ANZAC DAY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 22

ANZAC DAY

GRAVES IN ENGLAND NOT

FORGOTTEN

IMPRESSIVE LONDON CEREMONY

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S VISIT TO

WALTON.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ■; 2 LONDON, 4th May. . "r . On. .Anzac.;'Day .Australians, and 'New -Zealanders in London honoured-the memory of tho men of the Dominions who fell in tho Great War, and the English folk in very many towns and villages of Great Britain commemorated the day by laying floral tributes on the graves of the overseas soldiers in their local cemeteries. On the morning of the 25th there ws,a,pilgrimage to the Cenotaph. The Legion' of .Frontiersmen who have their headquarters at the Adelphi, paraded in their pioturesque uniform, and marched to the Cenotaph to form a guard of honour. There they laid their own wreath of remembrance. Before noon the base of the world-famous memorial was covered with a mass of floral emblems. Sir Joseph Cook (High Commissioner for Australia) brought a wreath of tiger lilies and red tulips which had come from Australia in a block of ice. The Australian and New Zealand Services' Association was represented' by an 'enormous wreath of yellow roses. A tribute of the same flowers was placed for General Birdwood,, and all tho Agents-General for Australia added their floral tributes. The 'Dowager' Countess of Jersey, on behalf of the Victoria" League of Australia, laid a wreath of wattle, specially sent over for Anzac Day., and among .... other Dominion organisations represent- ■ ed were the British Empire Service Lea-, gue, the South Australia Returned Soldiers' Association, the South Australia NurseB 1 Association, the South Australia Soldiers' and Sailors' Fathers' Association, the Returned Soldiers' and Sailors' Imperial League of Australia, the 2nd Battalion Australian Imperial Force, and the Australian Natives' As--1 sociation, who sent a magnificent heart ■ of mauve hyacinths : with a centre of ■'- irises and roses. '.' Sir James Allen motored down to •; Brookwood and • Walton-on-Thames, and «'laid wreaths in .the cemeteries there. The '^inscription on each was: "To the honour■ed memory of the members.of the New • Zealand Expeditionary Force who rest ' in this cemetery. From the High Com■"•'"missioner .for New Zealand, on behalf i'of the New Zealand Government." •_■ ; At noon every seat; in the historic ■church of St. Clement Danes, on the is••;land site in the Strand, was filled. The '.interior of the church beautiful in itself, .-.was decorated with flowers and fruit. ."The central aisle presented a beautiful •■'vista of white narcissi and tulips, ter--'-■'minating in a floral arch at the entrance .•■.to the chancel. At the end of each pew, .and festooned on the screen, were " bunches of oranges and lemons which ; 'will ever, be associated with, "the bells '".'of St. Clement's." Mr.' Arthur Mason, • formerly city organist of Sydney, pre--sided at tho organ, and gaVe a recital I'for a quarter of an hour before the sseri -vice started, amongst the selections 1 being Beethoven's "Marche Funebre." Lessons were read by Sir George Fuller (Premier of New South Wales), and by ■■ Mr. H. S. W. Lawson (Premier of 'Victoria), and the service was, conducted ' by the rector; the Rev. W. PenningtonBickford. 'Among the hymns were: "0, ■'■' God, Our Help in Ages. Past,"'and: Kip;'ling's Recessional^ "God of. Our Fath-: "ers"; and the Australian vocalist Mad- - ame Lily Payling, sang "Abide With •Me."' ' :*: "CARRY ON, CARRY ON!" ■■ The Archdeacon of Sydney (the Yen. W. Martin) who gave the address, came ;,.; straight from Tilbury, having arrived ; from Australia that morning. Taking :■ -the incident' of Mary of Bethany anoint«'ing our Lord with the costly ointment, "which caused the disciples to exclaim at '. ;what they termed waste, the preacher - compared with it similar expressions by many people as what they called the •..'.; waste of life in the late war. There were some things, he said, that could not : be reckoned in terms of money, and „' among them were love aud courage. The ; Archdeacon made a pathetic reference .to his own son, a' lad just' under 18 when the war broke out, who begged to ■'. be allowed to enlist. After being re.'.fused, on account of his youth, he left ya, note on his father's study table one - night, saying he understood what he was asking,,and that it would be a grand thing to die for England and-the 1 Empire. His father gave way, and the gallant lad went to France and fell at Bullecourt. One father, said the Arch-

deacon, .offered to' draw -a - cheque for ( £2O',O(lO ■ for his "son''if he would agreenot to enlist, but he refused, and went

to the -war. Do not think of your boys as lying dead in the grave," urged the preacher, "but as living with. God, taking part-iri this 'great 'service, and saying to "us,." Carry oft, canyon." When the war was still raging on the Continent people used to say, "Wait till this war is over." But the war still con : tinued —a war of greed, of selfishness, and class hatred. '

