MEMORIAL TO AIRMEN

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 25, 29 July 1922, Page 12

MEMORIAL TO AIRMEN

THE ABBEY'S NEW WINDOW ": ' GIFT FROM AMERICA. \ f ; <moM on«i own comiSHWBiNt.) ; » .'!;•.'■' ; LONDON, 30th May.'J7'; To the munificence of an Ajnericatt lady, Mrs., Louis1 Bennett, is due tl}e '; Abbey's, latest possession. This is a.; beautiful twin light window, 6ur_mounted by: a smaller tracery light. It is chiefly ' a scheme, of gold and white, enriched by' effective touches o.f ruby red, sapphire, blue, and amethyst. These gem coloured ■with the morning sun streaming through, shone with rich effect upon the grave of the Unknown Warrior, in ,the great nave, on the morning of its dedication by ' the Dean (Bishop Ryle)V '-•' , ■'•■/ In the design,' the artist, V /Mf. H. Grylls, has chosen the Archangel Mich- '. ael—now recognised as the patron saint. of airmen—for the most conspicuous figure, and difficult as a suggestion of the new sei'vice is to convey by symbolism, an attempt has been made to introduce a theme of "flying men" and "wings" by representations of'Seraphims and appropriate Biblical passages. St. Michael, in the top tracery, is represented as heading a flight of angels,,who, in the two lights, .bear the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Shield of Faith, theHelme^of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit. Further, to illustrate the theme of "flying men" and "wings," passages have been chosen from the Prophets^ — Isaiah.: "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength,, they shall mount up, with wings as angels'1; and Ezekiel V "I heard also the noise of the wings of the Hying- creatures as they^touched one another," these words being written on ■the scrolls which, --these two Prophets hold.' One stands at the base in either light, one being in robes^of red, the other in rich blue. The "wing" theme is further developed in the border, which is composed of representations of Seraphim; A' reference to the Epistle to the Ephesians, vi., 13-17,- will explain the „ armour and weapons borne by these flying men or angels—the breastplate, • the shield, the helmet, the sword, while others hold palm branches of victorious martyrdom and crowns of life and of glory. The dedicatory inscription written, . on the glass' at the base of the window . reads: "To the glory of God > and in ■proud and thankful memory of those members of the British Flying Services who fell in the Great War, 1914-1918." The gift of an American mother, whose only son. Mr. Louis" Bennett, was killed ;in-action'whilst serving with a British , squadron in France, it is a memorial not ! only of the gallant Royal Air Force, but also of the. injjtructive kinkhip which. brought ; thei soul -of America- into the. fight- for civilisation before the United States officially declared war. His sacri; , fice is joined with that of his.comrade's •' in i glorious company, and neither his. name nor tljat of the donor appears. ' The memorial is for all. Mrs, Bennett" ,was present lat ■ the service, which' iwaa attended by, 'among• others: Admiral Watson. -|representinjr. the* First Lord of the Admiralty), Captain C. L. Hussey .(U.S. Naval' Attache), Air Chief-Marshal Sir Hugh and Lady Trenohard, Lord Gorell (Under-Secretary for Air), CJeneral Seely, the Swedish Military Attache, the Italian Air Attache, Air Vice-Marshal Sir G. Salmond, Air-Commodore S. R. Scarlett, Air Vice^Maa-shal P. W Game, j .Major-General Brandter (Director of Civil Aviation), Air Vice-Marshal A. V. Vyvyan, Air Vice-Marshal J. F. A. Hig- '■ gins, Mt. W. A. Brand1 (Deputy Secretary, Air Ministry),l Dr.\ C. Simpson (Director, Meteorological Office), the - Rev. H. D. L. Viener (Chaplain-General, Air Force), Mr. C. J. Fairfax Scott (Imperial Air ( Committee).1 and representatives of the War Office and rothev Gov- . ernment Departments^ ■'„,'. .'. ... Detachments of 'men from the air' stations, in their familiar blue service uniforms, were present in the 'Abbey. ■ The Royal ,Air Force Central Band, while tli« congregation were assembling, play,- / ed in the nave, directed by Flying Officer J. AmeiTs; and the general public ' massed beyond the enclosure near the west' door. Their programme consisted' of Mendelssohn's Pilgrim's March, (from the Italian symphony), Bach's Prelude, Chorale and Fugue, Grieg's Melody, Handel's Air' from "Hinaldo," and' the minuet from "Samson." •It also accompanied the two hynui6, "0, Valiant Hearts" and "The Old Hundi-redth-j" aiid concluded with Elgar's Imperial March. . . The service—brief,simple, and appropriate—was taken' by the Dean. After a few prayers, the choir sang, without accompaniment, Gounod's beautifulv anthem, "Send Out Thy Light and Thy Truth." Then the Hon !-F.' E. Guest,' C.8.E., , D.S.O:, . M.P., Secretary of State for Air,'asked the Dean to accept the window Before its dedication; 'Bishop Ryle said : "The Dear and Chapter gratefully accept the gift which you have pre-/ seated,to us, and fittingly as we think; this beautiful window, which is to ( ooramemorate the young officers and men of ' 'that distinguishedvforce who fell in the Great Wai*, looks down upon the grave '. of the.TJnknown Warrior. So far as lie? in their power, the Dean and. Chapter" hope to keep it,ln safe custody thtougK- . out thio years, and maintain it in good' condition and. repair. We are aot goirtg ; to be unmindful of the great generosity of the donor, who has the assurance ,of the wspectful sympathy, as well as' of the deep gratitude of all who aire gather-* ed within these walls to-day." One of the two that followed wae the striking 16th. century appeal: "0 Lord, support us all the day long of tliis troublous life. ' iintil the slwdies lengtlien, and the evening comes,' and the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over, and our work done. Then, Lord, in Thy mercy; grant us safe lodk-. ing, a holy rest, and' peace at the last, through Jesus . Christ our lord. Amen." After the "Old Hundredth," bustlers sounded tlie solemn -"Last Post,' T then, with the National Anthem, oa-me the conclusion of a well-conceived little cer»'toony. ..- ■ . , . '■ .■■.?' -. . .--. :. .■'