Service To Commemorate The Battle Of Britain

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28697, 22 September 1958, Page 12

Service To Commemorate The Battle Of Britain

The men in the Battle of Britain stood alone, trusting in the power of god, said the senior R.N.Z.A.F. chaplain (the Rev K. Schollar) speaking in the Christchurch Cathedral at the Battle of Britain commemoration service yesterday morning. Chapter three of the Book of Daniel told how King Nebuchadnessar had threatened the three Jews —Shadrach,- Meshach, and Abed-nego—with death in the fiery furnace if they refused to worship a golden image. They replied that their God would deliver them “but if not ... we will not serve thy gods nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.’’ Battle of Britain men, said Mr Schollar, showed the full force of that “but if not.” The parade, of men and women, lead by the Wigram station brass band marched from Victoria Square to Cathedral Square.

Forming around the war memorial, they watched the laying of wreaths by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr George Manning) for the people of Christchurch, the Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr Mathison) for the Government, the commanding officer at Wigram (Group Captain T. McL de Lange), the commander of the Southern Military District (Brigadier J. T. Burrows), the officer commanding the .Canterbury division of the R.N.Z.N.V.R. (Captain J. N. Allan) and representatives of former servicemen’s organisations. Trumpeters of the A.T.C. band sounded “Last Post” and “Reveille” as the wreath-laying ceremony concluded, and seconds later three Havards flew low over the gathering. A fanfare of trumpets opened the service, conducted by the Bishop of Christchurch (the Rt. Rev. A. K. Warren). Group Captain de Lange read the lesson. Among those who attended the service were Sir Sidney Holland, the commander of the United States Antarctic expedition (RearAdmiral G. J. Dufek) and Mrs Dufek. Catholic Service Battle of Britain Sunday must mean more than the remembrance of an historic event, said the Roman Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (the Most Rev. E. M. . Joyce) speaking to a packed con- ' gregation In the Cathedral of the . Blessed Sacrament during a | special commemorative mass , yesterday morning. “To-day is essentially a day of ’ prayer,” said Bishop Joyce, ‘ ‘prayer for the departed, for their kith and kin, and prayer . for a lasting peace based on ’ Christian justice and charity. I “On this Sunday we should ask . ourselves if we have done our duty to the dependants of de- , ceased servicemen? Do we sup- ' port Heritage, our convalescent , hospitals, and do we have an i understanding sympathy for thqse who are now suffering from the effects of war after apparent good health up till now.”