LAST RESPECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 28, 2 February 1928, Page 7

LAST RESPECTS.

TRIBUTE to the dead

Britain Pays Reverent Homage To Haig.

WIDOW'S SILENT GRIEF

cable.—Press Association. —Copyright.)

(Received 10 a.m.) LONDON, February 1 j on ir before the doors of St. Columba Church were opened this morning hundreds of people had lined up awaiting an opportunity to pav their last respects to Earl Ha-. The coffin was guarded by a detachment of the Royal Horse Guards. Tadv Haig entered the church before the public were admitted. She earned two wreaths of Flanders poppies. It las her desire that she should pay tribute to her illustrious husband m secret. she remained only a few nnnutps, departing in silence through a silent, bare-headed crowd. The bodv will lie in state in Saint Oiles Cathedral, Edinburgh, from Saturday to Monday. \ steady stream of mourners filed past tl-e coffin," which was covered by the Union Jack, and on which lay Lord Haig's plumed helmet and his FieldJlarshal's baton, sword, and medals.

The visitors were representative of everv section of the community, and included hundreds of ex-service men, many of them disabled. By noon 4000 people had passed the bier, and many thousands passed in the luncheon hour and afternoon, piling up hundreds of poppy wreaths.

It is announced by the \\ ar Office that Earl Haig will reeeivc a military fuueral in London on Friday. The procession will proceed from the Scottish Church of St. Columba to Westminster Abbey via Grosvenor Crescent, Constitution Hill, the Horse Guards and Whitehall.

After the service in the Abbey the procession continues to Waterloo via Westminster Bridge for entrainment to Scotland.

Earl Haig's pall-bearers will be FieldJlarshals Metliven, Jacob and Robertson, Generals Lords Home and Byng, S/r Hubert Gough, Sir Herbert Lawrence, Air Marshal Trenchard, Earl Jellicoe, Earl Beatty, Marshal Focli, and the Belgian General DenietuiincK, and possibly Marshal Petain.

The gun which hred the first British round in the war, on August 22, 1914, will lire a salute.

The Union Jack covering the coffin was formerly flown at the Cenotaph.

At Lady Haig's request, funeral marches will not ue played during the Abbey service, which will end with "Onward, Christian Soldiers." Pipers will play the Lament, "Flowers of the forest," during the service.

Sir James Parr will represent the New' Zealand Government, and Major Stevens the New Zealand Army.

The American Legion has sent a message to the British Legion, which states: "Earl Haig was a great soldier, an indomitable leader and a gentle spirit, tenaciously courageous and serene in the darkest hours."—(A. and N.Z. and Sydney "Sun.") MEMORIAL PLANNED. _____ (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, February 1. It is stated that Parliament, when it meets next week, will not only pass resolutions recording the sense of loss felt by the Empire, but will also be asked to 1 vote an address to the King, praying His Majesty to direct that a litting monument be erected to Earl Haig. Belgium's Gratitude. The Belgian Embassy, on behalf of the Belgian Government, has communicated to the Foreign Secretary a message of condolence with His Majesty's Government on Earl Haig's death. The message states that Belgium will never forget tne eminent part played by the late Fieldllarshal in the victory of the Allied armies during the Great War.

People of the British Empire have Misted this place in Field-Marshal Douglas •Baron Haig of Bemersyde, Viscount u? and Earl Hai .S> KT ' as an emblem of his distinguished services to humanity in a cause which, by divine grace victorious, has triumphed in support of nght and justice. 1919." This is the inscription which is borne on a plaque ♦ i u' anc ' en t wails of Bemersyde, the home of the Haigs for over seven centuries, which was purchased from its owner and donated to the late Earl Haig by a grateful nation, and which will be the his funeral. Bemersyde is on the Kiver Tweed, 2V& miles from St. Boswells iu Berwickshire, and is one of the oldest imks with border history, which is to-day habited by a descendant of its founder. In this respect the age-old saying, "Tyde, Kle, what e'er betyde, there'll aye be a «aig in Bemersyde," has been realised. One °t the most interesting rooms in the ancient stronghold is the study of its illustrious and late owner. This is an apartment which provides a striking link V u tho „ warr ing days of old. Adorning the wgh walls above the old-fashioned brick replace is an arroy of the armour and eapons used in ancient border battles herein the Haigs led their followers through varying fortunes; the lance, the spear, sword, cutlass, claymore, breast*'le ®k eau dhu being arranged nt ♦». nio<lern rifle. This is the retreat i the great general, and in his bookcase re many volumes of modern warfare and ancient feuds.