ENTENTE CORDIALE

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1929, Page 2

ENTENTE CORDIALE

EX-SERVICEMEN OF FRANCE

LONDON, April 5

Last Sunday, Earl Jollicoo, in Lh • name of the-Urilsili Legion, welcomed HO,') French ex-soldiers who had come to London to pay homage to their British comrades wlv> were killed in tlm war. All these were members of La Flammc du Souvenir, the association which is representative of all the 504 service men’s associations in France and which lias pledged itself to keep the Flame of Remembrance on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris over burning. London received them with open arms. Tens of thousands of people greeted them as they marched or—as in the case of many of them —limped t ' Westminster Abbey to pay homage at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior there, and afterwards to the Cenotaph. Marching with the pilgrims was one woman nurse. ,- ■

!n Whitehall ifar-stretell ; ng crowds were moved to unwonted emotion by the spectacle of a sunlit cloud of silken tricolours mingled with the blue and yellow standards of the British Legion; of bandsmen of the HOtli Regiment of French Infantry in blue uniforms and shell helmets ranged beside the hand of the Welsh Guards in black and scarlet; of ranks of battle-scarred Britons and Frenchmen symbolically' standing shoulder to shoulder. There was one figure in this spectacle that drew tlie admiring gaze of all—that of the tall, grey-bearded man who limped and whose right sleeve swung empty. He was General Gourand, the “ Lion of the Argoimem,” wlio served in Gallipoli (where he lost ail arm and was wounded in the thigh), arid who outwitted the Germans when lie was called on by Foch to meet the first shock of the great enemy offensive in July of 1918.

IN WESTMINSTER HALL. The French visitors arrived early on Sunday morning m two parties. After they had attended service in ' Westminster and St. George’s Cathedrals and other churches, there was a genera assembly ii'i tire'Old Palace Yard, where the band of tlie 110th Regiment o French Infantry, 81 strong, 'Wearing their 'blue-grfcy uniforms, and steel helmets’, stood To'Attention while tin!;delegation, ill (Irt'rk 1 blue berets’ adorned with tlie Irai'lge Af “La Flaihiiie”’ aiid bearing numerous bright-coloured standards, siirrtiounted witb'T;rope in memory of .Marshal Foeli, passed’into Westminster Hall between ii'Bimrd <v. honour of British naval ratibgs.' 1 Inside the ball the delegation Wined a semi-circle m front of the dais, Ironi which the official welcome was given. “The time of your visit is particularly happy,” said Major-general Clive, “for last Friday at Cannes the .twentyfifth anniversary of the birth of the Entente Cordiale was celebrated.”

Lord Jellicoe, welcoming .the- delegates in tbo name of the: British Legion, said:- “It is you who light every day tho sacred flame which burns to the eternal memory of the: -sons ol France who fell in the Great War. Let. me tell you that the homage which you render to the-dead of your i Allies - helps also to make the flame of comradeship shine, to which the war gave •birth. In spite of the misunderstandings which occasionally happen we ex-sbldiers' know that we are bound together bebaiiso we have fought side by side. And that comradeship, if it is used in a tolerant and generous way, can be one of the finest means of preserving peace and increasing tlie goodwill which statesmen should use. We hope you are rejoicing in your unity here, and wc thank your distinguished leader, General Gouraud, and his friends for their presence here to-day. • Long live the Flame! ”

General Gouraud, in reply, first explained the origin of “ La blame,” the movement for keeping alive the flame of remembrance at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Paris. How was it- possible, ho asked, that two peoples who had shed their blood together on tlie battlefield should cease that friendship? To-day the Entente Cordiale was stronger than ever, and all Frenchmen were eager to strengthen it. General Gouraud paid personal tributes to the memory of Lord Haig and to b ielclmarslial Birdwood, and, in conclusion, expressed the gratification that the French people felt at the recoieiy ol the King from liis illness. “ May God protect him; long live the King,” said General Gouraud, and a loud cheer from tlie delegation followed. A procession was then formed to Westminster Abbey, in the presence ol some thousands of spectators. It was beaded by the bands of tlie Welsh Guards and the 110th Regiment of French Infantry, followed by detachments of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, representatives of the British Government, General Gouraud,-the officials of the British Legion and Hie French and British services. 'I lie French Infantry Band played tho delegation into the abbey, and some 180 standard-bearers of tlie British Legion formed a guard of honour. NY lien the\ had assembled round the tomb of tin Unknown Warrior, General Gouraud reverently laid a bronze palm. Hn procession w r as re-lormed, and on ai-l-ival at the Cenotaph, the standardbearers formed up on lour sides oil it. As the band of the 110th Regiment played “Sommeil Eternal,” all standards were dipped and heads bared General Gouraud, after a Inrthci tribute to the British dead, laid a second bronze palm on tlie memorial. The subsequent scene on the Iloilo Guards parade was one ol considerable animal ion and colour. In the centif ol the parade ground a stand had been

raised, From which, the salute was' taken. The French hand, drawn up alongside the hand of the Welsh (1 nurds, struck up the stirring notes of “Sainhre et Meuse,” and the whole delegation following the British units and representatives o'f the British Legion, marched past with a lively step. General Gouraud took the salute, with Major-general (.live and Baron !)aru standing I.aside him and Lord Jc'lieoe and General Sir inn Hamilton li hind him. A mini nor of lame and m lined men in a charahane were heartily cheered by the spectators.