THE PALESTINE WAR MEMORIAL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3380, 27 June 1927, Page 2

THE PALESTINE WAR MEMORIAL.

NEW ZEALAND’S GLORIOUS PART

“Not only is the Brigade equal to any troops in energy, resource and endurance, but in addition it is second to none in determination and dash. The fine determined action of these troops at Mount Royston, Romani, and their magnificent dash at Magdhaba and Rafa will always be remembered by the Egyptian Field Force to their everlasting credit. “I have had New Zealand troops under my command in other lands than Egypt and have gained a lasting and sincere affection for them, collectively and individually. They arc a magnificent lot of men, who play the game at all' \t\ mes. General Sir Archibald Murray, “When I assumed command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, in June, 1917, the New Zealanders were already veteran troops proved in many a battle. Two more years of hardship and danger were to pass before they saw the end of their labours. Two years of unceasing toil, crowned with much glory. “When the autumn campaign was in progress, the Now Zealanders took a leading part in defeating the Turkish IV. Army. In the Jordan Valley, and thence eastward, over their old battlefields of Shunet Nimrin, Es Salt and Amman, to the Hadzaj railway, the men of New Zealand fought and marched to final and complete victory. Nothing daunted these intrepid fighters; to them nothing was impossible. “I am proud to have had the honour of commanding them; and they have my congratulations, my thanks and my good wishes.” Field Marshal Sir Edmund 11. H. Allenby, “From the Battle of Romani to the .Armistice with Turkey the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade took a prominent part in all the operations, under the brilliant leadership of Major-General Sir Edward Ghaytor and Brigadier- ’ General W. Mcldrum, and I am personally much indebted to these officers and all ranks of the Brigade for much of the successes achieved, first of all by the Auzac Mounted Division and later by the Desert' Mounted Corps, “The achievements of the mounted men of New Zealand form a record of which their country and the Empire have every reason to be proud.” Lieut-General Sir H. Chauvel.

In such terms did those who were responsible for the military campaign in Sinai and Palestine speak of the New Zealand Mounted troops, and the memory of both the living and the dead who shared both the hardships and glory of it was commemorated m Jerusalem last mouth, when Lord Allen by opened the Memorial Chapel which has been set up _in the military cemetery there. Sir James Parr will, as the ’High Commissioner for New Zealand, be present at the ceremony and dedication. Viscount Allenby, while Comrnander-in-Cliief of the British Expeditionary Force, had planned a general war memorial to he set up on a conspicuous site near Jerusalem and had indeed obtained funds for the purpose. On hearing that the Imperial War Graves Commission were to build a chapel in the Jerusalem War Cemetery, lie Proposed to the Commission that a joint memorial should be erected.

The chapel, which is now almost completed, will thus be a memorial to all services and to men of all races and religions within the Empire who played their part in this great campaign in a region so redolent of Biblical memories that the history of it brings to mind the language and thoughts of our forefathers, wiio talked; read, and thought so much more of the Holy Land’ into which a twentieth century generation was thrust, sword and lance in hand.

The design of the chapel is thus conlined to such as will not be abhorrent to any —Christian, Moslem, Hindu, Jewish —who did their part and New Zealand decided that its contribution to the memorial should be the mosaic work in the interior decoration. ' The Military Cemetery which is rectangular in plan lies along the road from Jerusalem. It is surrounded by white stone walls and the main entrance is a handsome stone erection in the middle of the wall Hanking the longer side. On passing through this fine gateway there stretches before us n long vista clear across to the further side, broken only by the tall War Cross which marks the central spot of the Cemetery. The further wall is broken by big semi-circular bay flanked by two stone pylons. At the top of the steps loading up and midway across the front there lies a Stone of Remembrance and backing the whole is a low wall and the Memorial Chapel. Inscribed on the left hand (N.W.) pylon are the names of the New Zealand missing, about sixty in all; the right hand pylon is devoted to the Australian missing, The names of the missing in the other British troops who served in Palestine are recorded on the panels which Hank the Memorial Chapel. In the chapel itself the figure work had to be confined to the lunettes of the end walls and to the sides of the recess in which the double window is set. The rest of the surface of the walls and of the dome above the stone frieze is covered with a quiet but delicately' varied treatment of the mosaic suggestive of pale light of dawn —a mood of hope and promise attuning the mind of the spectator to thoughts of the sacrifice commemorated. On the stone frieze itself is a mosaic band of characteristic Maori pattern, adapted to mosaic technique, based bn the woven pattern so much used by the Maoris, The woven patterns are akin I to mosaic design, whereas the other type based on whorls and spirals in which Professor Elliott Smith sees affinity with Egyptian design, were unsuitable for use in the space available.

At the north-cast end of the Chapel and on each side of the window stands a winged figure; one holding a laurel branch, the other an olive branch, emblematic, of Victory and Peace. On the arched wall are two kneeling figures, one on each side, their hands folded together as in prayer. They too are winged and are intended to represent Aspiration and Hope, expression of which is common to all religions.

On the wall pierced by the entrance door and on a level with these four figures are four more typi tying the human ideals which inspired the soldiers. There are two on each side of Hie entrance —Patriotism and Faith, hand in hand, between them a garland of laurel; on Hie left, Humanity and

Hope, similarly linked. In the upper part of the panel, well above the door, are the words, “From the uttermost ends of the earth,” set in the mosaic. Below this is the tree-fern emblem of New Zealand. Below that again are the words, “In honour of the members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force who took part in the operations in Sinai and Palestine, 1916_1918.” The border round the lunettes is a ",1a ori design.

The colouring of the whole is quiet and restful, in harmony with the intention of the Chapel; grey and dove colour, quiet blues, quiet reds and quiet yellows, with white. There is a little emphatic black in the wings of the figures, which have golden haloes on each side of the window. This stronger treatment has two purposes; first because this is the focus of the whole sign of the interior, and secondly, a stronger colour treatment is necessary here as the wall looks dark because ‘of the strong daylight coming through the window. The architect, designer and executant have laboured with the hope that the treatment of the whole will express a, mood in sympathy with the reverent feelings of those who enter the Chapel —a serene and proud fortitude with those who come there in sorrowful remembrance, and one of sustained hope but with no hint of boastful elation, with those whose memories arc happier. To those of later generations who will have no personal griefs to feel or exaltations to remember, they hope it will give an added realisation of the greatness of the valour and the sacrifice of those who came at their country’s call “from the uttermost ends of the earth.”