ARRANGEMENT BOR THE BURIAL.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16986, 8 November 1920, Page 7

ARRANGEMENT BOR THE BURIAL.

an impressive ceremony.

(Br Cable—Press A^ociruion—Copyright.) ' [Australian and N.Z. Association.) (Received November 7th, 0.0 p.m.) LONDON. November 5.

Final arrangements hav<? been made for the burial of the Unknown "Warrior in Westminster Abbey. Lord Curzon states that the Government is satisfied that the precautions taken are ample to maintain that the identity will be unknown to anyone.

It lias been decided to make the ceremony entirely a domestic one, hence the Allies will not participate, but as the French desire to take part, thi* French •leM.rnyer Verdun has been selected to foiivey I Ik/ body to England as a compliment to France. The French will hand the body over at Boulogne with military honours. A Field-Marshal's salute will he fired at Dover on the arrival of the body on the afternoon of November 1 Oth. The body will lie in a specially prepared chapel at Victoria rarlway station, and a military guard will lie posted al! night- Another Field-Marshal's salute will bo fired when the body is placed on the gun-carriagc at 9.40 o'clock on the morning of November lltli. The coffin will be inscribed: "A British Warrior who fell in tbo Great War—l9l4-18. For King and Country.'' It is not even known whether the body will l>c that of an Englishman or of a Dominion soldier. Besides representatives of all tho services, detachments of mercantilemarine men who saw service will participate in the procession. The coffin will be covered with a Union Jack from tho battlefield, which was used at many military funerals at the front. Tlio pall-bearers will be Admirals of the Fleet. Sir Hcdworth Meux, Earl Beatty, and Sir Henry Jackson, Admirals Sir Doveton fetnrdce, and Sir Charles Madden, Field-Marshals Viscount French, Earl Haig, Lord Methu'en, and Sir Henry Wilson. Generals Sir Hcnrv Home, and Lord Byng, and Air-Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchnrd. When tho procession reaches tho cenotaph in Whitehall, tho gtan-enrriage will halt before the King. The Primate and the Bishop of London will conduct the service, nt which massed choirs will nssist. The Kintr will unveil tho cenotaph as "Big Ben" chimes the last stroke of cloven. Elsewhere maroons will bo fired in tho metropolis, in order that the minutes may bo synchronised. At the expiration of two minutes the procession will be reformed, the King marching to tho Ahlx-v immediately behind the coffin, followed by the Prince of Wales, and 'the other Princes, the Prime Minister, and other Ministers. The Dean and the Chanter will receive tlio coffin at tho Abbey, and will conduct it to the open grave, where a short service will bo held. After the coffin has been lowered, muffled drums will roll out, and then the massed buglers will sound the reveillo, the ceremony thus ending with a note of hope. If a black fog should prevail, the ceTemony at the cenotaph will bo omitted, tho coffin being brought from Victoria station to tho Abbey by the shortest route. Over 14,000 applications h"avo been received from the relatives of war victims for the 1050 seats in £ho Abbey. These will be decided by lot. Only bereaved women will bo given seats at the windows of the Government offices tiverlooking the cenotaph in Whitehall. |