THE LAST TRIBUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 107, 6 May 1926, Page 11

THE LAST TRIBUTE

COUNCIL STAFF'S ROLL OF

HONOUR

UNVEILED AT TOWN HALL,

Between 300 and 400 members of tha staff of the City Council, councillors, and relatives of the men who served gathered in the main entrance of the Town Hall yesterday afternoon while the handsome bronze memorial tablet in honour of those of the Btaff who served during the Great War was unveiled. Members of the Municipal Fire Brigade, in full uniform, formed the guard of honour. "I feel deeply honoured," said the Mayor (Mr. C. J..8. Norwood), "to bo the humble instrument through which the council and its entiro staff seek to pay a last 'outward tribute of respect to those heroes who served in the war, some of whom gave up their lives for you and me. "I find from the records in the Town Clerk's department that the staffs were represented as follow: —Town Clerk's department C, City Solicitor's 1, City Treasurer's 8, City Engineer's 25, Heserves 7, Fire Brigade 35, and Tramways and Electric Light 159. And of these 36 were wounded and 27 never returned. "It is my wish that this should be a quiet, dignified ceremony. Words will not fill the void, and therefore any discourse from mo is not likely to express what the heart would say. I want, at least, the tablet, which it is my honour to unveil, to be one on which will be inscribed for all time the names of those groat heroes who went from our midst at the call of King and country. I trust that the names and the tablet will serve as an inspiration to the present staff and all staffs which may follow from time to time, and will act as a reminder that we cannot live unto ourselves. Life has a better purpose. I trust that relief will come to all hearts that are still heavy with the feeling of loss. May God lighten their burden."

The Mayor then drew back the silken Union Jack and placed at the base of tho tablet a magnificent wreath of' flowers' from the City Corporation Staff Club. As the gathering stood silent from the grand organ stole softly tho "Dead March in Saul," followed by tho National Anthem. No ceremony could have been more impressive or dignified.