AUSTRALIA'S DEAD.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16987, 9 November 1920, Page 7

AUSTRALIA'S DEAD.

i • J * MEMORIAL UNVEILED AT AMIENS. i (Br Cac>—Press AM&ciation— I lAustraiian end N.Z. O.bta Association.) I ! 'Received November Bth, 0.0 p.m.) , I PARIS, November 8. ' j -Marshal FocJi was warmly welcomed . nt Amiens to-day at a civic reception, . and assisted nt n memorial service in ■ thv C.vthedra!, and also presided at tho i ceremony of unveiling an Australian [ tablet. , There was a touching and pathetic *i ceremony at Amiens. Future Australian pilgrims will find in the Cathedral choir a nious monument illustrating a battlefield grave, wnich was con- ) Bocratcd to-day. It is not the only i souvenir of Australia'* _rief. There is I a white marble tablet at tho entrance, ■ decorated with sprigs of wattle wreaths, • with many touching inscriptions writ- - ten by women's hands. Marshal Foch presided at tho ceremony. He was ac- • companied by the British military attache at Paris. He was received at 1 the station by General Phillipot, repro- " Renting tho President, and M. Morin, . prefect of the Somnie, representing tho i Premier. Australian representatives, J also members of the Amiens nmnici- > pality, and a vast crowd at the station, ■ gave an ovation to Marshal Foch, who , proceeded through troop-lined streets ; to tho-■Hotel Du Rhin, where a roecp- > tion was held. Mgr., Delsville Rabal, Bishop of Amiens, received Marshal Foch at tho i entrance to the Cathedral, and an im--1 posing procession made its way to appointed nla-es iiniid the thrilling strains , of the organ. The Cathedral was packr ed. The Bishop, after celebrating ■ Mass, delivered a patriotic address. His . ringing voice was heard in every part i of the building. Ho described in lani gnage which strongly moved the vast congregation the decisive operations in . which the Australians so prominently ■ and successfully participated, their l prowess at Villers-Bretonneux and else- ■ where in the vicinity, and their tremendous sacrifices ns shown by tho l thousands of graves frtmvn over the Somme plains. He said the memory of > the Australian troops would never die i in the.land they had watered with their ' blood. Though they came from a country far awny. they wero reunited ' with their dend French comrades in ■ Paradise, where thero were no t frontiers. Tho peoples also of France ; and Australia would bf united ever- ; more throusrh that sacrifice. The citi- : zens of Amiens would guard the mem- » ory of the Australian dead, who had > fnflen on the soil of France. Tho ' French nafion, which wns one great - family, when it gathered round its nltnrs, would evoke tho image of those t valiant Australian soldiers, who had t fnlkn with the sons of Fra'nco in the defence of liberty, humanity, and I civilisation. Hβ concluded -with an • eloquent tribute to Marshal Foch. '■> Two empty graves had been built i. with sods of turf s'de by side before the I stops leadine to tho altar. Tho graves • were flanked by bnyonetted rifles, j I staked, military 'fashion, on either s'de. i A cross on ono grave was sxirmounted by an Australian steel helmet, and • below it was an inscription of one word, i "Australia." Tho cross on the other • m-ave bore a French hehnet, also a i French tricolour cockade. Botb graves '. were covered with fresh flowers —roses ana carnations. A card on tho Australian wreath, in a woman's handwriting, read: "In ever loving memory of all our dear Australians, who bo nobly j made the sacrifice. From an' Australian." A card on the French grave, tn the same handwriting, read: "Deepest sympathy with tho French, who nobly made the sacrifice." At the close of the Bishop's address a procession was formed of Australian soldiers who lined the flowCT-wreathed pillars. The Bishop unveiled a tablet on which is an inscription, both in French and English. All eyes were now fixed on the simple white tablet decorated with palms. Marshal Foch mive'led it. There wore a tew minutes of silence, then tho "Last Post" rang through tho Cathedral, accentuating the pathos and emotion shown in the faces of the congregation, which included many British and Australian soldiers working on the war graves on tho Somme. At a subsequent luncheon, over which the Rt. Hon. Andrew Fisher presided. Marshal Foch expressod his profound gratitudo to the Australian troops. In Australia's resources of men and material the French command always found strength. The Australians, by their wonderful attack on Villere-Bretton-noux, nnd their valour afterwards, made the task of the high command v©ry easy, Lieut.-General Jess proposed "The Spirit of France." Ho paid an eloquent tribute to the French troops, also the work of the women arid children in wartime. ~ All the French guests wore small Australian flags in their buttonholes. The Cathedral ceremonies created a most profound impression of sincerity. The spectacle of small French children I laying fresh flowers and green turf on | the Australian grave, and kneeling and praying beside it, was inexpressibly touching. Many people were affected to tears. . , __ ... Among thoso welcoming Marshal Foch were General Wyatt. representing the King, the Bt. Hon. A. Fisher, High Commissioner, Colonel Desatge, representing the Colonial Office, Lords Midleton and Riddell, General Macdonagh. and the , Mr Fisher gave a reception at the Hotel du Rhin.