LONDON’S SILENT HOST

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 200, 12 November 1927, Page 9

LONDON’S SILENT HOST

Homage Paid To Dead ARMISTICE DAY SERVICE SIMPLE, IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY British Wireless—Press Assn. —Copyright Received 11.58 a.m. RUGBY, Friday. THE great crowd tbat assembled in Whitehall on Armistice A Day is like no other crowd that London knows throughout the year. It assembles and it stands in silence, and its perfect quietude is a measure of the deep emotions which are stirred in British hearts and which are mellowed but undiminished by the passing of nine years.

In the early hours of this morning, people began to gather near the Cenotaph, which had already been piled with wreaths sent by British communities overseas—as far distant as Sao Patio, Brazil, and Rhodesia —and long before the service began, Whitehall was again a mass of unmoving and noiseless humanity. The same simple ceremonial as in previous years was followed. Ten minutes before it began, the King arrived, and stood between his sons in the hollow square around the Ceno- ' taph, formed by service and ex-service j detachments. He stepped forward j and laid his wreath at the base of j the Cenotaph, after which others were laid by the Princes, members of the Government, and representatives of the services from overseas. Then, with the firing of signals, came the two-minutes’ silence. As it ended the bugle notes of “The Last Post” sounded, and then the crowd, led by choirs and massed Guards’ bands, sang “Oh God, Our Help.” The Reveille followed, and the service ended with the National Anthem. Reverent Pilgrimage Then began a long and reverent pilgrimage to the Cenotaph by patient queues of people, to lay their wreaths at its base. Meanwhile a service had been held at the tomb of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, and in innumerable churches throughout the country. Throughout the whole Empire, on British ships and in British communities abroad, silence was observed. This evening one of the most impressive celebrations of the Armistice is being held. Ten thousand men and women from all parts of the Home country and the overseas Dominions, who served in the Great War, are assembled in Albert Hall, taking part in the Remembrance Festival. They are joined in singing the songs that cheered and heartened them during the war. The Prince of Wales will deliver an address at the close of the festival. The proceedings will be broadcast to the British Empire from Chelmsford, and to the British Isles from Daventry. Speech by Prince For the first time the Prince is sending a message which may be heard by all the British subjects throughout the world at the same time, even though the gathering which is taking place in Hyde Park will celebrate the occasion in a similar manner, and listen to the broadcast of the Prince’s speech. When the Albert Hall meeting ends, the audience will form a procession, marshalled by the British Legion, and march to the Cenotaph. A thousand torches will be borne in the procession, which will be led by the bands of the Grenadier and Irish Guards. A contingent from Hyde Park will swell the numbers of the pilgrimage. At the Cenotaph a simple ceremony will take place, and a wreath will be laid on behalf of the ex-Service men and women of the British Empire. Trumpeters of the Life Guards, the Royal Horse Guards, and the 10th Hussars will sound “The Last Post” and the Reveille, after which the hymn “Abide With Me” and the National Anthem will conclude this grea: tribute of the war veterans. “Old Contemptibles” A party of more than 200 members of the Old Contemptibles Association —members of the original British Expeditionary Force in the Great War — observed two minutes’ silence to-day at the spot where they first came into contact with the Germans during the war. This is the first time since the Armistice nine years ago that representatives of the British soldiers who were in the Battle of Mons commemorated it at the spot which they themselves made famous. —A. and N.Z.

SERVICES IMPRESSIVE OBSERVANCE SYDNEY, Friday. Armistice Day was celebrated in Sydney by an impressive service in Martin Place. The Governor, Sir Dudley de Chair, the Premier, Mr. T. R. Bavin, and other prominent people placed wreaths on the Cenotaph. A two minutes’ silence was observed at 11 a.m„ all traffic being stopped and pedestrians standing with bared heads. Similar ceremonies took place in all the cities ot the Commonwealth. —A. and N.Z. AMERICAN OBSERVANCE CANADA MAKES GIFT ARLINGTON CEMETERY Reed. 9.31 a.m. NEW YORK, Friday. Armistice Day was commemorated throughout the United States by the customary two-minute silence. A special feature marked the Washington ceremonies, when the Canadian Government presented the United States with a monument, a white stone cross, at the Arlington Cemetery in memory of the Americans who served with the Canadian forces. The Canadian Minister to the U nited States, Mr. Massey, and Mr F. B Kellogg, United States Secretary of State, officially represented their countFPresident Coolidge and others placed wreaths on the tomb of the Unknown S °Tlie President and Mrs. Coolidge received at W-hite House 210 Canadian The President, as an Armistice Day

effort in aid of war victims, signed an appeal for assistance for the Red Cross. The monument given by Canada was unveiled by Colonel J. 1.,. Ralston, Canadian Minister of Defence. —A. and N.Z. AFFRAYS IN DUBLIN ANTI-IMPERIAL PROTEST LONDON, Friday. Following upon a meeting on College Green, Dublin, to protest against Imperialistic displays on Armistice Day, scuffles occurred between the demonstrators and tbe wearers of Flanders poppies. The police dispersed the crowd by making two baton charges.—A. and N.Z.-Sun. £IOO FOR POPPIES ROYAL FAMILY’S EXAMPLE EARL HAIG’S APPEAL By Cable.-—Press Associatiori.—Copyright Reed. 11.10 a.m. LONDON, Friday. Armistice Day was celebrated at the Cenotaph with the same simple procedure as in recent years. The King, the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York, Ministers and High Commissioners deposited their wreaths. Then the silence followed, and the Last Post, the Reveille and the National Anthem were sounded. Immediately after the King’s departure a seemingly endless queue began to file past the Cenotaph to the Unknown Warrior’s grave in Westminster Abbey. London’s homage to the Empire’s valiant dead began before dawn. Poppy sellers were astir in tbe markets and in other centres last night and early this morning. The day opened cold, but fine. Wintry weather and exceptionally early frosts are being experienced in London. Earl Haig, in an article, says the sales of Armistice Day poppies in six years have realised £1,749,000. Last year the total was £435,000, and to-day he hopes they will realise £500,000. Nearly 30,000,000 poppies are available. Greater co-operation on the part of the Dominions had been promised as well as funds. They had now settled 447 men, 337 women and 873 children in the Dominions, besides relieving 2,000,000 cases of distress in Britain. The cost was more than £700,000. There were still 600,000 ex-officers and men unemployed. £IOO FOR POPPY The King paid £IOO for his poppy, and so did Queen Mary. A seller visited York House, where the Prince of Wales also paid £IOO for a poppy. Poppy Day headquarters received two cheques for £25 each from the Duke and Duchess of York. —A. and N.Z.