empire were also noticeable. Elsewhere there was a gathering of a hundred wearers of the Victoria Cross, including General Frevberg. Among tho congregation were Mrs. Fisher and Lady Allen. Vast Congregation in Silent Prayer. When Big Ben.boomed forth 11 o'clock a sudden silenco fell upon tho congregation. It was a tenso end solemn indent. Not a sound was heard within or without the building. l\>r two minutes the heart of that vast congregation ioined in unison with tlio prayers of hundreds of thousands throughout the -Empire in gratitudo for tho great deliverance and for the' eternal happiness of those who hnd made tho great sacrifice. I/xiking round during this most solemn period omo could not help noticing how large was the civilian element. Beyond the suruliced choir and Dean Ryle, in black and gold oopc, thore was not a splash of colour. ' Khaki uniforms were lost in the mass of Gober black. It looked like an ordinary Sunday congregation. and this was suitable to such a demonstration in a democratic age. The Burial S'.rvlco. The sentiment was quickened when the funeral procession reached the Abbey by the east door and moved down the

choir itnil navo, for there on ffia warworn llnir enveloping tho coffin was an old Crusader's sword, which was the sift of tho King, by the sido of the liero's helmet.

Dehind the casket followed the King as chief mourner, supported by his three SOJIS. Tho pallbearers ivcro Generals mid Admirals. In the procession which followed were Cabinet Ministers, representatives of the Army and Navy and hijh officials of State. Among the'group were Mr. A. Fisher, Senator Milieu, and Sir James Allen.

Tho Archbishop of Canterbury tool! his place by the sido of Dean Kyle at the bead of tho coffin, but took no part in the service. • At tho words of committal King George stepped forward and threw a handful of soil brought from Franco into the open grave.' Tho ordinary burial service was used throuchout. with such hymns ns "Abide With Me." "Lead, Kindly Light," and tho* "Recessional." It was not a ceremony of great pomp, but was a most toucuine function, un imperspnal funeral. a tribute to the unknown heroes who came from all parts of the Empire. —Aus.-N.ii. Cable Assn. CELEBRATIONS THROUGHOUT BRITAIN STRIKING SCENES IN LONDON. (Rec. November 12, 8.20 p.m'.) London, November 11. Peace celebrations wore held all over the oountry. There were striking scenes around the Mansion House, iii tho heart of tho city, at eleven o'clock. • Tho traffic was brought to a, standstill, prayers were offered up, and tho people sang, "0 God, Our Help in Ages Past." There were similar econcs in every town and village of Britain. The only flaw was that Armistice Day was not celebrated by Sinn Fein Ireland, except in military ciroles, where parades wero held' within tho barracks. The procession of mourners will continue in London until midnight, crowds passing the illuminated cenotaph into the Abbey to pay homage to the grave of the Unknown. Manv.wore overcome as they. passed and. had to be helped by the police. Hardly a word was spoken. The shuffle of tho myriad of feet and tho quiet music of the organ wero the only sounds in the minster. There were tliousajids of wreaths oud bunches of flowers, many of which were personal tributes, "To iny father," "To my brother," or "To my s'ster," by those who recognised in the Unknown their own relative. One wreath was of laurel gathered in tho precincts of Ypres Cathedral and inscribed: "To a warrior in the Great War known unto God." Tho United States Ambassador, Mr. J. W. Davis, during the afternoon placed a wreath inscribed: "Americ'a will not forgst."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. , unseemlTconduct . London, November 11. The Queensland Government placed a wreath on the cenotaph. Tho Australian bovsi buried at Harfield nnd Brooklauds were not forgotten; the A.1.1'. ulnced wreaths'on their graves. During the two minutes' silence the office windows at tho Paiikliursts' newspaper, the "Workers' Dreadnought," wero thrown open, and the girl clerks began laughing, dancing, and singing. P-.'op.'e in the street rushed upstairs, and forced the door, and some women severely handled the dancers, whom the polbo later protected.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. MESSAGE "FROM" THE KING TO RULERS OF ALLIED . COUNTRIES. ! London, November 10. His Majesty the King has addressed a special messago to the rulers of America, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Japan, Rumania, Serbia, tho Croats, the Slovenes, and' tho Regent of Greece conveying an expression or his unalterable regard and esteem.—"Tho Times." FRANCE'SJELEBRATION BURIAL OF UNKNOWN POILU IMPRESSIviTicENE AT THE PANTHEON. Paris, November 11. Franco to-day celebrated. the fiftieth anniversary of the Republic and also tho burial of the unknown soldier. Crowds throughout tho night passed the conotanli. This morning M. Milleraiid (President of France) and Cabinet Ministers wnlked bareheaded iu tho procession to the PanthiO'i. Tho remains of tiie unknowji soldier wero conveyed on a gun-carriage, and Gambctta's heart on a. wreath-covered wagon.

There ivna a most impressive scene m tli© interior of the Pantheon, when M. Millerand formally received the remains of men representing the two greatest epochs in the history of the Republic. Oil M; Milleand's left hand were seated four persons symbolising the unknown soldier's family, and on his right hand seven members of Gainbetta's family.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn,