WAR GRAVES VISITED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 229, 22 June 1920, Page 5

WAR GRAVES VISITED

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S IMPRESSIONS

Sir Thomas Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand, who (says tho "Times" of April 21) returned last week from a visit of inspection to the British war cemeteries in France and Belgium on Monday expressed his satisfaction, in view of the many difficulties which have been and are being met, with the progress of the work of arranging and planting the final resting-placeß or our fallen men.

The party with whom Sir Thomas Maclcerlzie made his touj' included MajorGeneral Sir Fabian Ware (vice-chairman of the Imperial War Graves Commission), the High Commissioner for Canada fir George Perley), Admiral Sir Edmund oe and Mr. B. Tripp, c-ne of tho New Zealand delegates to tho Red Cross Conference at Geneva. An extensive area was covered, visits being n.ade to such widely separated burial grounds as those of Etaples, Pnsschendaelo, and the Somme. Everywhere, said Sir Thomas Mackenzie he was much impressed with the many signs of the care which was being lavished, under thie direction of General Ware and Colonel Goodland, to make the cemeteries worthy of the brave men whoso remains ireso enshrined in them. Masses of flowwS "SGSj to be seen, daffodils, auriculae, CDd wallflowers, and rose bushes hafl been planted in profusion. Many thousands of loots, bulbs, plants, and shrubs had been sf-nt by the Botanical Gardens at Kew, end <very completed cemetery had its permanent staffgenerally of five or six'men working under a skilled gardener. This was undertaken by the Commission; tho part of the War Office was tho initial one of allotting, enolosing and laying out the cemeteries, and the transfer of tho bodies from tho battlefields to the now graves. Up to tho present 800 grounds had been handed over l.y the War Department to the Commission, and it was expected that within the next six months tho full total of upwards of 2000 cemeteries would pass into the care of the Commission. Rome of them would contain as many as. 15.000 graves. Sir Thomas Mackenzie described the general design of tho cemeteries. Experiments .had been made in the form of enclosure, and he believed that the one which would eventually bo adopted everywhere was a low stone wall within which would bo planted a light thorn hedge. This, it was thought, would best harmonise with its surroundings, and obviate any suggestion of insularity in regard to our dead. Conspicuous near the entrance of the ground was tie white 6tone cross on which was super-imposed a Crusader's sword, and also outstanding was the fine, simple mlemorSal or altar-stone, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyons and inscribed with the words, "Their name liveth for evermore." It was difficult to understand, 6aid the High Commissioner, why such emblems should be characterised as "unchristian"; yet ho understood tho view had been expressed in some quarters. The work of transferring the bodies from the battlefields was still going on, particularly in the region of Passcbendaele Ridge, and from his personal observation it was carried with all possible Teveronce. In most cases a, brief service of burial was recited when tho bodies were reinterred. As far as possible soldiers of the different Dominions were , buried in separate sections to facilitate search by their relatives, but it had not been possible to follow this rule in every case. Dealing with one grievance which had been stated, with regard to the original wooden crosses, removed when bodies were transferred to tho central oemeteries, Sir Thomas said the. practice was to store them carefully in the burial grounds for 12 months, within whioh period they might be claimed by relatives and forwarded. by arrangement.

It was true, the Commissioner added, that some of the cemeteries were not in ns perfect a state as they might be, and would be in time. There was one, in the region of the last German offensive of 1018, which had been so badly shelled that there was a general subsidence of the surface. In other cases there was some neglect of the kind which existed somewhere in even the best kept gardens at times. This would be for a time inevitable. On the other hand, the difficulties and magnitude of the work. had to bo considered, and allowances made until such time as the bulk of the work wbb well in hand. Sir G. Perlay's Protest. Sir George Porley, High Commissioner for Canada, has addressed a lotter to Mr. Churchill, Chairman of the Imperial War. Graves Commission, in which he writes: "I notice that the following motion is set down for discussion shortly in the House of Commons hero: "In the opinion of this House, relatives of those who fell in tho war should be aKowed to erect monuments of their own choosing over the graves of their fallen 'relatives, subject to 6uch regulations as to size as may be prescribed by the Imperial War Graves Commission." "This motion seems to me to strike directly at tho root of the principle of equality of treatment of war graves, which was accepted by the Imperial Conference of 1918, and especially supported by Sir Hobert Borden and Mr. W. M. Hughes at that time. It was evidently regarded as one of the greatest importance, and you will find their views expressed on page 32 of the Conference Beport. The_lMperial War Graves Commission has adopted that principle as the basis of all its policy, and I havo always thought that its decision in that raspect gavo general satisfaction." It is difficult, says Sir George Porley, to wiliso the magnitude or the commission's task, and he suggests that those who are disposed to criticise should go and see for themelves tho work done at the tltreo experimental cometorics at Le Treporfc, Louvenoourt, and Force- i villo, whicn are practically completed. '