BRITAIN MOURNS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 101, 23 January 1936, Page 9

BRITAIN MOURNS

King George’s Body Taken to Church SAD PROCESSION Arrangements For Funeral on Tuesday BURIAL IN ROYAL VAULT (Press Assn. Cable and British Official Wireless.) (Received January 22, 8.40 p.m.) London, January 21. England in its widest sense has become a land of mourning, A multitude heard the dread news overnight, but countless thousands were stunned when they saw the newspaper placards early this morning. As the day wore on black predominated in the London streets. Shop windows were draped and all flags were at half-mast. Everywhere his Majesty’s illness, the manner of his passing and his life’s activities were discussed. It was revealed late this evening that he was able to sit in an armchair every day until the end, being helped from bed and propped up with pillows. This was done at the direction of the doctors, as the King was able to reathe more easily sitting than lying prone. He was actually sitting in a chair when the Privy Council was held in the adjoining room. A portable table was placed over the arms of the chair on which his Majesty signed the Order-in-Council creating a Council of State. As late as Monday morning the King summoned a high official of his household for a short discussion, but after the issue of the bulletin showing that the end was near the Queen and her sons had fo exercise the new power of signing a large number of State papers which had accumulated since the illness began. Within a short while their power automatically lapsed and the new King reigned. The usual crowds throng the West End to-night, yet everywhere there is gloom. The theatre areas are like streets of the dead thronged with the living. The Duchess of York and the Duke of Gloucester have both recovered, and the former has left the Royal Lodge at Windsor, where she has been since Christmas, and has joined her husband at their Piccadilly residence. Nation’s Deep Feeling. The day’s first revelation of the depth of the emotion occurred at the memorial service in St. Paul’s held in the lunch hour, attended by many city workers. Every chair was occupied and every head was bowed in sorrow. A simple and impressive service concluded with the Dead March and the National Anthem. < The next poignant scene was at Sandringham, when, after darkness, the body was borne to the church of St. Mary Magdalene. Six employees carried the coffin from the bedroom to the waiting bier, which Grenadier Guards wheeled along the pathway. The procession, headed by the King’s Piper, who played a lament, was guided only by the light from lanterns, and moved slowly for a quarter of a mile to the church, where already the Queen and several members of the Royal Family were awaiting it. Then, after a short service, men of the estate took up a night-long vigil. The coffin rests in the chancel draped with the Royal Standard, on which lies a cross of white flowers from the people of the estate. The Duke of Kent and the Earl of Harewood walked on either side of the Queen on the way to church, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Kent following them. Earlier in the day, by permission of the Queen, servants of the estate, employees and officials filed through the bedroom. Among them were bent old men and women who stumbled away blinded by tears. Queen Kneels By Coffin.

Late to-night the Queen walked again through the darkness to Sandringham Church. She dismissed the servants watching over the coffin and knelt for ten minutes in silent prayer. Earlier in the day a death mask A King George’s face was taken. The coffin is now closed, and bears a brass plate with the inscription George Frederick Ernest Albert V indsoi 1865-1930. To-morrow tenants and members ot the household will visit the church throughout the day. but no members othe public will be allowed to enter. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Sandringham correspondent says that b&fore King George’s body was borne to Sandringham Church, 40 Royal servants were permitted to enter the bedroom separately for their last look at their dead master, who lay in the open coffin in the middle of the room, the nd being placed across the lower portion of the coffin, on which lay bunches of carnations - and heliotrope, _the King’s favourite flowers. The King lay with a half smile on his lips and an expression of complete serenity. He was clad in a silken shroud with a white ruffle at the throat and his arms at his sides. Looks Regal in Death. An eye-witness said: “He looked exactly as Id life, and I half expected him to open his eyes at any moment and awake from his sleep. Here, obviously, was a man who died at peace with the world. The slight colour m his cheeks enhanced the nobility of his calm features. He looked splendidly regal in death.” , The chamber was exactly as in tne King’s lifetime. The bed was male, the coverlet turned back and a silken lounge robe hung against one wall as though at any moment its customary wearer might need it. A Court Circular says that during the King’s last moments Hie Archbishop of Canterbury read special prayers and conducted a short service in King George’s room. It is stated onjhe highest authority that the Queen will continue to be known as “the Queen” until after the funeral. Beautiful wreaths are arriving at Sandringham to-night by road and rail from all parts of the country. Journey to London.

The Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of York are expected at Sandringham to-morrow. The remains of King George will be removed from Sandringham to London on Thursday. After a brief service at the church at Sandringham the coffin will bo placed on a gun-carriage by Grenadier Guards. The King’s Sandringham conipany of 50 from the Ter-

ritorlal Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment will provide a guard of honour, the Grenadier Guards bringing up the rear. Male members of the Royal family will walk behind the gun-car-riage. and the Queen and other ladies will ride in horse-drawn carriages.

The procession will proceed to Wolferton Station, where the coffin will he placed in a special carriage with purple hangings. All members of the Royal families will travel by a train which is due to arrive at King’s Cross at 2.30 p.m. Here there will be a procession to Westminster Hall, where the body will lie in state throughout Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Queen Mary has requested that the service at Sandringham on January 22 shall be as simple as possible. According to the late King’s desire, it will be more appropriate to a simple country squire than to the head of a great Empire. Full State Procession. It is expected that King George’s pet Cairn terrier “Bob” will follow the coffin to Wolferton Station. There will be a full State procession on January 28 from Westminster Hall to Paddington Station, where the body will be entrained for the funeral at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. The gun-carriage will be the historic vehicle used at the funeral of Queen Victoria and King Edward VII. It will be drawn by naval ratings from the Royal Naval Gunnery School at Whale Island, where King George served as an officer and where the carriage is now stationed. Troops of Household Cavalry will escort the coffin from Windsor Station to the chapel. Guards will line the streets. The scene at the chapel will be brilliant with Royalties seated on the choir seats and Knights of the Garter in the stalls. When the coffin is lowered into the Royal vault it will lie near King George’s father and mother and close to the body of his elder brother the Duke of Clarence. Others buried in the vaults beneath the choir are Henry VI, Henry VIII, Charles I, George 111. George IV and William IV. Rules for Mourning. The first six months of full mourning means that women in Court circles are required to wear complete black ensembles, including black shoes, gloves and ornaments and little or no jewellery, except diamonds. One departure from precedent is that for the first time it is not compulsory for women to wear black stockings. These may be of gunmetal or other sombre hue as a •'concession to modern fashion. The prevailing trend of fashion will bo uninterrupted though formal evening dress will be less decollette than ordinarily. Evening coats will be of black velvet, chiffon, heavy crepe de chine or satin Fur coats are permissible. Dozens of London women to-day bought complete outfits of mourning and the windows of many stores are entirely redressed with black garments. The public will never know the terms of King George’s will. An official of Somerset House said: The King’s will is a thing apart. We have no jurisdic lion over it. .It is not subject to probate or deatb. duties. Free State and South Africa. In Dublin political differences are forgotten in the profound grief. Mr. De Valera’s paper, the “Irish Press,” publishes for the first time since it was established a portrait of King George and pays tributes to bis high cbarae ter.

Wednesday has been proclaimed a day of mourning in Cape Town. The Chambers of Commerce requested the closing of all businesses. Sympathetic messages were transmilted from all towns and native chiefs.

General Smuts said: “Nothing can fill the gap.”