Graves of the Fallen.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1922, Page 3

Graves of the Fallen.

REV. MULLLNEUX RETURNS; PROGRESS OF ERECTING SOLDIERS’ HEADSTONES. INTERIETING INTERVIEW. WELLINGON, January 23. To talk with Padre Mullineux, who returned from tho French battlefields area to New Zealand by the Tahiti on Saturday, is to get a liberal education in what has been done in tbe preparation and maintenance of the graves ot t’Wosef gallant mein that gave their lives for King and country in tho Great War. The padre looks as young and fit as in the days when he led the, Eriglish footballers to victory against both Australia and New Zea land. Nowadays lie has a different sphere of life—as the personal and official representative in France of the ntext-of-kin of New Zealand’s dead heroes. His visit to the Dominion will be brief. He intends staying in Wellington for about four days, during which he will get into touch with official sources in regard to the matter of thef graves of soldiers. Then ho goes south to Dunedin,e and will return later, giving \ectures hero about Iris work, and leaving the Dominion for France again in about a month’s time “ROUGH SPADE WORK OVER.” Padre Mullineux spoke to a representative' of the “Times” last night and had much to impart that will bo read with the closest attention by bereaved relatives of fallen soldiers, ■‘'lion! can tell (the i/eadehs off ‘Times” that the work of erecting tho headstones on the soldiers graves is proceeding as fast as is humanly possible,” he aid. “The rough spade work is over, and tho progress that has been made in finishing the graves is nothing short of marvellous. Everything possible lias been done to trace the resting-place of missing soldiors. At a lator stage of nty visit,l hope td lie 'in the position to give you fuller details of this work.” GRAVES IN THE BATTLE-LINE. Asked for particulars of tbe specific cemeteries, where the work of erecting headstones over New Zealand soldiers’ graves, had been carried out, Padre Mullineux cheerfully assented, and traversed the French battlefield front from Ypres down to Peronne, scarcely missing a detail regarding the smallest of (the cemeteries on tlie battle line, as well as the resting-place of soldiers back in tbe base and intermediate base areas back to Boulogne, Rouen, Etaples, ancl Abbeville. One came away fooling that here was a man that was imbued with a, high sense of enthusiasm!, without which it would bo physically 'impossible! to keep close touch with what has been going on, and possessing a, knowledge of “map locations” that would have done credit to the general staff of tbe Qigb Command in war-time.

FROM POPERINGHE TO LE QUESNOY.

Coming from the north, the padre said that the Poperinghe new military cemetery on tho road to Reninglielst was now approaching completion I'here is a beautiful little cemetery at Mud Corner, near Messines, just below Prow’s Point, on the right from Hyde Park Corner. The Crass of Sacrifice has been erected, and it wa s intended that the unveiling ceremony was to have been performed by the Prime Minister, Mr Massey when he Was Home, but hi s arrangements would not permit. It is hoped, said Padre Mullineux, that an official ceremony will be performed here, as was done in the case of the Australian and South African graveyards. The Strand cemetery, on the Ploegsteert-Yyres road( before reaching Red Lodge, is now being sown with, flowers and finished off. The Termincthun cemetery, near Boulogne, is in about Hie same stage, nearing completion. The cemetery at Fontaine-aux-Bois, near tbe New Zealand battlefield at Le Quesnoy lias also been made beautiful with flowers.

NEVER FORGOTTEN NEW ZEALAND.

“The people of Le Quesnoy have never forgotten and never will forget, the New Zealanders,” said the padre “I can assure you there is a verjy sincere welcome to any New Zealander that will visit that town. A big memorial has been completed there, and the finishing touches are now being put in. It is to our advantage, in many senses, that we are perhaps late in finishing off our graveyard memorials, because we have the experience of the other countries of the Empire of guide us, and it has been a very useful guide indeed. WHERE FLEES HEROES LIE. At Caterpillar Valley, which lies up through Contalmaison and Bazentin, on tbe right hand side of the road, before reaching Longueval and Delville Wood, there are 4000 soldiers buried. This is one of the concentration cemeteries, to which isolated graves have ,been transferred. Here lie the remains of the New Zealanders who went through Fler s in. the big battle of September 15th., 1916, and wlito had rough wooden crosses erected over them by their comrades. The headstones here are not yet finished, hut the work 1 is going on satisfactorily, and with great care. At Hopatore, near Elameriinghe, in the Flanders section, and at Rem y Suing, between (Abeole and Poperinghe, whefrie the I old clearing-stations wer)e clustered, I there is now a cemetery, and the headstones, are being put up Some of tlio men who fell in the Flers sector are buried at Bull’s road cemetery, and there is a tremendous aggregation of graves at Colincamps, near Hebuteme Other big cemeteries are those of Gommeeourt, Biefvillers, Oifce Bon iJeain (and Messines Ridgei. ’At (the Douillens cemetery Alio headstones are now being erected.

PASSCHENDAELE RIDGE. On the Passchendaele Ridge, there is cemetery with near 20,000 graves. It is located at the site of tho old Gei-man pill-box at Tyne Cot, near where tlio New Zealanders and Australians made history in the third and fourth phases of the Battle of Pasehendaele in October! 1917. Other cemeteries where New Zealanders are buried are at Underhill Farm and Rosenberg Chateau, down on the loft of Ploegsteert, New Irish Farm, Oxford road.