THE LATE EARL HAIG.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3750, 4 February 1928, Page 3

THE LATE EARL HAIG.

London, February 1

Long before the doors of St. Columba’s Church were opened this morning hundreds reverently lined up awaiting the opportunity to pay their last respects to Earl Haig, whose coffin was guarded by a detachment of Royal Horse Guards. Lady Haig entered the church before the public, were admitted carrying two wreaths of Flanders poppies. It was her desire that nobody should see, the tribute to her husband. She remained a few minutes and departed through a. silent bare-headed crowd.

The pall-bearers at the funeral will be Field-Marshal Methven, Jacob, and Robertson, General Lord Horne and Lord Bying, and Sir Hubert Gough aud Sir Herbert Lawrence, Air-Marshal Sir H. M. Trenehard, Admirals Earls Jellieoe and Beatty, Marshal Foch, and the Belgian General De Meuninck, and possibly Marshal Petain. The gun which fired the first British round in the war on August 22, 1914, will five the salute. The Union Jack covering the coffin was formerly flown at the Cenotaph. At the widow’s request, funeral marches will not be played during the Abbey service, which concludes with “Onward, Christian Soldiers.” The pipers will play the lament “Flowers of the Forest” during the service. Sir James Parr will represent the New Zealand Government, and Major Stevens will represent the New Zealand Army. THE EARL’S INTENSE DEVOUTNESS. London, February 1./

A new story of Eai'l Haig s intense devoutness is revealed by a St. Andrew’s professor, Dr. George Duncan, a war-time Presbyterian chaplain. “The British headquarters’ Presbyterian Church consisted of a small‘wooden hut, which Earl Haio- attended every Sunday morning,’’ he states, “but that black Sunday following the outbreak ot the German offensive in March, 1918, I realised he could not. come. I could scarcely believe my eyesight when, he appeared outside the hut as calm and resolute as evei. I said I hoped things were not too bad. Haig replied: ‘Tilings will never be. too bad,’ adding, ‘lt is what you read in II Chronicles: “Be not afraid nor dismayed.” ’ (Chapter 20, verse 15). He then went into the church. That same evening Haig did the biggest thing in his career. He had a fruitless consultation with Petain, which'revealed that the French commanders were mostly concerned with the defence of Paris. Haig returned to headquarters and wired forthwith to London urging the appointment of a generalissimo for the whole front, it was for him a. supreme sacrifice, but it saved the Allied line.”