In the special form of service used, reference was made to the Dominions' sacrifice: "0 Eternal Father, we humbly draw nigh to Theo amid the memorials of. our Empire's' most illustrious

dead, and we.dedicato to Thy great glory the memory of our dear brothers departed. We praiso Thy holy Name for that gift of their matchless courage. Crown, we beseech Thee, with Thy loving mercy the offering of their bravo lives- Grant ■unto them Thy" Eternal Peace, 'and; the blessing of Thy. perfect comfort until all that mourn.' :Wo ask it-in the; Name of Him who died and rose lagain; for us all; Thy Son, ouir;Saviour Jesus;. Christ."After the address? the L'ast> Pp.st was sounded, 1 the National Anthem was sung, and the strains o£ Chopin's "Marche Funebre" concluded a most im-

pressive service. During thq singing of one of the hymns the High Commissioner for Australia placed a wreath on the Flower Sellers' War' Shrine, in the side aisle, subscribed for by members of the congregation in memory of their friends arid relatives who were Anzacs, and whose names appear on the shrine. Viscountess Novar also kid on it a- wreath for the Victoria League, and one was placed there for Sergeant Kendall, of New Zealand,, on behalf of hid mother. The Earl of Liverpool and the Countess of Liverpool were present, and a large number of New Zealanders took partin the service.-;; ■;■ " . ■ ■•' CEKEMONY AT WALTON.' : ' In the evening a number of people assembled at the War Memorial, and an imposing procession made its way to tho cemetery surrounding Walton parish church. The arrangements generally -were made by Mrs. Montague Robinson _ no t for Walton alone, but through, out the country. Tho annual pilgrimage! to this Thames-side rentro brings back recollections of tho 27,000 sick and wounded New Zealanders who were tendered at Walton and Oatlands. In the local cemetery eighteen lie at rest. The

Walton Drum and Fife Band played appropriate music along the route. Those participating in the procession included demobilised New Zealanders (now resident in the district), Mr. William Negus, J.P. (Deputy-Lieutenant of the county), Councillor R. Phillips, J.P., C.C., together.-with members and officials ,of; the Urban Council, members of the Walton;branch of the British Legion, ■members of- the Comrades' Clubs at Walton and Hersham, Walton Fire Brigade (under, .Captain P*.' Wilds) local Friendly ■.Societies, Burial Board, Ist Walton arid Ist Hersham Troops of Boy Scouts and Cubs. The whcti parade was in charge of Captain P. B. Garrett, 8.N., and Captain Samuel. After Hhe hymn."O God our help in ages past," the Rev.' Mackenzie Gibbons and Mr. W. Negus'delivered addresses. The latter said the tribute paid by men overseas who came to help England in her hour of need could not be overestimated. The younger generation must not forget what_ it meant. It meant that the British Empire when in trouble could always rely on its children. This was proved in the last war to such an extent that could not have been anticipated. The invisible wires of friendship; and devotion were forged together and put into operation, and they all knew with the result that instead of being trampled upon we were victorious. He thought the spirit that was displayed in the war should bs continued now. There was a great deal still to He done to make England what she was before the war. They had to work as a united people for the.-welfare of the country, and then all would be well.

After further prayers were pronounced by the Rev. W. H. Allen (Wesleyan) and Pastor Ray Smith (Baptist), the hymn "For all the Saints who from their labours rest" was sung. Three volleys were fired by a detachment of the East Surrey Regiment, and the "Last Post" and National Anthem brought the simple but impressive service to a close. Many beautiful floral tributes were placed oh the graves, including wreaths from the High Commissioner of New Zealand and tho Australian Natives' Association. The procession afterwards reformed, and marched past the memorial tablet at Mount Felix, then returned to the war. memorial and dispersed. At Brookwood, on the previous morning, Mrs. Robinson and her daughters took floral triubtes to the 500 graves, and on Anzac Day the Misses Bennett, of Purbright, added to these.

