MEMORIAL TO THE FALLEN

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25954, 7 November 1949, Page 6

MEMORIAL TO THE FALLEN

CATHEDRAL CHAPEL “To the glory of God and in the memory of the men and women of the British Empire who gave their lives in war, 1914-1918, 1939-1945,” is the inscription on the central panel in the Memorial to the Fallen of the British Empire in the Christchurch Cathedral, which was unveiled yesterday afternoon by the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg). The memorial has been erected in the south transept of the Cathedral, the Chapel of St. Michael and St. George.

After 1918, the south transept of the Cathedral was converted as a chapel. An altar was carved and made by Dean Carrington, and the central bay and panelling in the south wall was erected. It is crowned with shields bearing the national emblems, and on it are recorded the names of rnen and women from the diocese of Christchurch. At the foot are inscribed the place where their bodies are buried. After 1945, it was decided to continue the panelling on both sides of the transept, to give a more fitting setting to the altar, and to add the names of those from the diocese who gave their lives while serving with the forces of the Empire and Commonwealth. At the same time, following the conception of the memorial to the 1,000,000 dead of the Empire in Westminster Abbey after 1918, and repeated in a number of cathedrals, this memorial is one to the fallen of the whole Empire. Permission was granted for the use of the Royal arms, and of the arms of Australia, Canada. India, Newfoundland, New Zealand’ and South Africa.

The altar forms the focal point of the chapel, itself portraying the one supreme sacrifice for all men of all races, colours/creeds, and times. Above it. on canopy, is portrayed the fundamental element of the Christian faith, the resurrection, of which the peacock is a very ancient Christian symbol. This is related to the human side by the adjoining panels of poppies, suggesting sleep, or all that Flanders’ poppies symbolise, and the laurel, with which mortals approve great physical effort and selfless devotion. These are separated by the pennons of St. Michael and St. George carved from English oak. On either flank the chapel will be guarded by the figures of St. Michael and St. George. On the south wall on either side of the former memorial panels are inscribed the names, coloured to represent the services. Surmounting these are the symbols of the services, both combatant and non-combatant. On the second panel, below the chaplain’s badge, is the credence table, given by chaplains in memory of a fellow chaplain. . • On the front of the retable, above the altar are the following lines by T. S. Eliot: The peace of this world is always uncertain, unless men keep (he peace of God, And war among men defiles this world, but death m the Lord renews it. And the world must be cleaned in the winter, or we shall have only A sour spring, a parched summer, an empty harvest.