AUNT DAISY brings you the WEEKLY CHEER BUDGET

Radio Record, Volume XII, Issue 25, 2 December 1938, Page 17

AUNT DAISY brings you the WEEKLY CHEER BUDGET

THE HUMBLEST CREATURES WHO

SERVED WERE NOT FORGOTTEN

xf »- BEGAN last week to tell you about the beautiful Scottish National War Memorial, and had just come to the majestic Hall of Honour. There are always crowds of people coming to see it every ‘day; and you pass round slowly in an orderly queue, as you do at, all the many, many places of historic interest all over the British Isles. As you enter the hall, you cannot help pausing a moment in awe, so noble is the general effect, with the great columns and the bays and recesses and. especially the stained glass windows, which picture so strikingly so many different aspects 2f the Great War. Nowhere else is there to be Scen such a presentation of a phase of contemporary human life; and as time goes on, the interest of future. generations in these pictures must certainly increase, Opposite to the entrance, too, you see the Shrine itself, with a lofty ‘archway over the beautiful wroughtiron gates which separate it from the Hall of Honour. You can see, too, in the distance, the Stone of Remembrance, and, upon it, the steel casket which contains the complete Roll of Honour. On each of the side walls of the hall, there are ten columns. These form on one side recesses for eight regimental memorials; and on the other, spaces for the windows. and for the entrances into two big bays, in which are the remaining regimental memorials, Below each memorial is a stone table, on which lies a book containing its own roll of honour, while a duplicate list of all of the rolis is in the steel casket. The Colours of each vegiments hang heside its memorial. In The Windows S I have said, the windows show in a very clear and striking manner, the actual ~ tacts of the War. The four windows on the south wall illustrate the War as it was seen at Home ‘at the different seasons of the year. Thus, the first window, as we turn to our left and begin passing round towards the shrme, represents autuntn. At the top is a yenper: in the middle, a panel showing the homecoming of troops at a railway station, with autumn flowers (rowans and brambles) all around the edge; while at the bottom are two panels picturing munition-making, and the annealing of big guns. The second window represents winter. At the top are men and women: bringing in the faggots of wood for the fires; in the middle is a bugler sounding the Last Post, and surrounded by mistletoe and holly, ivy and som Christmas roses; while the lower panels show a ‘camouflaged convoy, and the guarding of the coast. Diced

The third’ window has another very interesting and beautiful subject. Reading from the top downwards, you see the women’s land army, the making of munitions, gome Red Cross motor cyclists, and some nurses, Underneath this window is 2a bronze panel depicting stretcherbearers, nurses, and a wounded man. There are the badges of various nursing services, and V.A.D. detachments, arranged round this ‘panel, aud below all, the familiar and beautiful words: They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old, Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn, At the going down of the sun and in the morning, , We will remember them. The fourth window symbolises ail air services, and’ shdws an aeroplane, a hydroplane, an airship, and several observation balioons,: Joining the centre panels are the lines of a propeller; and in the border are birds-the whole thing being suggestive of flight. ‘The inscription below says, "I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself." Try to visualise all these stories, true in every detail, being depicted in stained glass! How interesting it will be, even in another five years! Front Lime Seene ~ ANOTHER very striking thing ou this side of the Hall of Honour is a large bronze panel on a pier between the arches, forming a memorial to the chaplains of the Forces. It shows a field Communion Serviee, with the chaplain eelebrating in the Presbyterian form, while the communicants are kneeling as in the Anglican and Wesleyan churches. Often up in the lines, where the only seat was the ground, the Presbyterians received the Communion kneeling. Above the panel, on four medallions, ure 4 ¢amel, a mule, a horse, and a reindeer, with the inseription: "Remember also the nme beasts that served and ied!’ Then as you pass out of this archway, you come to a stane panel depicting canaries -and mice, the "Tunnellers’ Friends." These tiny creatures are quickly affected by gas, and sa give . timely warning to the ‘tunnstlers, as they work. The Shrine. ND now, at last, we enter the Shrine itself, which. is known the world over as an inspiring and beautiful place indéed. "The Stone of Remem"hraiiee is a-solid block of green.

