ON THE SOMME.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 September 1921, Page 1

ON THE SOMME.

MEMORIES OF THE ANZACS. (By CL L-. Spencer). One wishes that every bereaved rein- , live could have the consolation of mak-l ing a pilgrimage to the war zone and of visiting a few of the three hundred cemeteries where the Australians hate heen laid to rest. There are large cemeteries where thousands of crosses by their unvarying monotony bring home to one the magnitude ol the sacrifice, and small ones where JO or of) men lie in a little plot of ground hy the roadside. Tt will he years before all the permanent gravestones are elected. Meanwhile the erosses plaeed thete i' l war-time by the comrades of the lalleu men are kept in good order. A stall of gardeners is employed to weed the graves and to plant (lowers and gtass. These cemeteries are pleasant and peaceful : one could not wish our dead to he treated with more honour and reverence.

ft would console many a sorrowing heart to hear at iirst hand what a reputation for endurance and valour the A.I.F. has left i" France. In small section of the line that I visited. Amiens, Albert, and l’eronne, and some of the surrounding villages, one is told at every turn el events in which the A.I.F. bore the leading part. One of the most photographed and most visited of war trophies in tins region is the huge d'H centimetre gun captured hy the drd Ratlalmn near Cltuigncs on August 2:1, H'l’-h Li a quiet spot, so shelteted that the Germans thought it impregnable, lies t,.i' monstrous symbol of the soul ol Germany. An inscription recounts the details of the capture of the "big Bertha." and eoinmeiiiurate- tile valour oi our mell. Visitors dime lrotii tat ami near to see the trophy : • hil'l eii ~limh over the giant plat!.nut ami craw l into the prostrate muzzle ut t. e monstet that was to smash Amiens. To hear from Ficnch lips names li >e l’oziercs anil Millers Bivionnetix. that have become household words in Australia, and to lie told again ol dci Is that- once sent a thrill of pride through tlie Cnmiiionwvsiltli. ° n -‘ l,l! ° :,s ' sura lice that the memory m oil, dead is undying. The French have a geiici.ms enthusiasm for the heroic quality in others, and they have faithful memories. It surprised me in I'ranee, and particularly in the wat zone. to . .ml what vivid recollections still lemam oi the exploits ol ’les Australians, from I’eronne. -Mont St (.burnt in was pointed out to me. "Uc 'all L 1“ toinheaii des Australian.', heeaiise '« many fell there." This an- just .me remark made by a woman whom chance threw in mv way. IN AMIENS.

It is above all m Amiens tha. mime of the \.IF. is held in grateful all’eet ion. In this town one i- made In feel that it i • an lumuui to he an Atislialian. (toe woman ot w hum 1 inqtiircd the way insisted on accompany - ing me to my hotel when she hii: * I that I was a fellow-countrywoman ol •les Australians." She told i : '•: language the story ol the evacuation ol Amiens in March. I'.U'. when the 1 :t(l,t)()<) inhabitants, including refugees, tramped westwards, and Amiens became a city ol t.lie dead. Then she spoke ol \ illers-Bjeloutieux and the great attack made hy the Anstialians in August, and told me how tbev saved Amiens. "And how many ol them died al \ illeis-Bietonneux." she added ; ’hut, indeed, it is the same all round here.” Then, thanks to i c Australians, the inha hi in lit s return, d in September, to loiil grass growing m the streets, hut the town saved hum destruction. From another woman I heard the story of what followed —the siileinit service ot thanksgiving m toe Cathedral, at w hich Australians I'm med the guard of honour. Since then n service has heen held every yeai on AM Souls’ Day, November 2, in memory ol the French and Australians who c.i in defence of Amiens. The emblems of t-he two nations are placed side hy side, and last yeai I'oeh eniue to give his tribute of hotiotli to the lalleu. An Australian Hag hangs in a chapel in the nave, and oil a pillar in the south transept is a tablet, >" scribed ill English and I'iclleh. In th' memory ol the soldiers oi the A.1.1*. who valiantly participated in the victorious defence ol Ami.‘no I rum .‘

to August, 11)18, The p.lliu i' ln.it a with wreaths placed the e hy passing

Australians, and people pause a liniment as they pass hy. 1) leu one visit this (alhedial. which looked wit shattered Rheims as ihe iwo great." marvels of Got hie arehilee ■• m Ei'aiiee. one is proud that Au-lialia has now a share in the traditions ol ibis noble pile. We shall always \ iew this historic monument with leelingthat are aroused hy no other in Europe. Kill it is lo the sons ol An - tralia that the world owes the preservalinn ot the glorious wesl Iroul. with its wealth of slattmry. of the greal rose window's, of the tlying toil t re'-si'S unrivalled in ai eh i leel lire. So •h ■ visit comes to he a pilgrimage m Iniiioiir of ottr dead. EAR EROM I DIME.

W’hai amazes the Ereneli most of all about the soldiers In lar-distant land is that they fought so valiantly for years without ever seeing their homes or their dear ones. They say that it was the pros|Ha t of occasional leave, with a brief glimpse of his Inline, that kept tile poilu going month after month. Without this, the iion-comhn-tant say, til toy eotthl not have expected I heir soldiers to hold out. Great deeds and great men have always tended to become legendary in France. The Kpoleonic legend began to grow tip even in the lifetime of Napoleon. And one can trace in the uiittds of some Ereneli people a tendency tolill into the legion of romance the exploits of that body of men who came from the southern continent to play < ! ‘k’ part in the Great War. The afleclionale regard in which ihe Ereneli have come to hold Australia will peihaps lie a factor in preserving the Irieiid-hin bet ween t.lie British Empire and our great Ally.

SHOOT TNG THE RADIOS. .MONTREAL. .July 28 Passengers aboard the excursion boat Rapids King, mostly Americans, had u thrilling experience when the vessel ran on the rocks while shooting the Long Sou It rapids of the St Lawrence River to-day. One boatload of passengers got to shore safely, hut had such a nerveracking experience in the churning waters that ihr- laplain decided 1i sling a cable asiioie. by means ol which the remaining boats were guided to land. All the passengers are reported safe The steamer was refloated this after noon and is making her way to Mon (real under her own steam.

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