CIVILIAN ROLL OF HONOUR

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27914, 10 March 1956, Page 11

CIVILIAN ROLL OF HONOUR

60,000 NAMES LISTED IN BRITAIN WESTMINSTER ABBEY CEREMONY (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, By Airmail. The Roll of Honour of civilians killed by enemy action in the United Kingdom during the Second World War was officially handed over to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Abbey by the president of the Imperial War Graves Commission, the Duke of Gloucester. The six volumes of this record, which list 60.000 names, have been placed in a memorial case near the west door of the Abbey, within a few paces of the Unknown Warrior’s Grave and near the entrance to the Chapel of St. George which contains the tablet commemorating the Service dead of two world wars.

A seventh volume, recording the names of civilians who lost their lives abroad and at sea. will be added later One volume, over which a light will be kept burning, lies open, and a page will be turned each day. Of the 60.000 names, more than 55.000 are of people killed in England—20,000 of them in London—some 2400 in Scotland and over 900 in both Wales and Northern Ireland. They were killed by enemy action in their homes, in offices, in factories, in schools, in public vehicles, shelters, and open country, and at their Civic Defence posts.

The lists are divided into countries. Individual entries record the name address and age of the casualty, the name and address of the next of kin. the place where the accident occurred, and the place of death. An introduction records that the first German bombs to be dropped on Britain fell on the Shetland Islands in the autumn of 1939. The last V2 rockel landed at Orpington in Kent on March 27, 1945. Between those dates fell more than 100,000 tons of air missiles of all kinds, killing more than 60,000 civilians and seriously injuring a further 87,000. “The names of individuals mean little save to those who knew and loved them and mourn their loss, and the number of those who mourn will dwindle as the years pass by.” the introduction says. “But it is fitting that these names should be enrolled at Westminster Abbey at the heart of the Commonwealth, and among the most illustrious of the Nation’s Dead, in commemoration of their suffering and as a tribute to their sacrifice.” As the Duke of Gloucester handed the roll to the Dean of Westminster. Dr. A. C. Don. he said: “May it stand there among the monuments to many of the most illustrious of the nation’s dead, as a tribute to the steadfastness and courage of simple people at a time of grievous trial, and may the names recorded in its pages be read with pride through the generations to come.

EA photograph of the memorial case and the six volumes was printed in “The Press” on Thursday.]