THE LAST SALUTE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 30, 6 February 1928, Page 7

THE LAST SALUTE.

gjjplßE HERO PASSES.

poienant Scenes At Funeral ' Of Earl Haig. gfc nations pay HOMAGE I (By cable.— Press Association.-Copyr^bt.) LONDON", Fob:";.'-vy fridav dawned oil a van nnrnin". The la.-t g'.'°a. t., >ue virtually hecran wit.i '! earliest work-goer,, oi Joffl, taring poppies, reached the fv earlv to take up positions alynv ? mute in briehr, cold wpai!:"r. £h became a typical grey London winter's daj. r mpnsc crowds assembled in uv.< . t st Columba's (_hun.li ant! Tthe family and con-rogation arnvc for the private service at 10.10 a.m. Tbe P °e C n Sle dmrll'"So Fleming officiated. "Onward, St sSers," and Beethoven'. Serai March" concluded the service. In Poynt Street there was an amazing itfdle. Many medals glittered on the •P , r men and women alike, and SVLSI ouuidc the wA as the party of Royal Horse £rda arrived, followed by a gun carriage. Then Eari Haig 3 own_ with reversed stirrups, was led .„• to the side of the church.

a strong force of mounted and foot Mlice lined Poynt Street. An endless S of cars arrived and deposited beau!f, poppy wreaths, including the King's and Queen's, simply inscribed, Sn King and Queen, Buckingham Palace, February 3. The Prince of Wales', the Duke of York's, Prince Henry's, and other royal wreaths were likewise all poppies Others included those from the King ot Italy, SSal Foch and Marshal Petain. The Hungarian military attache placed wreaths on behalf of the Hungarian army. The German Embassy flag flew at haifmast from sunrise to sunset.

The simple character of the family service was typified in the Rev. Fleming's Driver; "Almighty God, most heartily we give Thee thanks for Thy good and valiant' servant now mourned for his Mtience, steadfastness, great gifts as a soldier. ' simplicity, courage, loyalty, patriotism, constant self-forgetfulness, and care for others.

"We give Thee thanks, and that Thou didst raise him up in the time of the nation's and the Empire's extremity and peril as our leader and deliverer we give Thee praise and glory.

"Finally, we praise Thee for his constant remembrance of those stricken in the war for whom he laboured to his last hour, sparing not himself but ever mindful of them."

It was a pageant of poignant memories which-left St. Jolumba's for the Abbey. Mounted men slowly drew the gun carriage. Pall-bearers followed, Foch and Petain in long, light blue coats, with red and gold eaps, Foch still alert and keeneyed but perceptibly greyer. Lord Jlethnen, despite his 82 years, walked with alert and firm step, though his head was sadly bowed.

Field-Marshals' plumed hats waved in the breeze, and bursts of sunshine gleamed on swords.

Beatty and Jellicoe were together in naval blue, Air-Marshal Trenchard in Royal Air Force blue. Then came the saddest scene. Sergeant Secret, leading Earl Haig's old charger, following sorrowfully in the Make of the gun carriage, walked with military bearing, but clearly this last tribute to his old master was almost unbearable.

The Prince of Wales was in ths fulldress uniform of a colonel of the Welsh Guards. The Duke of York and Prince Henry followed, then Prince Arthur of Connaught and other representatives of Royalty, after whom came the family mourners, top-hatted war veterans proudly displaying medals, Old Contemptible carrying a red, white and blue banner draped with black, university representatives academically robed, led by officers of the thiee fighting services, with Dominion and colonial representatives following.

One of the most impressive sections was a big contingent of British Legionjtes carrying magnificent poppy wreaths inscribed "for remembrance," the French detaehment in light blue overcoats with grey tin helmets and black haversacks with rifles reversed. Little Belgians in khakj and tin helmets were in striking contrast to towering Guardsmen in their Tivid dress of gold, blue and red with white gauntlets.

Lancers, known as The Beath or Glory Boys," led the procession in full-dress of dark blue with white facings and plastrons, Earl Haig's favourite uniform.

Heanwhile, within the Abbey awaiting the arrival of the procession were scenes of very impressive dignity and beauty. A vast congregation represented the Empire, including almost the entire Cabinet a nd other statesmen, hundreds of officers a nd diplomats, and representatives of almost every nation on the earth stood reverently while the coffin was borne past «>8 Unknown Warrior's grave, amid the strains of Chopin's Funeral March, tow ards the choir.

The _ congregation was mostly in ®ourning and black, hut a wealth of 2 poppies relieved the sombre hues.

The widow, with a daughter on either ?! ' B tood in loneliness at the foot of e coffin, but nearby, grouped by themseves, were the Princes and the pall

The service proceeded with all the i e&uty associated with Abbey rnef ° nu ™ s - _ Pipers raided the lament i s '' enco > ien the bugles played p.®. <^' A st Post," and finally "Onward, aristian Soldier.'," sung with impresj*® volume, gave the scrvico the concluding no te 0 f triumph. Meanwhile the Cuard-- io> I f. thcr rcci,£nts lined the route to Waterloo stawn. Most of the j..un.ey tu the Abbey tjf 8 j oVere d at quick march, owing to ae distance, but from the Abbey the ei ~ Wa ® accorded the impressive, e 'honoured army ritual.

T P l 6 coffin was borne to the funeral Rom° train *' ;l " Edinburgh by eight; tnM, 8 under a sergeant, v. ho l U P their pliices as a guard. Dces entered the van and gave gT 1 Empire's fan.'.veil salute. The train quietly and the Princes and the v, . be arers again saluted, while the ip P.layed Chopin's funeral inarch. carr^a o es were filled with deaths.- ("Sydney Sun.")