At' Wandsworth Cemetery there aro thirty-three Anzac graves, on all of which were placed flowers, which were tied ■with red, white, and blue ribbon, and with an Anzac memorial card at- , tached, while, floral posies were laid on New Zealand. South African, and Newfoundland graves. The arrangements here were in . the hands of Mrs. C. Thomas. WHY THEY CAME. At Netley, in the cemetery of the Royal Victoria Military Hospital, many of the patients took part in the service, which this year was conducted by the Rev. J. Laversack, Wesleyan chaplain to the forces. In his address he recalled how the young men from the Dominions rallied to the Mother Country in her time of need, and willingly laid down .their lives to uphold justice and right. He mentioned that he once asked a badly wounded Australian, who now lay at rest there, why the men from overseas with our men at home volunteered po nobly. He reply was: "Mother called, and we came." Then followed two minutes' silence, the sounding of the "Last Post" by the buglers, the hymn "For allthe Saints," and the National Anthem, after which the Women's Section of the Legion, under Mrs. R. E. Crichton. placed flowers upon the graves of all thu soldiers from overseas —forty-three- Australians, thirty-eight Canadians^ ten New Zealanders, and four South Africans. The one New. Zealander buried in Hound Churchyard wa s . not forgotten, and his grave .was covered with flowers by the Old Netley Sunday School children, who formed up round it while the Vicar of Netley (tho Eev. W. E. Summers) said an appropriate prayer, before the afternoon service in the little seven hundred years old church began. CONTINUOUS CARE. At Brockenhuret. where there are the graves of one hundred New Zealanders, continuous care 13 taken. This corner of the cemetery is always beautifully tended, and the children are being trained to carry on the good work. Anzac Day was celebrated on the previous Sunday, when a special united service was held in the Parish Church, conducted hy the. Vicar (the Rev. C. Hope Gill), assisted by the Rev. H. Horsley. A visit was afterwards paid jo the: graves of the New ZealSridere, arid the schoolchildren laid floral offerings- upon the mounds. . The hymn, "How bright, these glorious spirits shine," was eung in the open. The emblems bore memorial caTds sent from New Zealand. The'members of the Roll of Honour Guild attended a special Communion Service at Brockenhursfc on Anzac Day, and afterwards placed floral offerings on the New Zealand graves.

-At Fovaht, a nuiet spot''in Wiltshire, too, the Rev. R. Usher (rector) had special services and throughout the week fresh flowers and huirel were placed on the graves. Hero, too, the graves have constant and tender care. . Now that ths memorial headstones, have been placed in position, many touching words from their own people speak of those who rest beneath.

A SACRED NAME.

Mr. H. Light ("East Anglican, Daily Times") saw that the eleven graves in Colchester Cemetery were apnropriatelv remembered. The wreath sent by the Mayor was inscribed: "In grateful remembrance." and another tribute bore the lines from Tennyson: "Nobly to do, nobly to die. Their names Graven on memorial columns are a song heard in the future." The Rev. Panon Hales (Rural Dean) officiated at the special service, and in a touching reference to the occasion he said the great name Anzac—written in their blood—would be a sacred name in England as long as the British Empire existed.. They were thankful that in Colchester they could honour the dust of these brave men who were laid in that cemetery. The flowers that were the sign of their affection v/ould fade, but the glorious lives of these men who died ' for the Empire would, be seeds that would bring forth fruit, some fifty, 6ome a hundredfold. By such a celebration as.this on Anzac Day, the relatives in New Zealand and Australia would know that their gallant sons;-were, not forgotten. The hymns aung were: "0 God, our Help." "Eternal Father," anct "Sun o£ my Soul." IN VIEW OF LARKHILL CAMP. At Durrington, Salisbury, thera aro 142 Australian graves, but none of New Zenlanders. A . special pilgrimage- was made on the Sunday previous, when the Rector (the Rev. A. G. Ruddle. R-.D.) conducted the-service, and the Rev. H. Miller gave an address, on "Sacrifice and Pilgrimage. T '. The long procession, which included a contingent from two" lodges of the R.A:0.8.,- hi regalia, made its way to the cemetery, traversing a pretty, road with the River Avon on "one. aide and a wood on the oilier, past old thatched cottages, then 'uphill to the cemetery's expanse to the four winds of heaven. T o the bast-mie looks-down over •a smiliivr valley, with thp.liver winding tliroughl Involv wntt'i: -iucrtrlows, ;iiii.l tn the west on the skyline' there is Uwk Hill Camp, whore so Tnany thousands wure in training in the war ycua. Vvhen all had readied the spot, "0 Cod, our 1

