ORDER OF THE BATH

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 126, 30 May 1928, Page 9

ORDER OF THE BATH

KNIGHTS GRAND CROSS FILLING VACANT STALLS MAGNIFICENT CEREMONY (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, 21st April. ' The King, as Sovereign of the Most Honourable Order of tlio .Bath, will.attond an Installation Service of Knights Grand Cross of the Order in King Henry Vll.'s Chapel, Westminster Abbey, on 10th. May. Since the last installation, four' years ago, twelve stalls have become, vacant through tho deaths of their holders, and to fill these vacancies tho following will be installed:— General Sir Joseolinc Heneage Wodchouse, G.C.8., C.M.G. : Admiral of tho Fleet Earl Jellieoe, C.G.8., 0.M., G.V.C.O. General tho Bight Hon. Sir John Grenfell Maxwell, G.C.8., K.C.M.G., C.V.0., D.S.'O. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Bradwardine Jackson, G:C.B., K.C.V.O. Lieutenant-General ,Sir Alfred Koogh, G.C.8., G.C.V.0., C.H. Admiral of the Fleet Lord Wester Wemyss, C.G.8., C.M.G., -M.V.O. Field>Marshal ■ Viscount Allenby, G.C.8., G.C.M.G., Admiral of tho Fleet Sir Charles Edward Madden, Bt., G.C.8., G.C.V.0., K.O.M.G. Eight Hon. Sir Eric Campbell Geddes, G.C.8., G.B.E. , ■ Sir Hubert Llewellyn Smith, G.C.B. LieutenantrColonel Sir Maurice Pascal Alers Hankey, G.C.B. Lord Bradbury, G.C.B. ! The stallholders who have died since 1924 were:—Field-Marshal Lord Greufcll, Admiral Sir Compton Edward Donivile; General the Right Hon.. Sir Dighton Macnaughton Probyn, tho Right Hon. Sir , George William 'Buchanan, Field-Marshal the Earl of Ypres,, Viscount Milner, Lieutenant-General Sir1 Herbert Scott Gould Miles, Sir Evan MacGrogor, Admiral of tho Fleet Lord Walter Talbot JKerr, General Sir George Wcntworth Alexander Higginson, Field-Marshal Earl Haig, Colonel the Marquis of Cambridge. TRADITIONAL RITUAL. Tho form* of service to bo used is founded on the ritual observed at tho installations in the eighteenth century. . The Great Master of the prder, FieldMarshal His Eoyal Highness tho Duke of Connaught, will bo present. Bath King of Arms, General Sir ' Charles Munro, Governor of Gibraltar, is unable to attend, and his place will bo taken by the Registrar and Secretary, Major-General Sir Geoffrey Feilding. The other officers taking part in tho service will be the Genealogist, Sir Henry Farnham Burke; tho Gentleman Usher, Vice-Admiral E. G. A. W. Staple-t'on-Cottp'n; the Deputy-Secretary, 1 Major H. 11. F. Stocklty. The ceremony, is one of the most imposing spectacles associated With the ancient Orders. Tho Sovereign, the Great-Master, tho Knights Grand Cross," and officers of the Order, habited in their mantles, will assemble, with tho dean and canons, in the Chapter House. The procession, preceded by tho trumpeters, the Abbey Cross, choir, and minor canons, will pass through the south' and west cloisters, entering the Abbey by tho westcloister door. ■ ■ The Sovereign will proceed1 to his stall, and the dean and canons'will pass to their positions in the Presbytery, tho rest of the procession proceeding to their allotted seats. Tho lesson, Ephesians vi., 10-18, will be read by the Dean, to be followed by tho recital of the Apostles' Creed and the Intercessions. SOVEREIGN'S REVERENCE. The Sovereign, preceded by tho Great Master, the Knights Grand Cross, the officers of the Order, an/I Precentor, will then pass into the Presbytery. At the top of the steps tho procession will divide, and, turning right and left, will move' eastward through tho doors at tho.north and south of the High Altar, through the Chapel of the Confessor to tho Chapel of the Order, tho dean and canons joining the procession in the Presbytery. The Sovereign will then make his reverence, aitd stand under his banner. The Great Master will make his double reverences, first to the Altar and then to tho Sovereign, and also stand under his banner. The " Knights 'Grand Cross, on entering the Chapel, will stand on either side. The elaborate ceremonial of the Order then follows. - Tho Great Master, seats the Knights in their stalls, after which they, rise simultaneously and mako their double reverences. - Further ceremonial follows. The Senior Knight, after making his offering, and drawing his sword, offers it to tho Dean, who lays it on the Altar. i The Knight then redeems it of the Dean, who restores it with the admonition: "I exhort, and admonish you to uso your Sword to the Glory of God, tho Defence of tho Gospel, tho maintenance of your Sovereign's right and honour, and 'of all equity and justice, to the utmost of your power.": Each' Knight installed during.tho scf- , vice draws his sword and holds it forward by the blade, tho hilt towards the Altar, and sheathes it again, in unison with tho Senior Knight.