SUEZ STATUE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 464, 23 February 1933, Page 3

SUEZ STATUE

ANZAC DEAD MR. W. M. HUGH.ES UNVEILS MEMORIAL AT PORT~ SAID. "EYES WERE DIMMED." "Australian hearts ached and Australian eyes were dimmed this, afternoon when, amid the strange surroundings of the eosmoplitan and exotic city, Mr. W. M. Hughes-unveiled in the Casino grounds the magnificent meniorial to Ahstralian and New Zealand dead in the Near East," writes J. A. Alexander, special representative of the Melbourne Herald, from Port Said. "It was moist appropriate that Mr. Hughes, on liis way hack from the League of Nations Assembly, should be commissioned hy Vh'e Commonwealth and New Zealand Goverriments to perform this ceremony," the writer proceeds. "The memorial represents in hronze an Australian Light Horseman in the iact of charging, with a New Zealand Mounted Rifleman in the 'ready' position over his wounded charger. It stands on a massive pedestal of Australian. granits about 15 feet "high, placed on the Ganal bank. "It was an unfamilia.r settine- for

so essentially an Australian ceremony. The luxuriant African treeta and plains, bathed in the brilliant sunshine of the early Egyptian winter, and the white Oriental buildings of Port Said — looking like marble mosques and palaces, but really stucco hotels and bazaars — made a fascma,ting picture. From every - direction carne the shrill street cries, the jstnange sounds and smells of the Orient. "The gathering around the memoi rial was said to be the most notable ever seen at Port Said. King Fuad honoured Australia and New Zealand by sending his own personal representative. The Prime Minister of Etgypt — the once notorious Sydkey Pasha, — a plump, elderly Egyptian with heavy, inscrutable eyes, waa also present, attended by his 'Minister for Wai-.

"Tlie British H'igh Commissioner for Egypt (Sir Percy Loraine) arrived with Mr. Hughes, and was received by a guard of honour of picked men drawn from the Canal garrison. These were led to the spot by ,a splendid regimental band playing 'Smile, Smile, Smile,' and 'Tipperary' and other familiar war-time ains. A Soldier's Prayer. "En-glish and Egyptian dignitaries were drawn up in front of the statue, with Mr. Hughes in the place of honour. After the singing of 'Oh God, Our Help in Ages Pa,st,' the Bishop of Egypt and the Sudan oft'ered a prayer, quoting a composition found on the body of a dead soldier. "The High Commissioner then asked Mr. Hughes to unveil the memorial. Mr. Hughes in an eloquent speech, spoke of the wonder of men from t-he youngest nation of the earth coming to the most ancient land of all to capture cities like Jerusalem a,nd Damascus, which in the ages of chivalry had defied the most determined eff'orts of the Crusaders for centuries. "The Bishop of Egypt then said. T dedicate this memorial to the Glory of God, and in memory of the members of the Australian Light Horse, the New Zealand Mounted Rifies, the Imperial Cainel Corps and the Australian Flying Corps who sacrificed their lives in Egypt, Palasitine 'and Syria during- the Great War.' "The Benediction followed, and then the shrill, thrilling notes of a trumpet sounding 'The Last Post' summoned us to think in silence for one moment of the Australian and New Zealand dead. "We stood with uncovered heads in tlie blazing sun, a little band of mourners from the youngest eountries on the earth, while around us, immeasurably remote from us in spirit and instinct, swarmed the bedraggled descendants of some of the greatest races of antiquity. The reveille awakened us from a isad reverie, and the Egyptian and English National Anthems concluded a ceremony which deeply moved every Australian present. Wreaths from Australia. "A great number of official wreaths were placed on the memorial. King Fuad's representative placed a magnificent wreath' of blood-i'ed roses, tied with the Royal green ribbon of Egypt, then followed the High Commissioner, on behalf of the English Government, and Mr. Hughes, on behalf of the Commonwealth' Government. "The Port Said Memorial is evidence of the genius of the great Australian sculptof, the late Mr. Web Gilbert. A design submitted by the sculptor was approved in 1924. Mr. Web Gilbert died in the following year, and in 1926 arrangements were made with another celebrated Australian sculptor, Sir Bertram Mackennal, to complete the work. Sir Bertram Mackennal died in 1931. "Mr. Hughes spoke in front of microphonas, by means of which the proceedings were broadcast to Australia. Two days ufterwards, wh'en .the Oronsay was nearly 1000 miles from Port Said, on the voyage to Australia, Mr. Hughes received a cable from Australia stating that the broad- | cast had been succeesful."