DOVER PATROL.

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1922, Page 1

DOVER PATROL.

FRENCH MEMORIAL UNVEILED. CALAIS, August 1. In tho presence of a distinguished gathering of French and British naval officers, M. Raiberti. the French Minister of Marine, unveiled on the cliffs of Blanc Nez here this afternoon the monument to the memory of the French sailors belonging to tho Dover patrol. The ceremony was noteworthy by reason of its simplicity. The French Minister met Admiral Sir R-oger Keyes, who commanded the patrol, at Calais and entertained him to luncheon. Afterwards the party of about 200 went to Cape Blanc Nez in a fleet of motor cars. The monument is a big granite obelisk, the exact counterpart of that unveiled by the Prince of Wales on the Dover cliffs. Company of sailors and French pojlus wire formed ip around

tho monument. One one side was a double rank of British sailors with four buglers and Royal Marines in scarlet. On the other side were French sailors while at a short distance was a guard of honour of the Bth. French Infantry Regiment with its war-stained colours decorated with the Legion of Honour. M. Raiberti paid tribute to the valour and tenacity of the Dover patrol in protecting the Channel for four weary years of war. “Its destroyers and mine sweepers,” lie said, “gathered 2,000 German mines and placed formidable defence nets into the entrance to the Channel. On four occasions Germans attempted raiding sorties, but each time they were forced hack to their liases on the Belgian Coast.” There was complete silence among the hundreds of people under the shadow of tlie monument as M. Raiberti uttered an eloquent idea for friendship between France and Great Britain. Then the bugles of the Royal Marines filled tho still air with the piercing notes of the Last Post and the ceremony was over.