THE WAR’S SACRIFICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1921, Page 4

THE WAR’S SACRIFICE.

WHAT EGMCKT VILLAGE DID. MEMORIAL TO HER BOYS. ADDRESS BY THE BISHOP. A roll of honor bearing the names of men who enlisted from th 6 Egmont Village district, and which has been placed in the schoolroom, was unveiled last night. The religious portion of the ceremony was conducted by the Ven. Archdeacon Evans (New Plymouth), the Rev. Stanton (Inglewood), and Mr. Parkins (Inglewood). The preacher was the Bishop of Auckland, the Right Rev. Dr. Averill. The schoolroom was crowded with residents of the district. The unveiling ceremony was performed by Colonel C. H. Weston. He said he was reminded of the little shrines which stood in the French villages, and of a pathetic custom which prevailed during the war. These, shrines bore many little wooden swords which had been hung there by the women of France for the sake of their menfolk. It represented the wish that their sons would return, but also that their sons’ swords would never be sullied, and that the honor of France would be 1 their first consideration. This was a feeling that the people of this country could have In respect to their own representatives. It was a matter for pride to see so many names on the roll for this particular district. It could be said with certainty that the men always upheld their honor like gentlemen, and that all of these names were ones of which the district could be proud. PICTURE OF BATTLEFIELDS. In the course of his address Dr. Averill spoke of his experiences during a visit to the battlefields in August of last year. He found there was scarcely a yard of ground that had not been ploughed up with shells, and the holes were filled with water. If France was like that in the summer they could imagine something of what the conditions must have been in the winter, when the men had to spend so much of their time in the trenches. It helped him t'o realise what tremendous sacrifices they had made, and after what he had seen it was less surprising that New Zealand had lost 17,000 of her boys in the conflict. There were over 600 military cemeteries in France and Flanders. Though there were memorials to the Australians, South Africans and Canadians, he had not seen any New Zealand monuments, but on enquiry after returning to London he was pleased to learn -from Sir James Allen that arrangements had been made for three New Zealand memorials. It was fitting that in the land where the boys gave their lives, monuments would be seen to commemorate their deeds.

Referring to events on Armistice Day in 1920, Dr. Averill said he had never felt prouder of the Empire than on the occasion when millions of fellow subjects gathered to do homage to the unknown warrior. Though we were a distant outpost, he thought we could rank equally with other parts of the Empire in loyalty. The example of the King during the war had strengthened tne Throne to a degree which had never been reached before. It was right that there should be memorials to the men who went at the call of duty. They realised their duty to the country and to the Empire, enabled her to keep treaty obligations, and had kept this country from becoming a German colony—a fact which was sometimes forgotten. By .their deeds they had shown those who remained behind the true meaning of life. It Would be a poor thing, however, to put up memorials unless certain that the boys were not lying in France and Flanders —they were with God. It was not sufficient merely to erect memorials, however, as those who had given their lines to end war had left a message to those remaining to carry on. The Disarmament Conference was going to be one of the great epochs in the world’s history. If, by God’s grace, that conference was successful, then the night through which they were passing would be followed by the dawn of a better day. “If it fails,” added Dr. Averill, “then God help us.” Peace could be attained only by cultivating friendship between men and nations, and it behoved everyone to accept those Christian principles on which the League of Nations was based.

» THE ROLL OF HONOR. The honors board is a handsome piece of workmanship, being comprised of rimu with a kauri panel, on which the names are inscribed. In compiling the list the committee endeavored to secure a complete record of past scholars who served with the forces, and many of the names were traced by means of the school registers. The roll bears the inscription: “Pro Patria: The Great War 1D14»1918. In reverent memory of the fallen, and in honor of those who served and safely returned, this .tablet is gratefully erected.” The list of names is as follows :—From the school—died

on service: H. Bennett, B. Carman, H. Carman, A. Chard, L. Cunningham, E. Dewhurst, H. Doherty, A. Kidd, G. Kidd, S. Kidd, C. Lilley, E. Orr, H. W. Orr, R. Ronaldson, W. Reeve, R. Symes. Returned: C. Barker, A. Bettridge, E. Burkitt, H. Burkitt, E. Cunningham, F. Dewhurst, F. Doherty, A. Frost, D. Gy de, V. Hine, H. A. James, E. James, W. Jordan, Nurse E. J. Kidd, R. Kidd, A. P. Marsh. G. H. Marsh, H. Marsh, J. O. Morton, R. Mcßeth, E. E. Olson, A. L. Orr, N. Orr, P. Orr, L. Pearn, W. Peers, R. F. Price, J. Ronaldson, T. Ronaldson, W. Ronaldson, F. Salisbury, F. C. Salisbury, R. G. Signal, Jas. Taylor, R. M. White, T. White, P. Willing, T. Willing, A. Wren, L. Wills, F. Yeates, V. Swan.

From the district —died on service: A, Boyer, J. M. Cheyne, T. Stewart, H. Taylor, J. A. Taylor. Returned: R. Beauchamp, R. .S. Bell, F. Coldriek, F. Eggleton, A. Hounslow, A. C. Pegg, C. Thomason, F. Waterson.