ANTARCTIC HERO HONOURED

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1940, 24 December 1913, Page 11

ANTARCTIC HERO HONOURED

MEMORIAL TO CAPTAIN DATES.

A touching serried was held in Leeds Parish Church at tho end of October, when tho memorial 'to Captain. Oates was' unvoiled by tSho Vicar of Leeds (Dr. Bickerstetb) in the presence of tho Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Leeds, Commander Evans, K.\„ of tho Seott Antarctic Expedition, tho mother, brother, and sister 'of Captain Oates, Mr. Bernard Wilson (brother of Dr. V/ilson), Captain Moncrieff (representing a Captain Gates's regiment, the 6th limiskilliiig Dragoons), tho Vice-Chan-cellor of the University (Mr. 31. E. Sadler), Colonel- liitson Clark (representing tho ljoeds Hi ties), Sir Berkeley Moynihsn, and many others. Tiiero hail boon a long-standing connection between Leeds and Captain Gates's family, who held a property at Meanwoodsido. The inscription records tho fact that Captain Oates, having served his country with distinction in the South African AVar, 1001-2, joined Captain Scott's Antarctic Expedition 1E!10, reaching the South Pols January 17, ISIS, and on the return journey, in 'tho hope of saving tho lives of his companions, gave his own life March 17, 1912. "This monument is placed hero by fellow-citizens as a record of the bravo act of 'a very gallant gentleman.' " Dr. Bickorstcth. in receiving with gratitude the custody of tho brass, said they were grateful to tho donors because 'that church was enriched and better able to fulfil its hirrh purposes by tho addition of this tribute to ono who was conspicuous even among a band of heiwu. Early in life Captain Oates belonged to tho men of whom his (Dr. fiicls'erstcth's) father wrote a poem:—

""Men who liover shame their mothers, Melt who never fail their brothers;" and therefore, in tho supreme moment of his final test, be wont out alone to fnccs death, and proved himself stronger than the forces of Nature with which ho wrestled and prevailed. "Tho burialplace of such men, bo it known to men or only to God, is not the mark of a Wreck gone down, but a standard set un after victorv, and therefore wo thflt'k God that this widen deed of imperishable faoio will hero receivo its appropriate and inspiring record."