DR. M. DESSAULES

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 106, 31 October 1936, Page 10

DR. M. DESSAULES

IMPRESSIVE FUNERAL

PROCESSION THROUGH CITY

MILITARY HONOURS

The courtesy of New Zealand.to the representative of a friendly foreign Power was brought home, to' residents of Wellington this morning when a long cortege passed through the principal streets, following the gun carriage that carried the body of Dr. M. Dessaules, Consul-General for Italy in New Zealand, to the Soldiers' Cemetery, Karori. In pouring rain th.2 band of the First Battalion, Wellington Regiment, led the procession at the slow march through Lambton Quay, Willis Street, and on to Karori after Requiem Mass had been celebrated by the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Connolly at the Hill Street Basilica.

A salute of minute guns was fired from Fort Jerningham as the procession started. The gun carriage bearing the casket draped with the Italian flag was guarded by warrant officers of the New Zealand Forces, and was followed by Italian returned soldiers bearing the late Consul's decorations, the General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces (Major-General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess, K.8.E., C.8., C.M.G., D.5.0.), and his senior officers, including representatives of each branch of the forces. A pathetic touch was given to the procession by a small lad dressed in a sailor costume who came next, and was followed by a procession of Italian residents of Wellington led by a standard bearer carrying the Italian Standard.

The cortege was completed by a long line of cars containing representatives of the Consular Service in Wellington, representatives of the Government, the City Council, the churches, and many public bodies, as well as private individuals.

At Karori. the usual firing party present at a military funeral was replaced by another salute from a battery of 18----pounders, and the "Last Post" and "Reveille" were sounded. REQUIEM MASS. Requiem Mass was celebrated at the Basilica' by the Rt. Rev. Monsignor Connolly. The music of the Mass was rendered in Gregorian plainsong by a male choir directed by the Rev. Dr. Walsh. Most of the music was that which has been in use by the Catholic Church for many- centuries, the more modern part being the sublime sequence of the Dies Irae. At the conclusion' of the Requiem' Mass the "Marche Funebre" of Chopin was played by the organist, Miss J. Milligan. As the casket was carried through the Basilica, the anthem "In Paradisum" was sung by the choir. The casket, which had rested in front of the altar since the previous day, was draped with the Italian flag, and bore upon it a> wreath sent by the widow of the deceased. Throughout the night ex-military officers of Italy stood on guard at each side of the coffin. The altar and pillars of the church were draped in black. REPRESENTATIVE GATHERING. . The chief mourner was the widow of the late Dr. Dessaules,, and amongst those present were the Hon. P. Fraser, Minister of Health, and Mrs. Fraser. the Hon. F. Jones, Minister of Defence, Mr. George A. Bucklin (Consul for the United States of America),. Mr. Feng Wang (Consul for China), Dr. W, Hellenthal (Consul for Germany), Signor Oscar Carraro (acting Consul for Italy), M. Armand Nihotte (Consul for Belgium). The following officers, of the New Zealand Defence Forces attended and later took part in the funeral:—MajorGeneral Sir William Sinclair Burgess (General Officer Commanding), Commander E. L. Tottenham (New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy), WingCommander T. M. Wilkes (New Zealand Air Force), Colonel I. T. Standish, C.M.G., D.5.0., R.N.Z.A., A.D.C., Colonel F. Symon, C-8., C.M.G., D.5.0., R.N.Z.A. (Reserve), Colonel F. Bowerbank, 0.8. E., Colonel R. A. Row, D.5.0., Colonel O. H. Mead, D.5,0., Lieutenant-Colonel P. H. Bell, D.5.0., Major W. G. Stevens, R.N.Z.A., Major R. S. Park, R.N.Z.A., Major T. J. King, Major S. H. Crump, Captains C. S. J. Duff, G. H. Clifton, M.C., F. H. Dayies, V. J. Jervois, Flight-Lieuten-ants Denton and Mann, Lieutenants J. P. Joyce, D.C.M., Gerridge, Sharp, and Queree.

The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) represented the City Council, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C. (president),' Mr. S. J. Harrison (secretary), and Mr. A. Gorton (assistant secretary) represented the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, Mr. .H. H. Nesbitt (Australian Trade Commissioner) and Mr. J., Payne (Assistant Commissioner) , represented Australia, Mr. R. Darroch, the Navy League, 'LieutenantColonel A. Cowles, V.D., the Wellington Returned Soldiers'. Association, Colonel J. Hutchen, the. War • Graves branch of the Internal Affairs Department, and Mr. C. R. Knowles represented the. Speaker of the House of Representatives (the Hon. W. E. Barnard).

Others present were his Majesty's British Trade Commissioner (Mr. Boulton) and Assistant Commissioner (Mr. T. G. A. Muntz),.Messrs. E. T. Yaldwyn (Commercial Bank), Commander Hew.son (Naval Office), Mr. Turner (Undersecretary for Defence), Mr. J... W. Heenan (Internal Affairs Department), Dr. J. E. Roche Kelly, and practically every Italian resident ■of Wellington and adjacent districts.

Numerous beautiful floral tributes were received, including. the follow-

ing:—Members "of \ the Consular Service, Italian Returned Soldiers' Association, Italian residents of Nelson, the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association, the Acting French Consu' (Colonel R. St. J. Beere), the Sacre Coeur Old Girls' Association, Island Bay, the General Officer Commanding and all branches of the New Zealand Military Forces, the Garibaldi Club, Wellington, the Italian community of Hawke's Bay, the Italian residents of Rona Bay, and Italian residents of Masterton.

The service at the graveside was conducted by Monsignor Connolly, and the Rev. Dr. Walsh read an. Italian translation of the prayers.

The final salute was fired by a battery from the Royal New Zealand Artillery, Fort Dorset, which also supplied the leading detachment and burial party. , ,