Italian marble, upon which is cut the eross of sacrifice, and the words, ‘‘Their Name Liveth."’ Upon it, between four kneeling Angels in bronze, stands the casket made of polished wrought steel, and containing the Rolls of Honour. The casket was presented by our late King George the Fifth and Queen Mary. The Stone of Remembrance stands upon an exposed part of the Castle Rock itself, the floor of the chamber ending at this point for that purposs. Whet They Did — qae wonderful bronze frieze is perhaps | the centre of interest of the Shrine. It is a picture of the great efforts made by the whole Seottish nation-what the men and women did and how they did it. * _ Everybody can pick out some familiar figures in it, and examine them for their truth to life in every detail, as they were known in the wartime. Nothing is missing-sailors, soldiers, medical services, wo‘men’s services, camels, horses, pigeons, dogs-aill in battle-kit or working-ress-a splendid procession, and a record of facts for future generations to see. The frieze runs right round the Shrine at a convenient height for one to see every detail clearly; and the figures are, I shouid think, about three feet high. In the first small panel there are eighteen figures, including privates in the Lewis Gunners, the K.O.S.B., the Cameron Highlanders, and the Black Watch Royal Highlanders; as well as two nurses, in R.A.M.C. and V.A.D.. uniforms respectively; a lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps, a sapper in the R.E. Tunnelling Company, and so on; all of which are eagerly recognised: and, I might almost say, greeted, by the hundreds of. ex-servicemen who file: round this chamber every day. In the background of this panel, are a motor ambulance, some mounted men, two or three tanks, and an, aeroplane. In the second panel are ten ‘figures, Similariy depicted, with ,every detail of dress and equip"ment perfect-among’ them a "Piper, Auckland’ Regiment, 16th : Waikato Company"! . The thitd panel is the central one, has no‘figures,. but simply represents : Sacrifice: and. Victory, -by wreaths of thorns and. bay-leaves, :with--the -Sword--of Henour': in be--iween..- :

Then come the fourth and fifth panels, with nine and twenty-three more different figttres respectively "-a minesweeper; two different stokers; a piper of the Gordon Highlanders; a Sergeant R.E., pigeon service; and so on; while in the background are a seaplane, part of a camel corps, a heavy. draught-horse, A.S.C.; and a messenger dog. Aboye the frieze runs the inscription :-_ The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God. There shall _no evil happen to them. They are in peace. _ Below the frieze are carved words which include in the remembrance those of Scottish birth who died perhaps in neutral ships, or while serving with Allied Forees. "Others also there are who perished unknown; their sacrifice is. not forgotten, and their names, though lost to us, are written in the books of God," . Wealth of Beauty | | HAVEN’T space to tell you in detail of the seven beautiful windows of the Shrine. They show very wonderfully ‘the. Birth of War, the overthrow of Tyranny, the Spirit Triumphant, and Praise and Peace. -In these windows the desions are very coruplicated ‘and most. interesting, being based on’ Old Testament pro-' ' ’ phecies and‘ imageries, as’ _well as on a great part of the | "Book of Revelation *:

When you go to Bdinbureh, try to arrange to spend three or four afternoons at the Shrine, for one has to keep moving steadily on in the quene of people,.and it is impossible to realise all the wealth of beauty there in one or two visits. You appreciate it more and more as you get to know it, and really to perceive it. At any rate, I hope I have given you at least some idea of the .inspiring beauty of the ‘Seottish National War Memori al. When you go to Edinburgh, try to arrange to spend three or four afternoons at the Shrine, for one has to keen moving steadily on in the queue of people, and it is impossible to realise all the wealth. of beauty there, in one or two: visits. You appreciate it more and more as you get to know it, and really to perceive it. At any rate, I hope I have given you at least some idea of the inspiring beauty of the Scottish National War Memorial.