Help in Ages Past" was sung, then that fine lesson from Ecclesiasticus, eh. 44, was read, beginning "Let us novj praise famous men" and ending, "their name Hveth for evermore." Then more prayers —the hymn "On the Resurrection Mornins." and the National Anthem. While the band played "Jerusalem, my Home," the graves o f j.jj c A.I.F. soldiors wore all decorated with flowers. .., IN MANCHESTER. In Manchester Southern Cemetery Uicro are twenty graves of Service men. Until lately they were, marked, by. little white crosses, but at the 1 expense of the Colonjal Governments, these have now been replaced by permanent tombstones, and throughout, the year the graves are cared for, by a little group of Red Cross workers who came into personal contact with the dead soldiers when they were in hospital in Manchester. It is this little group o f workers, which arranges the "Anzao Pilgrimage" in Manchester, and.invites gifts of flowers from the public in order that the relatives of the Colonials may be informed 1 that the graves in the.Manchester cemetery are as respected' and as carefully tended as if their occupants had been laid to rest in their own country. There was no servicj and no ceremonial on the occasion of the pilgrimage, but people arrived from time to time with flowers for particular graves, and the old flags flying at the foot of the craves were replaced by new ones; and about four o'clock, when a hundred or tw.o people were present, someone proposed that a hymn should be sun<r; after which the quiet little crowd, gradually dispersed. THE FIRST BASE. Miss M. Jolly, one who knew the' New Zealanders and Australians when they were based at Weymouth, saw that all the graves, including the four where our men lie buried, were decorated with flowers. On most of the wreaths was the inscription: "In grateful remembrance of brav 9 sons of Australasia who fought and suffered, died and conquered, on many battlefields.

"Oh ! sweet and seemly, so to die indeed, In the high flush of youth and strength and prido, These are our martyrs and their blood

and seed Of nobler future, 'twas for us they died; Keep we their memory green.' "

Other helpers locally were Mrs. H. Jolly and Mrs. Cawdell Barnett.

THE SOUTHERN CROSS ARMADA,

In a special tribute on the Soul of Anzac, the "Yorkshire Herald" says: "The assembling of the Armada is an epic based on tragedy. When war broke out Australia and New Zealand offered their best. Tho assembling of the vast convoy was an impreEsivo sight, but still more impressive was the journey across the sapphire seas, the flutter of the destruction of the Emden, tho mobilisation at Port Said, and tho descent of the big-limbed, loose-uniformed thousands upon tho sun-scorched dcserL of Egypt. The first touch of war came with the attack of tho Turks upon tho Suez Canal, a plucky effort doomed to failure after a. long trek across the scorching sands to the big placid ditch. The naval attack on the forts at tho entrance to the Straits failed, as it was indubitably doomed to fail. Backed by a strong military force there is no saying what might have happened, but there was no force beyond, the few marines who landed and leisurely surveyed tho damage. Then came tho order for military co-operation, but even then transports were loaded in such a fashion that a return had to be made for redistribution in order that men might have arms and munitions to fight with.

. . . Followed a fight against a forewarned and plucky enemy, dysentery and disease, climate and dogged ill-luck. And then evacuation with a casualty list of thousands—and the flaring dumps and tiie cemeteries studded with wooden crosses as the price of valour." The "Staffordshire Sentinel" remarks: "To the people of Australia and New Zealand the landing at Anzae Cove remains as the outstanding dramatic event of the war. Though the Australian and New Zealand troops were but a part of the British forces engaged, in the Dardanelles operations, they looked upon the landing as something specially sacred to them. Apart from the heroism which carried them so far up the seemingly impregnable heights, the fact that the day marked the virtual entry of the armies of the two Dominions into tho war gave it all the greater -significance." The arrangements at Harefield (where the first Australian Hospital was established) were'in tho hands of the Eev. 11. S. Oochran and- Mr. E. A. Jeffery (the headmaster of the Council School). The school children almost filled the church., and among- others present were Mr. W. T. M'Coy (Director of Education in South Australia) and Mrs. M'Coy. The former, early, in the morning, talked to the children on the significance of the day and the. greatness of the Empire. At the service the Vicar gave an address of "Remembrance," and then he led the procession to the graves. Each child carried a bunch of flowers; on each of the 112 graves a wreath was placed. After a simple service out of doors, ending with the Recessional, the flag presented by school children in South Australia was run up on the flagstaff. The Harefield ex-service men also placed a wreath of laurel on the Australian memorial as "a tribute to fallen Australian comrades."

Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Amos (Wellington) went to the cemetery at Ivensal Green and placed a card of remembrance and flowers on each of the fifteen graves of New Zealanders, and the similar number of Australians. All the- graves have been remodelled, and each now has its permanent headstone with full inscrip-