N. Z. SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 May 1917, Page 3

N. Z. SOLDIERS IN ENGLAND.

shera the Fallen Lie. The Registration of Graves. A National Memorial. (FroraOapt. Malcolm Rob?, War Correspondent with the N.Z- Forces.) Northern France, March 5 The battlefield of the Somme and the Anore is one great graveyard. French and British and German dead lie there. The last resticg-plsce of me ay a brave New Zealand soldier is in the light and troubled soil of this part of Picardy. In the coming years pilgrims from British lands, neat and far, will come to this place to see where their fallen lie. Thera is one long narrow rectangle that will for ever be sscred gronud 'to the New Zealand pilgrim. From the heights oE High Wood, or what was High Wood, leading on to the remaining splinters of Delville Wood he will look over a gently-sloping land, trench scored and shell-torn, across whioh our brave battalions marched to death and wounds and glory.

For us that must be ever hellowed ground. It is perhaps somewhat sad to think that tlm individual restingplaces of such brave men often carnet be marked. But after all what better burying place could a man wish than the vast expanse of the Somme Battle field ? What matters it that his grave is unknown ? His sacrifice is bis best memorial. Yet, where individual memorials may be impossible, one would like To see some permanent National Monument raised. Our Divisional General has an idea that the Somme Battlefield might, after the war, be turned into an International Park in which Buitable monuments might be raised to the memory of the British and Overseas Forces who have fallen there. Possibly that might be arranged with the French Government. For years the soil will be unfit for cultivation It has been turned over and over so often that little of the good soil now remains. It will also be dangerous to work it for several years. The man who soon after the war puts a plough into that laud will earn the Military Medal! But what with live shells and bombs he would have little chaDce of wearing it. Besides, there will be the problem of the bodies of the dead, in time no doubt the bones of our soldiers who fell there will be gathered together and batied in one place. It will be quite impracticable to put headstones over the graves that are known, but if a National Park could be formed the regiments that fought there might have their deeds and the names of tbeir honoured dead inscribed on obelisks or other suitable monuments, and there might bo one general monument of finer conception than all the rest raised in honour aud in memory of ths British armies that fought on the fields of Fiance and Flanders in this war. CARE OF THE GRAVES, Thß registration aud the care of the graves of British soldiers who have fallen in the war are problems of some difficulty, but already muoh has been done. The matter is in the hands of a branch of the Adjutant-General's Department specially created for the purpose. There ie an office at Winchester House in London, and units in connection with the work havß been established in France, Belgium, Egypt, Salonika and Mesopotamia. Theee units register the position of graves wherever possible, 'and mark them with durable woeden crosses, bearing inscriptions in metal, giving the name, number, rank, regiment and date of death. While the*6

units have done mnoh work ia registering graves, even at the front, there are many graves at and beyond tbe firing lice that it is impossible to register, Daring the stress of battle shd; men are buried in a common grave, and often tbs means of identification have been biowu away. In other oases bodies fcnve Aieen bu ied and grans marked with cr< sss°, only t'j have all traces of the grave cblit. 6'a'ed by ere ny shell>ng, Iu o her oases men kill d ia aefcioa have fallen in shell craters, aid ro'-n afttrwards another shell has ixpiocTed near aod buried them, Agaio, men have been buried by their companions, and unbarred and buried again by bursting shells, till to trace of the original grave nor of the cross has been left.

In some rasas, even within our o.vu lines, where graves havebesn marked, the position is too exposed for correct plan and survey to be made. Often during heavy fighting burials have been made under circumstances that make it impossible to transmit, and in some oases even to take, an accurate record of the position of tbe

graves. . Daring thr retreat and the subsequent advance tr» the Aisne, there thera were many burials in isolated graves that were oared for by the French landowners and peasants, and in some cases permanent concessions of land wen offered. Tbe French cemeteries were also used, and special burial grounds arranged for. At a later the Frenoh Government -agreed to p§ovida lard for permanent resting-places for the bodies of British officers and men. This they have done at the expense of tbe French * nation, and their generosity In this matter baa been greatly appreciated. There are authorised burial grounds immediately behind the British front, and near the field ambulances, the casualty clearing stations, and the hospitals right back to the sea coast. The French Government"' volunteered to maintain these cemeteries, but the British Government haß itself taken the matter in hand, and has appointed a National Committee, of which the Prince of Wales is president, to control the administration.

In connection with soldiers’ bnria’i tbe following points should be noted by those interested

1. Some tima may elapse afier burial before the grave has ben properly registered and marked and the position accurately recorded. As scon as this is done a notification will be sent to the next-of-kin. This notification may be t.ken as final verification or correction of information received from other sources. 2. It is not possible to arrange for the distribution of flowers or for individual graves, but the cemeteries, as a whole, are gra?a-30wn and planted with fbwers and ahrubs, where m?l ; tary conditions allow, under tbe advice of the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Their maintenance ia under toe supervision of officers of the Giavee Registration Units.

8. Photographs cf . uck graves in France and Belgium as are accessible to the photographers employed 'or the purpose fere furnished to relative on application, free of coa‘, cut of funds placed at the disposal of the directorate, for this objsot as well as for the planting of burial grounds, by the Joint War Oommittea of the Bri. tish Red Gross Society and St John Ambulance Association. All applications are oarefully noted and photographs are sent'as soon as possible, but it will be understood that in many oases weeks or mouths may pass before photographs can be taken. 4. Circumstances not infrequently arise which make it undesirable in the interests of the military situation to disclose tbo position of a grave although it has been duly registered and recorded. 5. Many considerations, among which is the desire felt at the front to avoid inequality of treatment, have made it necessary to forbid the erection of any permanent memorials daring the progress of hostilities ; the .sending of crosses to France is also prohibited ; as all transport is required for material of war. 6. The exhumation of bodies daring the war is strictly forbidden by both the French and British military authorities.

7. Owing to the great difficulties that exist in Mesopotamia due to local and dimatio conditions,- the proper registration and marking of graves will necessarily be a lengthy and diffi* «fol' problem, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. Tbe graves of New Zaaland s ldiers in tbe United Kingdom are as fa r aB possible in plots of ground specially set apait for the purpose. Each grave ia temporarily marked with an oaken cross, on which is painted the words “ New Zealand,” and the soldier’s number, name, rank, regiment, and date of death. In these plots it will afterwards be poesbla to have erected a single permanent memorial to the whole of tbe soldiers buried in the locality, while from time to time, as people wish* gravestones may be ereoted at each grave. AM New Zealand soldiers who die at Wa'tqn-oc-Tbames aud in the London area will be buried in the Brookwood Cemetery, where a plot has been specially set aside for the purpose. Burials of soldiers who die at the No 1 and No 3 New Zealand General Hospitals will be arranged locally et Brockenhn st and Codford respectively. Those of our soldiers who die in British Hospitals outside the London area will be burled looally. The New Zealand War Contingent Association has beEn requested to assist in keeping in order the graves outside the London area. Firing parties are detailed from He- dquarters. The Ordnance Officer of this NZ B F. ia responsible for the supply and erection of tbe temporary wooden crosses.

Daring a recent leave visit to EDg' land, I made enquiries at Headquarters, and also at the offices of the Director of Graves, • Registration and Enquiries, Wiuoheßter House, St James’s Square, London, and ascertained that everything practical that can be done is being done to place on record the last resting-places of our brave soldiers who have fallen in the war. Parents and other relatives ia the Dominion will be glad to know this.