LONDON MOURNS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 7

LONDON MOURNS

i), —— 1 SOLEMN SCENES. n | WESTMINSTER QUEUE. t TYPES of all empire. ). IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIAL, United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 2.30 p.m.) □ ' i- LONDON, January 24. ; Neither the rain nor the bitter wind stopped the procession of mourners 2 to Westminster Hall, which was ever j; renewed, although the fact that it 1 extended a mile might have discour- / aged thousands who faced the slow 7 shuffling march involving two hours >, spent on wet pavements. As offices ~ and workshops closed the six-abreasl; - queue was continually lengthened. All types of the Empire were represented; sari-clad Indian women. ' negroes, omnibus and tram drivers and i conductors still in uniform, labourers in j toil-stained clothes. Hundreds wore " medals, indicating that they were exj servicemen. White-haired widows and - mothers, wearing their husband's or son's war medals mingled with fashignr ably-dressed women, typists and shipgirls. The majority wore black armlets 5 in response to the King's suggestion for 1 national mourning until after the • funeral. ) The myriads of pilgrims were not j only Londoners. Thousands arrived in , mud-splashed'cars, indicating long drives - from the country. The continuous march of subjects payj ing their last homage to their beloved j King was only once held up, when King - Edward, Queen Mary and other Koyal- ; ties, among whom were the King and ? Queen of Norway, coming to see the King's coffin for the first time, arrived ; in the evening.'When the hall had been j cleared the Royal party entered and r stood in a silence, which was not broken f even by a murmur. ' Thousands of people watched the > changing of the Guard. The footguards, ; their tall, scarlet-tunicked height in-, I creased by their bearskins, with swords \ at the carry entered like ghosts oil a- [ carpeted floor, marching slowly with the , precision which is the pride of the King's 1 Household troops to the catafalque, ! where they took up their stand beside 1 the existing Guards who, as one man, ' came to life and marched off slowly. The new guard took a pace to the f left, lowered their sword-points to the r ground and clasped their hands on the • hilts. The four bearskins drooped forward, all freezing simultaneously into 1 immobility. The relief gentlemen-at-arms and j Yeomen of the Guard carried out similar military dignity. When Sir Ernest i Towse, a blind Victoria Cross winner, " relieved the gentleman-at-ar*is he had ■ to be guided to his post. The Royal party remained 15 minutes. 1 Queen Maud was beside Queeft Mary. Both were pale and sad-faced.- The great crowd silently and sympathetically saluted the Royalties as tliey departed.