BATTLE MEMORIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1922, Page 6

BATTLE MEMORIALS.

SITES CHOSEN IN FRANCE. LONGUEVAL AND LE QUESNOY Interesting information has been received by the Minister for Defence, Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, regarding the erection of battle memorials in France. The High Commissioner, Sir James Allen, advises that a contract has been signed for the erection of a battle mCThorial at Longueval at a site where three roads meet. After careful consideration and consultatiin, a decision has been reached regarding the inscriptions to be engraved on the memorials at Longueval and Le Quesnoy. The memorial for Longueval comprises a column standing on a projecting base in which provision is made for four panels. On the front of the column itself will be engraved the words “ In honour of the men of the New Zealand Division, first battle of the Somme, 1916,” and this will be reproduced in French on the back of the column. For the front panel Mr. A. R. Fraser, the New Zealand sculptor has made an exquisite design surrounding the words “New Zealand.” The words are set in a laurel wreath supported by crossed taiaha, and framed in the panel with a design recalling Maori carving. On the back panel will be engraved the words New Zealand Division, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago.” On one side panel will be the foiling sentence : “ The New Zealand Division, after gaining this position as their first objective, launched from it a successful attack on Flers, September 15, 1916.” These words will be reproduced in French on the other side panel. At the base of the monument will be engraved in English and French the phrase “ from the uttermost ends of the earth.”

Part of the Le Quesnoy memorial is a has relief depicting the scaling of the walls of Le Quesnoy by the men of the New Zealand Division. For this the services of Mr. Fraser have been utilised, and he has prepared a model which Sir James Allen considers a very fine design. It shows a large figure, a winged female holding in her right hand a wreath of laurel above a portion of the town wall, against which is erected a ladder having upon it a Dumber of New Zealand soldiers in the process of scaling the wall. Mr. Fraser having completed the model, the remainder of the work will be entrusted to a French sculptor as a deiicate compliment to our ally. M. Desruelles has been selected to undertake the work, he having been recommended by M. Vincent, Mayor of Le Quesnoy and Minister for Public Works in the French Government. M. Vincent has been very helpful to the New Zealand authorities in securing the consent of the French Miylitary authorities for the use of part of the town wall in the memorial scheme.

The inscription for Le Quesnoy will be: “In honour of the men of New Zealand, through whose valor the town of Le Quesnoy was restored to France, November 4, 1918.” This will be engraved on one side of the sculpture and will be reproduced in French on the other side. On the balustrade to be erected on the side of the moat opposite to that on which the sculpture will be erected will be engraved in English and French the phrase “From the uttermost parts of the earth.”